Nigerian Football Clubs Won’t Get Part of $209m from FIFA

By Adedapo Adesanya

Football clubs from across the globe will have the opportunity to have a share of the $209 million in funding support from the Federation of International Football Association (FIFA).

However, Nigerian football clubs will not be able to get a share of the money. The country missed the opportunity to qualify for the 2022 FIFA World taking place in Qatar next month after it lost the slot to the Black Stars of Ghana.

The world football government organisation said the money could be accessed through its Club Benefits Programme. The initiative is to support the sports outfits.

This initiative already saw 416 clubs from 63 member associations benefiting from the same amount after the 2018 FIFA World Cup held in Russia.

For the first time, clubs will also be able to apply digitally through the FIFA Professional Football Landscape platform, with approximately $10,000 to be received for each one of the days the relevant player remains with his national team during the FIFA World Cup 2022 and the official preparation period.

The compensation will be paid to all clubs for which the footballer has played in the two years prior to the FIFA World Cup 2022.

This initiative has been lauded as a very good one, as it will help clubs remain liquid.

The more participants a club have and how far each of those players progresses in the tournament will determine the final amount a club can claim. Any club that a player has been registered with within the two years prior to the World Cup will be eligible for a share of the daily payout.

The Club Benefits Programme is part of a broader collaboration agreement between FIFA and the European Club Association, which was first launched ahead of the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa and further extended in 2015 to cover both the 2018 and 2022 FIFA World Cups in Russia and Qatar respectively.

FIFA’s total fund for the World Cup is worth about $700 million, and the federation of the eventual winners will earn $50 million.

All 32 nations will get $10 million from the football authority for participating in the group stage, having received $2 million to pay for pre-tournament camps and other preparation.