Football Association of Malawi (FAM) has allocated K62 million of K1.3 billion Covid-19 relief funds on unforeseen activities while giving Super League clubs K10 million each.
FAM received a total of K1.35 billion from FIFA and Confederation of African Football (CAF).
According to the association, it will spend K62 million of the money on unforeseen activities and will give each of the 16 Super League clubs K10 million. The association will also provide K62 million to 62 regional league teams.
The Associations’ President Walter Nyamilandu announced the allocation during a press briefing for FAM Covid-19 Relief 2nd Phase Launch at Mount Soche Hotel in Blantyre.
Nyamilandu said his body had several consultation meetings with key stakeholders including Member Associations, Football Clubs, players, fans and the media to understand how best it can ease the impact of the pandemic.
“I am pleased to report that arising from these consultations, FAM has decided to use the FIFA Covid-19 Funds as a stimulus package towards recovery of all key stakeholders by subsidising their costs of returning to active football.
“It is against this background that FAM delayed to announce the distribution of the funds as we were waiting for guidance from government as to when and how Football will restart.
“Now that Government has given guidance on football restart, we have finalised the process for what we are calling the FAM Covid-19 Relief Support Second Phase,” he said.
The country’s soccer governing body leader then revealed that the second phase will be distributed across the Malawian football ecosystem.
“While the First phase only targeted a few sectors of our stakeholders, the Second Phase, as promised, has been cascaded to all other sectors of our football ecosystem,” he added.
In total, FAM has at its disposal MK1, 350, 000, 000 (USD 1, 800, 000) of which MK1, 125, 000, 000 (USD 1.5 million) is from FIFA and MK225, 000, 000 (USD 300,000) is from CAF.
MK375, 000, 000 (USD 500, 000) is specific for Women’s Football while the remaining USD 1, 300, 000 has been allocated to football and all other Relief projects.
Currently, the Association has received MK225, 000, 000 (USD 300,000) from CAF and MK375, 000 (USD 500,000) from FIFA for general Relief and another MK375, 000, 000 (USD 500,000.00) from FIFA for Women’s football.
The other MK375, 000, 000 (USD 500,000) from FIFA is expected in January 2021.
The funds to be distributed will cover various professional and amateur football clubs, and governing bodies of various leagues to aid preparations ahead of the 2020/2021 League season which has been set to resume in November.
There are also provisions for various national teams and support for professional players and Coaches Associations as well as Referees and Sports Journalists.
According to the breakdown released by the Association, National Women Football will get MK7, 500, 000 towards Governance and Capacity Building while Women Regional Committe will get MK11, 250, 000 towards Governance and Capacity Building. Elite Women Teams will get MK56, 250, 000 to cushion operational costs once football resumes, with Women National Teams getting a chunk of MK150, 000, 000 towards camping and travel costs while another MK150, 000, 000 has been earmarked for Priority Areas in Women Football Strategic plan under development.
Sulom and Beach Soccer committee have both been allocated MK15, 000, 000 each for operations and salaries for the secretariate, Governance, Marketing and Capacity Building while all the sixteen Super League teams have been given MK160, 500, 000 from which each team will receive MK10, 000, 000.
The Association has allocated MK22, 500, 000 to Regional Associations towards Governance and Operations, with Coaches Association of Malawi and Referees Association of Malawi being given MK7, 500, 000 each for Governance and Operations.
MK112, 500, 000 has been allocated for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for Elite League players, Match Organisers, National Teams and FAM events while Men’s National Football Teams will receive K225, 000, 000 for camping and travel costs.
Youth Football Association has been allocated a K41, 250, 000 for Governance, Operations and Competitions.
According to Nyamilandu, FAM will be the main sponsors for the Youth League once football resumes since main sponsor gave an excuse due to the pandemic.
“We have allocated a lot of money to the Youth Football Association because we will also be the sponsors since the main sponsor temporarily pulled out due to Covid-19,” he revealed.
Nyamilandu also explained that MK75 million will be allocated each to football equipment for Youth, Beach Soccer, Coaches and Regional teams and to FAM for Governance, Trainings and other Operational Costs.
Football Players Association (FPA), Sports Writers Association of Malawi and Football Journalists Association will each receive K7.5 million for Governance, Operational Costs and Capacity.
FAM has also allocated MK37, 500, 000 for Operational Costs for Health Personnel and other Compliance Officers during matches while MK26, 250, 000 has been given towards the purchase of E-ticketing equipment for advance ticket sales.
FAM Secretariat has been given MK15, 000, 000 for the purchase of Staff PPE.
The beneficiaries will start receiving the funds in instalments. In total, FAM will spend MK1, 350, 000, 000 (USD 1, 800, 000) in the 2nd Phase.
FIFA Council approved the funds in July as part of Covid-19 Relief Plan to support all 211 Member Associations and the Six Confederations to assist in the alleviation of the financial impact of the pandemic.
