NFF Expects Covid-19 Relief Funds From Govt., Sponsors – Pinnick (AUDIO)

President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Amaju Pinnick has said the NFF is expecting more Covid-19 relief funds from the Federal Government and her sponsors, outside what it expects to receive from world football governing body, FIFA and the Confederation of African Football, CAF.

In order to cushion the scourging financial effect of the global Covid-19 crisis, FIFA disbursed $1.5m to all 211 member associations, with CAF following suit with another $300,000 to its 54 affiliates on the continent.

But Pinnick says the upcoming programmes of the Super Eagles and the female youth national teams, Falconets and Flamengos, mean the NFF will need more financial assistance, and have since requested for support from the Federal Government and her sponsors.

The NFF boss, however, stated that all the stakeholders will be beneficiaries of the funds from FIFA and CAF.

“FIFA is coming with, technically, about $1.5m, CAF is giving $300, 000 which we have not received, which we are hoping to receive any moment from now,” he stated on TVC News.

“Then, on our part, we also wrote to government requesting if government can, like what they did in Senegal, if government can even add $500,000 to $1m to it.

“And from our sponsors, even if it is $50,000 or $100,000 each, it depends on what we have, and also our projection for the games we want to play, because we also need money to organize our games. We also need money (for) the under 20 girls, the under 17 girls.

“And we are thinking of opening a camp sometime in September for the Super Eagles in Austria where they are expected to play two friendly matches. We also need funds for that as well.”

Pinnick added: “But whatever is going to be given by FIFA, FIFA dictates completely how this money is going to be spent, and it is on that basis that the Audit and Finance Committee (of the NFF) will look into it and see how this money will be appropriated.”