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    Bayern Munich donate $1.1 million to help refugees

    By Tom McGowan, CNN

    Updated 1530 GMT (2330 HKT) September 3, 2015

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    Real Madrid have become the latest European football team to announce it will be donating money to help migrants arriving in Europe.
    Photos: Bayern Munich donate $1.1 million
    Real Madrid have become the latest European football team to announce it will be donating money to help migrants arriving in Europe.
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    The Spanish giant stated Saturday it would provide $1.1 million for refugees arriving in Spain.
    Photos: Bayern Munich donate $1.1 million
    The Spanish giant stated Saturday it would provide $1.1 million for refugees arriving in Spain.
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    Club president, Florentino Perez, spoke with Spanish prime minister Mariano Rajoy before confirming the move, a Real Madrid statement said.
    Photos: Bayern Munich donate $1.1 million
    Club president, Florentino Perez, spoke with Spanish prime minister Mariano Rajoy before confirming the move, a Real Madrid statement said.
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    Earlier this week, Bayern Munich revealed it would also donate $1.1 million to help migrants arriving in the German city. The Bundesliga club said it plans to set up a training camp for some of the thousands that have crossed into Germany via Hungary and Austria as well.<br />
    Photos: Bayern Munich donate $1.1 million
    Earlier this week, Bayern Munich revealed it would also donate $1.1 million to help migrants arriving in the German city. The Bundesliga club said it plans to set up a training camp for some of the thousands that have crossed into Germany via Hungary and Austria as well.
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    "Bayern sees it as its social responsibility to help those fleeing and suffering children, women and men, to support them and accompany them in Germany," the club's chief executive Karl-Heinz Rummenigge said in a statement.<br /> <br />
    Photos: Bayern Munich donate $1.1 million
    "Bayern sees it as its social responsibility to help those fleeing and suffering children, women and men, to support them and accompany them in Germany," the club's chief executive Karl-Heinz Rummenigge said in a statement.

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    As well as setting up the training camp for kids, Bayern will also offer them meals and German language classes in conjunction with the city of Munich. Here migrants seeking political asylum play football at the registration center on August 26, 2015 in Ingelheim, Germany.
    Photos: Bayern Munich donate $1.1 million
    As well as setting up the training camp for kids, Bayern will also offer them meals and German language classes in conjunction with the city of Munich. Here migrants seeking political asylum play football at the registration center on August 26, 2015 in Ingelheim, Germany.
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    Bayern isn't the only German club helping migrants. Here refugees, invited by Mainz 05, attend a Bundesliga match against Hannover 96 at Coface Arena in August.
    Photos: Bayern Munich donate $1.1 million
    Bayern isn't the only German club helping migrants. Here refugees, invited by Mainz 05, attend a Bundesliga match against Hannover 96 at Coface Arena in August.
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    Banners with "Refugees welcome" or "Welcome to Germany" were visible in many recent Bundesliga matches.
    Photos: Bayern Munich donate $1.1 million
    Banners with "Refugees welcome" or "Welcome to Germany" were visible in many recent Bundesliga matches.
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    Germany expects to receive 800,000 asylum seekers in 2015, four times more than in 2014.
    Photos: Bayern Munich donate $1.1 million
    Germany expects to receive 800,000 asylum seekers in 2015, four times more than in 2014.
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    Eleven-year-old Serbian refugee Kristina (L) is pictured playing table football, or foosball, with Iranian refugee Andabili Hossein at a temporary home providing assistance for refugees on August 5, 2015 in Berlin, Germany.
    Photos: Bayern Munich donate $1.1 million
    Eleven-year-old Serbian refugee Kristina (L) is pictured playing table football, or foosball, with Iranian refugee Andabili Hossein at a temporary home providing assistance for refugees on August 5, 2015 in Berlin, Germany.
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    Malian refugee Aboudala Dembele (C), rests with teammates at half-time during the match against Guinea as part of the "Balon Mundial" football tournament for migrants and foreigners, on June 13, 2015 in Turin.
    Photos: Bayern Munich donate $1.1 million
    Malian refugee Aboudala Dembele (C), rests with teammates at half-time during the match against Guinea as part of the "Balon Mundial" football tournament for migrants and foreigners, on June 13, 2015 in Turin.
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    Portugal players observe a minute of silence in honor of refugees and migrants coming to Europe prior to their training session at Coimbra da Mota stadium in Estoril on September 3, 2015.
    Photos: Bayern Munich donate $1.1 million
    Portugal players observe a minute of silence in honor of refugees and migrants coming to Europe prior to their training session at Coimbra da Mota stadium in Estoril on September 3, 2015.
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    ronaldo ramos celebrate goalReal Madrid fansbale perez madridgermany football refugees bayerngermany football refugees boygermany football refugees boysgermany football refugees mainz 2germany football refugees mainzgermany football refugees dresdengermany football refugees berlingermany football refugees maliangermany football refugees portugal

    Story highlights

    • Bayern Munich will donate $1.1 million to help refugees
    • Germany's government expects up to 800,000 asylum seekers to come from Syria this year

    (CNN)As Europe wrestles with an unprecedented wave of refugees, Germany's two biggest football teams have offered their support to migrants arriving in the country.

    German champion Bayern Munich announced Thursday it will donate €1 million ($1.1 million) to relevant charitable projects, while the team's players will walk out for its next match holding hands with young refugees.
      Thousands of people, mostly from war-torn Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan, have poured into Germany, with hundreds filling a Munich train station earlier this week.
      Bayern will also set up a training camp which will offer meals and German language classes to children.
      Read: Refugees relieved to arrive in Germany
      Read More
      Germany's government said last month it expected up to 800,000 asylum seekers to come from Syria this year alone -- four times more than in 2014.
      "FC Bayern see it as its social responsibility to help those fleeing and suffering children, women and men, to support them and accompany them in Germany," team CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge said in a statement.
      "FC Bayern is taking a stand and I am happy about the club's involvement," added Munich mayor Dieter Reiter. "That is why I happily approved the city's support."
      The plight of the refugees has prompted an outpouring of support from German football teams and fans alike, with supporters at a number of matches last weekend displaying banners stating: "Refugees welcome."
      Read: Boy's tragic end "collective failure"
      Borussia Dortmund, one of the few teams to have challenged Bayern's dominance in recent years, invited 200 refugees to attend its match against Danish team Odds Ballklubb last week.
        Dortmund also issued a statement declaring that Germany needs migrants -- and that the country's social security system will fall apart without them.
        Mainz, which competes alongside Bayern and Dortmund in Germany's top division, also welcomed refugees to its tie against Hannover.