FIFA roll out their $150m support package for member associations

Liam Watson

FIFA, football’s global governing body, has introduced its first step of a major relief plan by releasing operational funding to each of its member associations for 2019 and 2020 in an effort to assist football leagues and clubs at all levels during the COVID-19 pandemic.

It’s a commitment that will see FIFA distribute $150m (€139m) to all 211 member national governing bodies, with each to receive a minimum of $500,000 to cover operational costs. All remaining entitlements during 2019 and 2020 will be paid in full immediately to help associations with their cashflow, including payments which usually would have depended on certain criteria being met under the Forward 2.0 development programme. 

“[The funds should be] used to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on football, namely to meet financial or operational obligations that they may have towards staff and other third parties.” said FIFA in its statement.

They mentioned that any use of the funds would be audited to make sure they are spent properly, with FIFA keen to avoid the charges of corruption that have dogged the top levels of the sport in recent years. 

The statement added that the release of the funds was possible given FIFA has been able to remain in a strong financial position for the last four years. The governing body has not released its financial results for 2019 yet, but in its statement for 2018 it revealed it was sitting on cash reserves of $2.74bn (€2.42bn) following the four-year cycle which linked up with the end of the most recent FIFA World Cup in Russia.

“The pandemic has caused unprecedented challenges for the entire football community and, as the world governing body, it is Fifa’s duty to be there and support the ones that are facing acute needs,” FIFA president Gianni Infantino said.

“This starts by providing immediate financial assistance to our member associations, many of which are experiencing severe financial distress.”

The relief plan will provide some much needed funding to leagues around the world already losing out, with clubs under pressure financially without games being played.

Recently the Eredivisie made the tough decision to void the entire season meaning league leaders Ajax have been denied the title as well as there being no promotion and relegation in the Dutch top flight.

FIFA has confirmed that the next stages of its plan are still being finalised and will be announced in the coming weeks. 

Key concerns for FIFPRO’s Player Workload Monitoring report

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Image credit: Jude Bellingham Instagram

FIFPRO has recently released their annual Player Performance and Recovery report for 2024, this report is developed by FIFPRO IQ in conjunction with Football Benchmark, a leading data and analysis group on football business.

The report explains in detail the problems facing professional footballers by leaders within the industry and the players themselves. This report not only factors in the physical impact of the sport but also the psychological impact.

FIFPRO’s Player Workload Monitoring tool (PWM) the primary system behind this report monitors 1500 players spread across 100 leagues and 150 nationalities.

They have pointed out the obvious lack of appreciation by tournament organisers for the physical and mental well-being of football players and an evident lack of organised calendar planning.

Acting FIFPRO General Secretary Stephane Burchkalter stressed the importance of this report via press release:

“We release these reports for a good reason. Because, today, we face one of the most serious and urgent problems in our sport. A problem that results from the abuse of governance and a failure of the duty of care. The holistic workload that confronts our players is unprecedented. It has produced a physical and mental fatigue that is now dangerous.”

With increased match loads, travel loads and shortening of preparation the risks have never been higher with 54% of PMW players experiencing excessive or high-demand workloads.

88% of players’ time is recorded to be spent in the workplace environment and 17% in national team environments.

The world-renowned Uruguayan coach Marco Bielsa stated via press release:

“To ignore the consequences of the number of games and amount of travelling will end in injuries for any player.”

This report identifies that some players have seen their free time fall to nearly 12% of the calendar year, which adds up to less than a single day off per week. This fails to comply with international Occupational Safety and Health standards.

There have been calls for a guaranteed rest period which 72% of players and 78% of coaches support.

As the demand for games grows and the push for more revenue skyrockets, the players see their health and voices continue to deteriorate.

This report and FIFAPRO highlight the firm action that needs to happen to protect the stars of the sport.

For more information about the report, read more here.

AFCAS recruitment and scouting workshops coming to Australia

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Image credit: AFCAS website

The Association of Football Coaching and Scouting (AFCAS) have confirmed that their recruitment and player scouting workshops are coming to Australia.

These interactive workshops are all online and led by AFCAS managing director Ged Searson – a professional football scout with over 15 years of experience and who has also been a football coach for almost 30 years, learning from the likes of Sir Bobby Robson.

Searson has previously worked as a scout for clubs such as West Ham United, Grimsby Town FC and Leyton Orient FC in England.

Most recently, he served as the chief scout and analyst of the Malawi national team during the 2022 African Cup of Nations in Cameroon going as far as the Round of 16.

The workshops run for three and a half hours over two evenings and are designed for both new and experienced football scouts aiming to enhance their skills and development.

This will also be helpful for football coaches and agents to help them improve their scouting abilities and also to gain an understanding of the recruitment process at professional football clubs.

Throughout these workshops, video footage will be used to complete scouting tasks giving participants the chance to practice scouting techniques.

Attendees will also develop a better understanding of how professional clubs scout players and how recruitment systems operate at the highest levels of football.

Some of the content in these workshops will include:

  • Learning various professional football scouting techniques and skills.
  • Learn how to write and create your own scouting reports.
  • Understanding different types of scout reporting and assignments.
  • Assessing player performance in different playing positions.

These workshops are limited to nine attendees, creating opportunities to interact with not only the presenter but also fellow attendees and it will provide potential networking opportunities with different people in the football industry.

Participants will also receive a scouting pack, including software, to complete their own scouting reports following the workshop.

The sessions will run on Wednesday, September 11 from 7 pm – 10:30 pm and on Friday, September 13 from 6:30 pm – 10 pm.

If you are interested in having a career in the football industry, click the link to claim your spot in these online workshops.

For more information about AFCAS, visit the website.

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