PARIS -- Paris Saint-Germain will donate €1 million ($1.12 million) to the United Nations' refugee agency and a French non-profit association to help relieve the migrants crisis.
The French champions said they will give the money to the UNHCR and the Secours Populaire Francais in order to "set up concrete solidarity projects in France and internationally."
A group of migrants arrived in France on Wednesday after an overnight bus trip from Germany, the first among around 1,000 that French President Francois Hollande pledged to receive from the neighboring country.
La @FondationPSG se mobilise pour les réfugiés en reversant 1 million d'euros au @SecoursPop et à @Refugees. pic.twitter.com/tFZ4s4b9Yb
- PSG Officiel (@PSG_inside) September 9, 2015
Hollande committed to accepting 24,000 migrants over two years, but the French public opinion is split on how to handle the influx of people fleeing war and poverty in the Middle East and Africa.
Meanwhile, the help being given to migrants by German soccer clubs was praised by German football federation (DFB) president Wolfgang Niersbach on as he visited migrants in the central state of Hesse.
Niersbach paid tribute to eighth-tier side SG Egelsbach, which has been working with the Christian Refugee Aid group and set up a team for migrants called "Refugees United."
"That's exactly what [the DFB] had in mind," Niersbach said. "You can issue so many dispatches from Berlin. But they have to be implemented locally. What's happening here is a fine example."
He gave footballs signed by the German national team to players from countries including Syria, Somalia and Afghanistan.
The DFB founded the "1-0 for a Welcome" initiative to offer a payment of €500 ($560) to clubs who want to assist migrants.
"We want to assist amateur teams to help refugees play football quickly and without complications," Niersbach said.