FIFA announces plan to pay an advance fee of $2m to each of the 5 African teams that qualified for the World Cup in Russia

FIFA will advance $2 million in prize money to each of the five African teams that have qualified for the World Cup to help them prepare for the tournament, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) said.

Egypt, Morocco, Nigeria, Senegal and Tunisia have qualified for the tournament in Russia, and CAF president Ahmad Ahmad said in a statement that the money would be used “to settle beforehand the question of bonuses due the players.”  

Disputes over payments at previous tournaments “had led to situations that affected badly the image of African football, with a considerable impact on team performances,” he added.  

Last year, Nigeria’s football federation (NFF) signed an agreement with its players pledging to avoid the bonus and pay rows that have blighted past World Cup campaigns. The Super Eagles were involved in a protracted dispute ahead of the 2013 Confederations Cup in Brazil and a bonus row also disrupted their World Cup campaign in 2014.  Similar problems have affected other African teams.  

The 32 teams taking part in the June-July tournament receive $1.5 million each from FIFA in the form of a preparation fee and are guaranteed a minimum of $8 million more in prize money after the tournament ends.