FUFA and 210 other Member Associations will be early beneficiaries of the final installment of their annual grant from FIFA during the Covid-19 era. The announcement was made by FIFA President Gianni Infantino last week to help all its Member Associations run their activities as submitted at the start of the New Year (2020).
The news has created alot of talk from the various sections of the football family with some going ahead to make suggestions on how it should be shared.
However FUFA Communications Director Ahmed Hussein has taken time to throw more light on the funds which are received in two equal installments (USD 500,000 -in January and the other July) to make a total of USD 1M annualy to each of the 211 FIFA Member Associations.
FUFA Website: Explain about the FIFA Funds (USD 500,000) to FUFA
Ahmed Hussein: It is an annual entitlement for all FIFA’s Member Associations (MAs) including FUFA. USD 1M is always sent in installments of USD 500,000 to each MA at the start of each Calendar year (January) and second half of the year (July).
The funds will cater for activities from July to December 2020 and as submitted by FUFA to FIFA at the start of the year.
However there are terms and conditions that must be met by FUFA before such funds are released and should be spent specifically on the activities submitted at the beginning of each calendar year. Statutory audit is mandatory before FIFA funds are released to any MA. FUFA will still have to meet these requirements.
FUFA Website: Has this money been deposited on the FUFA Account?
Ahmed Hussein: Not yet, but it will be sent as and when FIFA are ready like they have always done.
FUFA Website: Why has this money been released early?
Ahmed Hussein: FIFA is aware that federations have been affected by the current situation (Covid-19) and decided to release this money earlier than expected to help Mas run their activities. However the usual procedures (meeting all requirements before FIFA Funds are released were waived off for now) but all MAs will still be required to meet the usual requirements to provide accountability for these funds and against activities as submitted by FUFA to FIFA at the start of the year.
FUFA Website: Who sponsors FUFA Activities?
Ahmed Hussein: Majorly, FUFA’s expenditures are met by FIFA; for example salaries, acquisitions of property and educational programmes are all supported financially by the world soccer governing body.
The Government of Uganda finances the Uganda Cranes which is a huge relief to FUFA.
We have expenditures as an institution and largely our three sources of revenues are; Government, FIFA and our locally mobilised resources i.e Sponsorships and others. Our locally mobilised resources help to supplement the FIFA and Government support which they are not able to take up yet FUFA wishes to spend on.
FUFA Website: How will the USD 500,000 be spent?
Ahmed Hussein: FUFA manages its finances in accordance with the lined up activities and availability of funds for each calendar year as approved by the FUFA Executive and FUFA Assembly.
Spending money on activities that were not planned for in the FUFA budget means some activities would be forgone. This money USD 500,000 will be spent on activities in our budget from July to December 2020.
FUFA Website: What’s this talk that the money (USD 500,000) should be shared by clubs in Uganda?
Ahmed Hussein: We are aware FIFA are planning to come up with an extra fund particularly targeting stakeholders who have been affected by these tough times of Covid-19. FIFA will meet and take a decision on this matter. It is from this meeting that FUFA can get to know certain decisions taken by FIFA on how the stakeholders can become beneficiaries. They will decide on the particular activity and how much extra funds to put aside. In case any funds are released by FIFA to stakeholders, they will definitely issue guidelines on how it should be spent and on what activity. For now, this money will be spent on our activities as submitted to FIFA at the beginning of the year and we shall provide accountability for that.
However FUFA will seek clarification from FIFA on the limitations of spending this money since there is a lot of anxiety from the public about the FIFA communication on the advanced funds. For now, we are following the FIFA Circular which was sent to all its MAs.
FUFA Website: Which activities will this money be spent on?
Ahmed Hussein: FUFA submitted Youth Football, Women, educational courses, human resource development and institutional costs as the key areas for support on which this money will be spent on. FIFA will audit FUFA on how they will spend the money as per the plan submitted and against which activities.
