World football governing body FIFA has made a significant policy change regarding the payment of prize money to the winners of the ongoing women’s World Cup in Australia/New Zealand. In a viral video on social media, FIFA Secretary-General Fatma Samoura confirmed that the prize money would be directly deposited into the players’ accounts.
This decision came as a response to the unresolved unpaid allowance issues faced by Nigeria’s Super Falcons. The team’s head coach, Randy Waldrum, had disclosed that some players were owed “per diem and bonuses” dating back two years.
The situation caused a commotion and nearly disrupted the preparation of the Super Falcons, with many players considering boycotting training to protest their unpaid bonuses.
In the video, Fatma Samoura empathized with the team, acknowledging the challenges they have faced. She assured the players that FIFA would now closely monitor the payment process to ensure that match bonuses reach the players directly.
Samoura expressed her concern for the team’s difficult situation and stressed that the ring-fencing of prize money was specifically to ensure that it reaches the deserving players. This marks the first time in FIFA’s history that such measures have been taken to guarantee direct payment to the players.
With this policy change, FIFA aims to address the issue of unpaid allowances and support the players who have worked hard to represent their country at the Women’s World Cup.