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FIFA will advance seven and twenty million naira, N720, 000,000, ($2 million) in prize money to Nigeria and each of the four other African teams that have qualified for the World Cup to help them prepare for the tournament, a statement from the Confederation of African Football (CAF) said.
Nigeria, Egypt, Morocco, Senegal and Tunisia have qualified for the tournament in Russia, and CAF president Ahmad Ahmad said in a statement that the money would be used “to settle beforehand the question of bonuses due the players.”
Disputes over payments at previous tournaments “had led to situations that affected badly, the image of African football, with a considerable impact on team performances,” he added.
Last year, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) signed an agreement with the Super Eagles pledging to avoid the bonus and pay rows that have engulfed past World Cup editions.
The Super Eagles were involved in a protracted dispute ahead of the 2013 Confederations Cup in Brazil and a bonus row also disrupted their World Cup campaign in 2014.
Similar problems have affected other African teams.
The 32 teams taking part in the June-July tournament receive $1.5 million each from FIFA in the form of a preparation fee and are guaranteed a minimum of $8 million more in prize money after the tournament ends.
