FIFA makes U-turn, to pay Super Falcons through NFF

The World football governing body, FIFA has confirmed that players participating in the ongoing Women’s World Cup in Australia/New Zealand…

The World football governing body, FIFA has confirmed that players participating in the ongoing Women’s World Cup in Australia/New Zealand will be paid at least $30,000 through their respective football federations.

It will be recalled that sometime last month, it was widely reported that players would earn individual fees directly from the global governing body for the first time which had the backing and support of the players’ union, Fifpro.

However, there was a twist yesterday as the FIFA president Gianni Infantino during a press conference in Australia, a co-host of the tournament announced that the 736 players who are taking part in the 2023 Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand will be paid by their federations.

“We have issued recommendations but we are an association of associations. So whatever payments we do will be through the associations, and then the associations will make the relevant payments to their own players.

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“But we are in touch with all the associations, and there are all different situations in different parts of the world—taxation, residence and so on—which require special agreements that are agreements for some associations with the players from before, of course. So, I think we have been taking some groundbreaking decisions and it’s far from the end of the story,” he said.

It will also be recalled that during an address to the FIFA Congress in March, Infantino said the total prize money for the 2023 Women’s World Cup is a record-$150 million, with $42 million of that being allocated as preparation money for clubs whose players are participating in the tournament.

The remaining funds were to be split into prize money for the players.

FIFA confirmed in June a plan to pay every World Cup participant at least $30,000, with the 23 players on the winning team earning $270,000.

It was the World Cup preparation money that the Super Falcons coach Randy Waldrum accused the NFF of squandering when he publicly condemned the federation for its failure to pay his wages.