Bafana Bafana’s run at the FIFA World Cup has earned SAFA R218m in prize money, with more than R100m expected to be invested in football development and administration.
The South African Football Association received the payment after the national team reached the last 32 of the tournament, according to a report by SABC Sport’s Velile Mnyandu.
FIFA had also paid SAFA a preparation grant of $2.5m, worth about R41m, before the competition.
SAFA Finance Committee chairperson Mxolisi Sibam said the planned investment reflected the squad’s willingness to support the wider development of South African football instead of seeking to maximise their own financial rewards.
Sibam praised the Bafana Bafana players for backing the decision to direct a significant proportion of the money towards the long-term growth and administration of the game.
Under the exchange rate used when FIFA paid the prize money, the players are expected to share approximately R65m. Each member of the squad is set to receive about R2.5m.
Head coach Hugo Broos will be paid 10% of the prize money, which is approximately R21.8m. Assistant coach Helman Mkhalele will receive 5%, worth around R8m, while the rest of the technical team will share 2%.
SAFA will retain 50% of the prize money after reaching an agreement with the players over the bonus structure.
The financial benefits of Bafana Bafana’s World Cup campaign will also extend to clubs in the Premier Soccer League. Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates are each expected to receive more than R25m after contributing eight players to the national-team squad at the FIFA World Cup.
Sibam said those payments demonstrated the value of selecting players from the domestic league and recognised the role clubs play in developing the national team.
Bafana Bafana were one of only a small number of teams at the tournament to field a squad made up entirely of players born in their own country. They also competed strongly against opponents ranked among the top 30 nations in the world.
For Sibam, those achievements underline the standard of player development within the Premier Soccer League and South Africa’s private football academies.
The distribution of the money gives the players a substantial reward while leaving SAFA with resources to invest in the game beyond the national team. The arrangement also provides direct financial recognition for the clubs that supplied players for the World Cup squad.
With the players, coaches, technical staff, SAFA and domestic clubs all receiving a share, the tournament income is set to reach several parts of South African football.
The original report also invited readers to share their views on the plan through the comments section and promoted a R5,000 prize linked to The South African’s Winter Reader Survey.
