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Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Sports Reporter
WORLD football mother body Fifa has begun paying individual clubs that provided players at the just ended World Cup finals in Russia, with $209 million set to be distributed to deserving clubs.

The total number of players selected for all representative teams that participated in the final competition was 736 (i.e. 32 [representative teams] x 23 [players each]).

On a cumulative basis, the players participated in the final competition for a total of approximately 24 500 days, starting two weeks before the opening match, which took place on June 14, 2018, until the day after the last match of the relevant representative team.

“After successfully staging the 2018 Fifa World Cup, we are very pleased to provide you with the detailed procedure for the payments to be made to the clubs. The distribution amount (a gross amount of $209 million) is divided by the total number of days (24 500), which results in a rounded amount “per player per day” of $8 500 (subject to any taxes and deductions).

“This rounded amount of $8 500 is multiplied by the number of days that each player was at the final competition of the 2018 Fifa World Cup Russia, starting two weeks before the opening match until the day following the last match of his representative team (“Total per Player”).

It is not relevant whether the player actually played or not in any given match,” Fifa secretary-general Fatma Samoura wrote in a communiqué to all national associations.

“The total per player is divided by three and distributed to the club(s) with which the player was registered during the two years before the final competition of the 2018 Fifa World Cup Russia as follows; a third is paid (if necessary on a pro rata basis) to the club(s) with which the player was registered during the 2018 Fifa World Cup Russia (i.e. during the period starting two weeks before the opening match until the day following the last match of his representative team).

“A third is paid (if necessary on a pro rata basis) to the club(s) with which the player was registered in the year before the 2018 Fifa World Cup Russia (i.e. corresponding in principle to the 2017-18 football season); a third is paid (if necessary on a pro rata basis) to the club(s) with which the player was registered between one and two years before the 2018 Fifa World Cup Russia, that is corresponding in principle to the 2016-17 football season).

For the sake of good order, we underline that in the event of any doubt or ambiguity regarding the above calculation, delays in filings and any unusual, specific or special cases, Fifa shall decide on the payment and allocation on a case-by-case basis and its decision shall be final,” she said.

At the 2010 World Cup finals in South Africa, Fifa provided $40 million towards clubs that had players at the finals, while in 2014 in Brazil the figure went up to $70 million.