Why Nigeria Will Lose $240,000 From Falcon's World Cup Entitlement - FIFA

Why Nigeria Will Lose $240,000 From Falcon's World Cup Entitlement - FIFA

By Editor

World football governing body, FIFA, will deduct Two hundred and forty thousand US dollars from the 2019 World Cup appearance fee due to Nigeria's Super Falcons.

Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) president Amaju Pinnick revealed he will make ‘contact with Fifa this week’ over the nation’s long-awaited appearance fee from last year’s Women’s World Cup.

The Super Falcons crashed out of the global showpiece at the Round of 16 in France – a stage they were only reaching for the first time since 1999 and were due to pocket 1 million US dollars.

However, Goal understands Fifa has deducted 240,000 US dollars from the West African’s statutory benefit due to the cost of extended stay and flight rescheduling following a sit-in protest in France.

Earlier in February, Goal had reached out to Fifa and the world’s governing body explained it was still in the process of fulfilling its financial obligation to participating countries, including Nigeria.

12 months after the World Cup, the country is yet to access its prize money despite confirming receipt of the clubs’ benefits in December and the NFF president has promised to reach out to Fifa for updates.

“I have always said that we have a special love for the Super Falcons,” Pinnick recently told media in a virtual press conference.

“That is the team that has won the most laurels for this country and we appreciate and adore them.

“I will be in contact with Fifa during the week to know when we will receive the appearance fee from the 2019 Fifa Women’s World Cup.

“That money is the sum of $760,000, and 30 per cent of that money is for the team to share.”

After Thomas Dennerby left in September, the team crashed out of the Olympic qualifiers a month later and are without a substantive coach – a vacuum the NFF vowed to fill in a few weeks.

And the NFF supremo has assured that the team will receive the long-agreed 30 percent of the appearance fee and promised improved support ahead of this year’s African Women’s Cup of Nations.

“We are working to see how we can hold the interview to select the new Head Coach for the Super Falcons,” he continued.

“I have a meeting with our external auditors, PricewaterhouseCoopers this week, on the need for us to get this done.

“Once we get the appearance money from the 2019 Fifa Women’s World Cup, we will hand over the 30 per cent that is the entitlement of the players and then ringfence the balance for the purpose of paying the new head coach.

“Just as we did for the team going to the World Cup, we have plans to arrange quality international friendlies for them before the next Awcon competition to build a much stronger squad.”

The Super Falcons were earlier billed to face either Niger or Togo in the second round of the Awcon qualifiers this month before the global health crisis which forced an indefinite postponement.

Nigeria have won a record ninth title in Ghana two years ago and are bidding to host the expanded 12-nation continental showpiece event as they bid to defend the crown in front of a home crowd this year.