By Bukola Kayode
As Nigerians celebrate the qualification of the Senior Women’s national team, the Super Falcons for the final of the ongoing CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) in Morocco, it has been learnt that players are being owed by the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF).
Prompt News reported on Wednesday that NFF lacks funds to pay Super Falcons’ players their accumulated tournament match entitlements. According to the online newspaper, the situation may force the players to boycott the final match on Saturday at the Olympic Stadium in Rabat.
According to the Online News portal, that the Nigerian team may not leave their Ibis Hotel Abdelmoumen in Casablanca for Rabat as scheduled ahead of Saturday’s final to protest the failure of NFF to pay them their winning bonuses after five games. The team won four matches and drew one match, all in Casablanca.
The newspaper reported a very reliable camp source, saying that the Super Falcons have only received 10 days of camp allowance due to the players, while other match entitlements, including winning bonuses, have remained unpaid to the players, coaching crew and backroom staff.
The Super Falcons also had to train for days before their official training kits arrived Morocco.
“We have only received 10 days camp allowance but have not received a dime in match bonuses. We are still waiting to know when we will receive our money. As it stands, everyone is grumbling in the camp, and we believe that the Nigerian authorities will do the needful, “a member of the team was quoted as saying.
Reacting to the embarrassing situation, Chairman of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Mallam Shehu Dikko, directed the NFF not to take any part of the 2025 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) prize money until players and officials of the Super Falcons are fully paid their entitlements.
Dikko directed that 30% of Nigeria’s total tournament earnings must be set aside and disbursed to the players and technical crew as their official share, regardless of the team’s final standing in the competition.
“The girls have worked hard and deserve every kobo of their share. The NFF must ensure they receive their rightful earnings before any other expenditure is considered,” Dikko said.
On its part, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has called on the Federal Government to release the federation’s allocation or budgeted funds for WAFCON, which it said has not been received even as the countdown to the final of the tournament has started.
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