Super Falcons Players Accuse NFF Of Maltreatment Over Unpaid Bonuses

Some Super Falcons players have accused the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) of maltreatment after the federation reportedly failed to pay them their 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup bonuses 43 days after the tournament.

A report by United Kingdom media outlet, The Athletic claimed that the Nigerian players feel the NFF treated them like “slaves” for not paying them their match bonuses and allowances throughout the years.

Recall that due to unpaid entitlements, the Super Falcons threatened to miss their 2023 Women’s World Cup opening game against Canada. However, they went on to play the game which ended in a 0-0 draw.

Reports claimed that the Falcons agreed to play the opening game after reaching an agreement with the NFF which ought to earn them a $100 day camp allowance, a $3,000 win bonus, and a $1,500 draw bonus.

Afterward, the world football governing body, FIFA, announced that each player of the participating country at the 2023 Women’s World Cup would earn at least $30,000.

The players allegedly grumbled that the NFF had paid them less than half of what they were owed each day for camp and had not provided any match bonuses.

One of the players told The Athletic, “They don’t treat us as if we are here to play for our country — they treat us as if we are slaves.”

Another player was quoted as saying, “We disagreed, we told them ‘no.’ You can’t come and tell us you’re not paying us our match bonuses… How can you tell me FIFA included your match bonus (in its money)? They take us as if we are fools as if we don’t know anything, as if we don’t know our rights”.

On what made the Super Falcons continue playing despite the alleged ill-treatment and unpaid entitlements, a third player said, “We’re not playing for the federation; we’re playing for ourselves, playing for our country, playing for our families.

“We love football, we have a passion for it… and that passion is what gives us that drive.”

NFF Reacts

NFF communications chief Ademola Olajire reacted to the allegation that they are yet to pay the Super Falcons their match bonuses by asserting that FIFA had not provided the federation the money it promised for the World Cup while insisting that all daily allowances had been paid.

He also claimed that the bonuses due to the players before the World Cup had also been paid.

“Their daily allowances for the World Cup have been paid. All they’ve been owed previously have been paid, bar one qualifying match”, Olajire said according to The Punch.

“They will get their World Cup player allocation money when FIFA sends the monies.”