The World football body FIFA has made public its intention to deposit prize money into the winning players’ accounts at the current women’s World Cup in Australia/New Zealand.
In a widely shared video on social media, FIFA Secretary-General Fatma Samoura reaffirmed this, claiming that the policy change was brought on by problems with unpaid allowances involving Nigeria’s Super Falcons.
Recall that the Falcons’ head coach, Randy Waldrum, had previously disclosed that the Nigerian Football Federation was owning several players their allowances and bonuses over a period of two years.
The development elicited a significant reaction and nearly disrupted the training regimen of the Super Falcon players, as a majority of them expressed their intention to abstain from training in order to voice their grievances on their outstanding bonus payments.
Also recall that just after the Super Falcons stunned Australia in a Group B game at the 2023 Women’s World Cup, former English forward, Ian Wright asked the NFF to pay the girls’ bonus.“Pay them Nigeria Football Federation,” Wright, who is following the New Zealand and Australia tournament, tweeted.
Following these development, FIFA through Samoura recognised that the Falcons have encountered significant challenges.“I know that things have been tough. We have to face the realities of Nigeria. It pains me a lot.
It is because of you (the Super Falcons) that, for the first time, the prize money has been ring-fenced in the history of FIFA to ensure that it goes to you,” the FIFA secretary-general said.
The announcement made by FIFA stipulated that each player partaking in the group stage of the World Cup would get a remuneration of $30,000.
The second round of the competition will witness an increase in the match bonuses, amounting to $60,000.
