Coronavirus: CAF approves early cash prizes for Enyimba, Enugu Rangers

Nigeria Professional Football League clubs, Enyimba and Enugu Rangers, are set for a financial windfall from the Confederation of African Football following their participation in this season’s Confederation Cup.

According to a statement released Saturday by the continent’s football governing body, an early approval has been granted for the disbursement of the final tranche of prize money to participating clubs in CAF Interclub competitions for the 2019/20 season.

CAF explained that the monies due to the clubs is coming earlier than usual to help clubs cope with the financial burden of the coronavirus pandemic.

Clubs usually receive their financial entitlements for the Interclub competitions at the end of the season.

Enyimba and Rangers were Nigeria’s flag bearers in the second-tier club competition with the Flying Antelopes failing to progress past the group stage while Enyimba who entered the competition after being eliminated from the Champions League, were dumped out in the quarterfinals by Guinean side Horoya AC.

The CAF statement added that the payouts, “which has since commenced” are for “the 32 clubs that reached the group stages of the Total CAF Champions League and Total 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 Total CAF Champions League is USD 550,000 and USD 275,000 for the Total CAF Confederation Cup,” the statement added.

This means Rangers are due $275,000 for reaching the group stage of the Confederation Cup while Enyimba will receive more for reaching the quarterfinals.

Unfortunately, till date, no Nigerian club has won the CAF Confederation Cup.

“The world of football and for that matter African football is going through unprecedented difficulties,” CAF President Ahmad Ahmad said.

“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,” he added.

Meanwhile, with all CAF competitions currently suspended, CAF says it will continue to monitor the pandemic situation closely and work with the relevant authorities including the World Health Organization (WHO) on the impact of the virus on the continent and announce developments to our competitions at the appropriate time.