Prize money: FIFA will still pay Falcons through NFF — Aisha Falode

Chairperson of the Nigerian Women’s Football League, Aisha Falode, has clarified that FIFA will still pay the 2023 Women’s World Cup prize money through the country’s federation.

FIFA Secretary-General, Fatma Samoura following the qualification of Super Falcons to the second round of the Mundial, reportedly said the world’s football governing body would send unpaid allowance to the country’s women’s football team to the players directly.

FIFA had announced that every player participating in the World Cup group stage will earn $30,000.

The match bonuses will increase to $60,000 in the second round of the competition.

By this virtue, each player of the Nigerian team is expected to earn at least $60,000 for reaching the round of 16 in Australia and New Zealand. Falode, while making the clarification during a chat with Lagos Talks FM on Wednesday, said that the World Cup prize money will be “ring-fenced” to ensure it gets to the players without interference from a third party.

She noted that Falcons’ prize money from the ongoing World Cup will still be routed through the NFF.

She said, “FIFA did not say it would pay the players directly. It says working through the member association – working through your federations, we will pay you this money through the federations,” the NWFL chair said.

“FIFA will pay the federations the money, and the federation pays the players with the instruction. Everybody knows it is there in black and white.”

Nigeria will battle England in a second-round contest on Monday.