FIFA’s COVID-19 Relief Plan reached a significant milestone as the Bureau of the FIFA Council accepted the plan’s regulations, according to a message received from Bangladesh Football Federation(BFF).
Following the terms of the COVID-19 Relief Plan, 1.5 billion USD is being made accessible to support all 211 FIFA member associations and the six confederations to support in the alleviation of the financial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, reports BSS.
The idea was originally drawn up by the FIFA administration in close cooperation with the confederations, and subsequently confirmed by the FIFA Council on 25 June 2020, he added.
The statutes establish strict compliance and audit requirements, as well as clear loan repayment conditions, under the supervision of a steering committee.
In the first phase of the plan, the maximum amount of FIFA Forward operational cost entitlements to member associations was released.
For the second phase, member associations have now been given the ability to transform remaining FIFA Forward development project grants into COVID-19 operational relief funds – with a minimum of 50 percent of released funds to be allocated to women’s football.
Following on from approval by the Bureau of the Council, FIFA will implement the third phase of the plan which completes the total amount of USD 1.5 billion being made available to the worldwide football community.
Phase 3 will comprise a universal solidarity grant of USD 1 million is being made available to all FIFA member associations, and an additional grant of USD 500,000 is being allocated specifically to women’s football.
In addition, a grant of USD 2 million is being made available to each confederation. The full amount will be made available by January 2021.
All FIFA member associations will be able to apply for interest-free loans amounting to up to 35 percent of their audited annual revenues. In the interest of solidarity, a minimum loan entitlement of USD 500,000 and a maximum loan entitlement of USD 5 million will be available. In addition, each confederation will have access to a loan of up to USD 4 million.
Within the scope of the third phase, all FIFA member associations will be able to use the funds for activities such as the restart of competitions, the implementation of return-to-play protocols, the participation of national teams in competitions, the hiring and re-hiring of staff, the maintenance of football infrastructure, and general administration and operating costs.
In the coming months, FIFA will work closely with its member associations and with the confederations to assist them in the implementation of the plan through educational content and additional guidelines.
The Bangladesh Football Federation general secretary Abu Nayeem Shohag through a video message today said they were officially informed by FIFA on Wednesday of how to get the money and where to spend it and much more procedures.
FIFA will officially sit each country over zoom in this regard after Eid—ul-Azha and we’ll be more informed about it and we’ll able to highlight our priorities to FIFA, he added.
