FIFA has confirmed payment to clubs whose players participated at the World Cup in Russia, with Nigerian clubs Enyimba FC and FC Ifeanyi Ubah receiving shares for the involvement of Ikechukwu Ezenwa.

Under the Club Benefits Programme, a total of $209 million will be paid out to 416 clubs from 63 member associations, which represents a significant increase of almost 200 per cent compared to the previous edition.

Despite not playing in any of the Eagles’ matches, Ezenwa still fetched the country $237,720 which will be paid to both Enyimba and Ifeanyi Ubah – $118,860 each (₦43,205,610)- through the Nigeria Football Federation.

Ezenwa featured for both FC Ifeanyi Ubah and Enyimba FC at different periods that covered the 2018 World Cup qualification and the final tournament in Russia proper.

The 28-year-old was an unused substitute in all of Nigeria’s three group E games as they exited from the tournament in the first round.

In his remarks, FIFA president Gianni Infantino noted that the clubs deserve to share in the success of the competition as they were key contributors to the World Cup itself.

“The FIFA World Cup is the pinnacle of football, generating passion and emotion from every player and every fan in every corner of the world. It is FIFA’s responsibility to redistribute the revenues of this unique competition among the entire football community, and clubs, obviously, deserve to share in this success as they were key contributors.

“I’m very pleased to see that teams from so many different regions will benefit from this programme, which will help to develop football even further around the globe,” said Infantino.