FIFA gives NFF Grants
Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) is set to benefit a huge sum of money from the $150 million (139 million euros) largess to be released by FIFA to its member associations to help handle financial troubles caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
The world football governing body , FIFA said that all her 211 member associations will receive the sum of $500,000 which is N194,753,588.65 in Nigerian currency. The money is to help combat the global pandemic coronavirus which has put the whole world on hold.
FIFA said in a statement recently that “all operational funding” for 2019 and 2020 would be distributed amongst the 211 member associations in the next few days “as the first step of a relief plan to assist the football community impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic”.
Each of the 211 members will receive $500,000, Nigeria happens to be one of the benifectors of the money which FIFA is giving out. They said it would be delivered “upon fulfillment of specific criteria”, but will release those funds and any “remaining entitlement for 2019 and 2020”.
FIFA President, Gianni Infantino said that the funds were the “first step of a far-reaching financial relief plan we are developing to respond to the emergency across the whole football community.” “It is FIFA’s duty to be there and support the ones that are facing acute needs,” Infantino added. “This starts by providing immediate financial assistance to our member associations, many of which are experiencing severe financial distress.”
This funds is a product of program lunchesd in 2016, the program is called the Forward 2.0 programme, they will provide $1.746 billion (around 1.6 billion euros) in total over the 2019-2022 periods. Recently FIFA announced their intension to create a fund raising committee to help raise funds to help fight the coronavirus.
Football clubs and players have also been playing their part in raising funds to help fight the coronavirus, some clubs went as far as letting go their wages others defer their payment. Recently AS Roma players agreed to forgo their salaries just to help fight the coronavirus pandemic.