Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the South African Football Association (SAFA), Lydia Monyepao, has confirmed that Banyana Banyana will receive their Women’s World Cup funds from FIFA through the Association, and not directly into their bank accounts as it was initially believed by many.
In June this year, the world football governing body issued a statement that, for the first time ever, each and every player that will be registered for the ninth edition of the tournament (all 736 from the 32 teams), will receive a minimum of USD 30K (currently about R565K) for the finishing in the first round. That money will double when the team makes into the round of 16, and will increase as they progress all the way to the final.
Subsequent to this, during the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, “news broke” that FIFA will deal with directly with the players on the matter of the funds so as to ensure they all receive what is due to them for participating in the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
But that was never the case, as Monyepao explains.
“FIFA does not have a relationship with the players – the relationship is with the member association and it’s something that they’ve made clear. They give us the money and we distribute,” said the SAFA CEO.
“I saw those reports going around, that was definitely fake news. I was very quick to correct those that I knew. We had a lengthy meeting with FIFA in Abidjan (Ivory Coast) during the CAF congress, where we ironed out certain issues. It was made very clear by FIFA the money would be transferred to the member associations.”
With the World Cup tournament over, the funds will soon be distributed by FIFA, once a bottleneck with tax implications in Australia is dealt with.
“The delay was due to tax considerations, which the world football governing body was working around the clock to rectify as quickly as possible. The New Zealand and Australian government wants to impose some tax implications and FIFA are in talks with them around that,” said Monyepao.
PRIZE MONEY FOR EACH PLAYER IN DIFFERENT STAGES:
- Group stage: $30k (about R565,000)
- Round of 16: $60k (R1.130 million)
- Quarter Final: $90k (R1.695 million)
- 4th place: $165k (R3.109 million)
- 3rd place: $180k (R3.392 million)
- 2nd place: $195k (R3.674 million)
- Winners: $270k (R5.088 million)
Monyepao also confirmed that the players’ bonuses – an amount of R230K for each of the 23 members of the playing personnel has already been distributed to the rightful recipients.
“We have paid the players the money we got from the Motsepe Foundation and Ithuba, it was distributed – you can check with them (players). As we said, I believe it was around R230K each, and that money was distributed to the players,” added the CEO.
The Football Associations/Federations have also not been left behind by FIFA – and depending on where their teams ended, they will also be smiling all the way to the bank.
In the case of Zambia, who bombed out in the group stages, FAZ will walk away with USD 1,560K while the trio of South Africa, Nigeria and Morocco, who made it into the Round of 16, will earn their FAs USD 1,870K each.
PRIZE MONEY FOR FEDERATIONS/ASSOCATIONS IN DIFFERENT STAGES:
- Group stage: $1,560,000 (R29,397million)
- Round of 16: $1,870,000 (R35,239 million)
- Quarterfinal: $2,180,000 (R41,081 million)
- Fourth place: $2,455,000 (R46.263 million)
- Third place: $2,610,000 (R49,184 million)
- Second place: $3,015,000 (R56.817 million)
- Winners: $4,290,000 (R80,844 million)
According to FIFA, there is also the Club Benefits Programme (CBP) which is meant to share the benefits of the FIFA World Cup and recognise the key contribution of clubs who supplied players for the tournament.
The biggest benefactors in South Africa will be Mamelodi Sundowns who had six players in the Sasol-sponsored Banyana Banyana squad, followed by UWC with four and JVW with three. Royal AM, TS Galaxy and Tuks Ladies had one player each, while six players are overseas-based – Glasgow Rangers (Scotland), SD Eibar (Spain), SEJONG SPORTSTOTO (South Korea), CF Monterey (Mexico), Sassuolo (Italy) and Racing Louisville (USA).
Only one player was unattached at the time of the call-up – Noxolo Cesane.
Compensation is not only paid to the club with which the player was registered when they were released for competition (FIFA Women’s World Cup) but to all clubs for which the footballer has played in the two years prior to the tournament.
By Matlhomola Morake
