Galaxy’s P625,000 CAF joy
Ahandsome pay awaits league champions, Jwaneng Galaxy as the club will pocket $62,500 (approximately P625,000) for their CAF club competitions adventure. Despite the team’s early exit from the CAF Champions League, Galaxy qualified for the CAF Confederations Cup playoff where they were dumped out by South Africa’s Orlando Pirates.
Acting CAF general-secretary, Abdelmounaim Bah said the continental football mother body sought to assist clubs in a bid to ease the financial burden brought about by the coronavirus (COVID-19).
“In the spirit of reducing the financial burden of the participating clubs in CAF inter-club competitions that are not entitled to receiving any prize money, we have the pleasure to inform you that the CAF Executive Committee – during its last meeting held on December 10, 2020, in Egypt decided to allocate a financial prize to assist the teams through the COVID-19 pandemic,” he said in a statement. “The support would be drawn from CAF’s FIFA Forward Funds for clubs that were eliminated from the additional second preliminary round of the CAF Confederation Cup for the 2020-2021 season. Champions League; since the clubs eliminated from the second preliminary round of the Champions League qualify into the additional second preliminary round of the Confederation Cup, only the clubs eliminated from this round will benefit from the $62,500 prize money.
Confederation Cup; the clubs that were initially engaged in the CAF Confederation Cup will also receive the $62,500 prize money,” the letter reads. Galaxy’s public relations officer, Tankiso Morake confirmed to Mmegi Sport that the club will receive the windfall. “We have received communication from CAF on March 4 [2021] alerting us that we are going to benefit from the COVID-19 relief fund. The funds, according to the letter, are from FIFA assistance towards COVID-19.
I cannot confirm if we have received the funds yet, our accounts officer is on leave but as the letter says we will benefit,” he said. Galaxy made their Champions League debut this season. After eliminating Comoros’ USD Zilimadjou 5-1 on aggregate, Galaxy met Mamelodi Sundowns in the second preliminary round where they lost 5-1 over two legs. Galaxy’s counterparts Orapa United will, however, walk empty-handed. The Ostriches did not make it past the CAF Confederations Cup first preliminary round as they were knocked out by AS Kigali, losing on an away rule after the two teams were tied at 2-2 over two legs.