Approximately 43 days after the conclusion of the 2023 Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, tensions are escalating between the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and the Super Falcons.
The players have voiced their grievances, alleging mistreatment akin to being “slaves” due to the longstanding issue of unpaid bonuses and allowances.
Prior to the commencement of the FIFA Women’s World Cup, the Nigerian women’s team had even contemplated boycotting their opening match.
Ultimately, they reached an agreement with the NFF, stipulating a $100 daily camp allowance, a $3,000 win bonus, and a $1,500 bonus for a draw. However, FIFA later declared that each player at the tournament would receive a minimum of $30,000.
According to reports from The Athletic, the players asserted that they had received less than half of their daily camp wages and had not received any match bonuses from the NFF.
The players expressed their frustration, emphasizing that they are not just representing the federation but also their nation, families, and their love for the sport.
In response, NFF’s Head of Communications, Ademola Olajire, claimed that FIFA had yet to disburse the promised World Cup funds to the federation but assured that all daily allowances for the World Cup had been paid, along with the bonuses owed to the players before the tournament.
He stated that the World Cup player allocation money would be paid when FIFA releases the funds.
However, a member of the squad, who was part of the Falcons’ team in a previous tournament but missed the World Cup, reported that she had not received the $1,000 owed to her, challenging the NFF’s assertion that all outstanding payments had been settled.
