FA RISKS LOSING FIFA’S E8.7M FUNDING

MBABANE – FIFA is prioritising women football development as it forms a base of its significant funding to member associations.

FIFA has acknowledge receiving a letter from six aggrieved teams to seek the intervention of the world soccer governing body over their impasse with the incumbent Women Football Association (WFA) executive committee chaired by Sonnyboy Mabuza, and it could come with crippling consequences.

WFA is an affiliate of the National Football Association of Swaziland (NFAS). The six clubs are; Divas F.C, Siteki Ladies, Shiselweni Roses, Mbekelweni Ladies, Lobamba Highlanders and Royal Leopard. However, the latter, though included in the letter sent to FIFA, had not signed it.

They, among other things, want FIFA to intervene in their request to have the elections held on July 16 last year declared null and void on the basis that the election of the executive committee was against the constitution as the 50%+1 quota referred to was allegedly flouted.

They also want an investigation being carried out within the structures of the NFAS, with much emphasis on women football issues and/or affairs so as to establish anomalies therein.
The copy of the letter to FIFA, which is addressed to FIFA Secretary General Fatma Samoura and dated March 8, 2018, was also copied to the NFAS and was received two weeks ago, through Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Frederick Mngomezulu said in an interview yesterday, “I’m not aware they have written to FIFA.”.

The teams acknowledged to have been summoned by the NFAS over the matter, but they still felt that it was prudent to pursue the issue with FIFA because they suspected that the meeting would yield nothing.
The ongoing war within women football corridors will put the NFAS at big risk of losing part of FIFA’s 750 000 US Dollars (E8.7m) yearly FIFA funding, specifically, an extra US$1 million (E12m) over the four-year cycle funding which member associations tap in for football equipment and internship programmes, travel costs for women and youth teams to compete in international matches. The money comes as part of the ‘FIFA Forward’ programme. .

FIFA significantly increased its financial support for member associations and football development to 5 million US Dollars (E57.5 million) per four-year cycle for each member association, from US$1.6 million (E18.5 million) per cycle.
This means the NFAS has access to US$750 000 (E8.7m) per year for football projects such as pitches, competitions and women’s football. Also, every association receives up to US$500 000 (E5.7 million) per year for running costs in areas including administration and governance.

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