FIFA Will Still Pay Falcons Through NFF — Aisha Falode

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

Gatekeepers News reports that following the qualification of Super Falcons to the second round of the tournament, FIFA secretary-general, Fatma Samoura 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 pay is expected to increase to $60,000 in the second round of the competition.

This means the Nigerian players will earn a minimum of $60,000 for reaching the round of 16 of the World Cup.

Chairperson of the Nigerian Women’s Football League, Aisha Falode, while speaking on Lagos Talks FM on Wednesday, said the World Cup prize money will be “ring-fenced” to ensure it gets to the players without interference from a third party.

Falode said Falcons’ prize money from the ongoing World Cup will still be routed through the NFF.

The NWFL chair 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.

“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.