Zifa in key Fifa Covid-19 funds indaba

Zifa are today set to join the rest of the 211 member associations of Fifa in a virtual indaba to discuss the Covid-19 relief funds.

Fifa poured US$1,5 million into the coffers of their members to try and give football a kiss of life after the game was ravaged by the Covid-19 outbreak.

The Zurich-based organisation wants to ensure the money gets to the intended beneficiaries.

Zifa president, Felton Kamambo, will be among the delegates in this meeting, which is expected to give guidelines on how the member associations should go about business in respect of the Covid-19 relief funds.

“Yes, there is a meeting of Fifa member associations,'' Kamambo said. ''Fifa have invited all the member associations to a video conference where they will give the guidelines on how they want the Covid-19 relief funds used.

“It’s a session where members are going to get clarification and, if there are any questions, the floor will be opened to ask.

''We were supposed to have the meeting (yesterday) but it has moved to tomorrow (today).

“The Fifa Covid-19 funds are a huge source of relief for many associations, and this explains the excitement, and the misconceptions, from some quarters.”

The first batch of the Fifa relief funds is expected to be deposited into the member associations bank accounts on July 31.

Another batch will then be released in

January next year.

Zifa unveiled a $110 million football rescue package from the US$1,8 million allocated to them by CAF and Fifa.

The PSL got the biggest portion from the funds after it was allocated $25 675 000.

From that amount, the 18 clubs will share $6.5 million.

This means each club will get approximately US$5 500 directly into their coffers.

Referees got $2 925 000 while $4,8 million was set aside for baseline testing and $6,5 million for medical equipment.

The country’s 10 provinces got $100 000 each and the same amount was given to the four regions.

The Zimbabwe Women’s Soccer League, which exclusively received US$500 000 from Fifa, were handed $32 500 000.

The other affiliates like Futsal, Area Zone and Beach Soccer got $10 000 each with NASH, NAPH and Tertiary institutions being allocated $5 000 apiece.

The national teams also got their share with $400 000 being set aside for national team games at all levels.

The Zifa office staff were given $100 000 for general administration and another $90 000 reserved for unnamed contingencies.

With 211 affiliated associations, Fifa support football across the globe financially, and logistically, through various programmes.

As representatives of Fifa in their countries, they have obligations to respect the statutes, aims and ideals of football's governing body and promote and manage sport accordingly.