The financial burdens of Enyimba of Aba and Enugu Rangers may be lessoned as the Confederation of African Football (CAF) begins the disbursement of financial rewards to the teams that featured in this season’s continental clubs’ competitions.
Together, the two Nigerian clubs will get $625,000.
According to CAF, the early disbursement was to reduce the financial burden carried by the 32 affected clubs during the current trying times occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to the suspension of football activities.
CAF stated that the distribution, which had since commenced, was to reduce the financial burden on the 32 clubs that reached the group stages of the CAF Champions League and CAF Confederation Cup, during these trying times.
“Clubs will receive their dues based on the established prize monies for each competition till the quarter-final stage, when the two competitions were suspended indefinitely due to COVID-19”.
The minimum guaranteed for clubs participating in the CAF Champions League is $550,000. That is for the clubs that dropped out after the group stage.
Incidentally, no Nigerian club got to that stage. However, in the Confederation Cup, Enyimba got to the quarterfinals and therefore will get $350,000.
Enugu Rangers on the other hand placed third in their Confederation Cup group to gross $275, 000.
No Nigerian club made it to the group stage in the more lucrative CAF Champions League.
“The world of football and for that matter African football is going through unprecedented difficulties. The current situation has had a telling effect on African football stakeholders, and CAF is being responsive to the needs of our Clubs, one of our key stakeholders, by facilitating the payment of their prize monies well ahead of time,” said CAF President Ahmad Ahmad.