RIO DE JANEIRO, April 16 (Xinhua) -- The South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL) has increased the winner's cheque for this year's Copa America by 2.5 million U.S. dollars, providing a fresh stimulus to a tournament hit by COVID-19.

The title winners will now receive 10 million dollars, in addition to a four million-dollar payment that each team will receive to cover costs associated with logistics and preparations.

"This will make the world's oldest international tournament even more attractive and competitive," CONMEBOL said in a statement on Friday.

Originally scheduled for 2020, the 47th edition of the Copa America - to be played in Argentina and Colombia - was postponed by a year because of the pandemic.

The tournament will begin on June 11 with a clash between Argentina and Chile at the Monumental stadium in Buenos Aires. The final will be played in Colombia's Caribbean port city of Barranquilla on July 10.

However, plans to stage the matches in front of spectators remain in doubt amid continued high infection rates and delayed vaccination programs.

Having been invited to participate as guests, Australia and Qatar withdrew from the competition last month because of a clash with rescheduled 2022 Asian World Cup qualifiers. Enditem

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