Amaju Pinnick led Nigeria Football Federation is set to receive aid from the world football governing body FIFA of the sum of $500,000 (about N95million) to help member association to fight against the covid19 pandemic.
The aid is the share from the $150million that FIFA has earmarked for its member associations as palliative amid the hardship occasioned by the coronavirus pandemic.
FIFA will share 150 million dollars to all her member football associations within the shortest period of time. The money is said to be an operational fund planned to be paid in July but due to the outbreak of the corona virus, the association had to fast track the payment as it is done to help support states to fight the disease. It is expected that the Amaju Pinnick-led NFF will get huge relief from the FIFA money amid its stringent financial situation, especially at a time when the Super Eagles coach’s contract extension is being negotiated.
FIFA president, in his speech, says that it is the responsibility of FIFA to take up duties in helping the fight against the virus and provide for those in need in this time. “The pandemic has caused unprecedented challenges for the entire football community and, as the world governing body, it is FIFA’s duty to be there and support the ones that are facing acute needs,” FIFA president Gianni Infantino said on Friday.
He also added that “This starts by providing immediate financial assistance to our member associations, many of which are experiencing severe financial distress. This is the first step of
a far-reaching financial relief plan we are developing to respond to the emergency across the whole football community.
“Together with our stakeholders, we are we assessing the losses and we are working on the most appropriate and effective tools
to implement the other stages of this relief plan.”
“I would like to thank the chairpersons of the FIFA Development Committee, Shaikh Salman Bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa, and the FIFA Finance Committee, Alejandro Dominguez, for their commitment and urgent approval of these measures by their committees.” he concludes.
