Extra FIFA cash set to benefit SA soccer
FIFA GIVES $1-MILLION INCREASE TO 211 MEMBER ASSOCIATIONS
A boost in FIFA finances, as the World Cup in Russia gives a much-needed cash injection to their coffers, will directly benefit South African football substantively over the next 12 months. FIFA are to increase by $1 million (around 12.4 million Rand) the money they give each of their 211 member associations for development projects, as part of their “FIFA Forward programme”. It means the opportunity for more pitches and/or training centres in the country which FIFA will directly pay for. It will be a chance to spread some of the facilities across the country after FIFA paid for the massive new SAFA centre at Fun Valley. Already FIFA hands out $5 million every four years to the South African Football Association. It is split into annual payments of $1.25 million and divided into $750,000 for football projects, which are usually pitches, competitions and the special targeting of more women’s football. FIFA also pay $500,000 every year to SAFA for administration costs, effectively subsidising the organisation. The increase comes as FIFA said it would be making $6.1 billion in revenue in its next four-year cycle in spite of a downturn in global sports sponsorship. FIFA president Gianni Infantino in Moscow this week claimed a healthy financial picture for world football’s governing body with a 30 percent increase in revenue projected in the future. Infantino is to use the upturn in finances to seek a further four-year term as president when FIFA holds its next congress in Paris in June 2019. He was been under pressure recently as he tries to organise an expanded Club World Cup, with leading European teams saying there is no space for the competition on the international calendar.