Ghana clubs get cash from WCup

Four Ghanaian clubs were among the 396 clubs in the world who benefited from a cash pay-out from the 2014 Fifa World Cup.

Fifa, as part of an agreement with the European Club Association (Eca), last week dished out $70 million to these clubs from 57 different national associations from all over the globe who had players in the final squads of their respective countries at the Brazil tournament.

According to a statement released by the Eca, “a club's share of the $70m is calculated by reference to the number of players from a club who were selected for their national team for the FIFA World Cup 2014 and the number of days each player was at the tournament. This period started two weeks before the opening match of the final competition, up until the day after his national team was eliminated.

“More specifically, the "total amount per player" is calculated by multiplying the number of days a player was present at the 2014 FIFA World Cup by a fixed amount "per player per day", which was set at $2,800. Of the "total amount per player", a pro rata share is then passed on to the club(s) with which a player was registered in the two year period before the final tournament (i.e season 2012/13 and 2013/14),” it read in part.

Ghana Premier League side, Aduana Stars, were best rewarded with $84,000 from the combined $147,000 to be handed the Ghana FA for onward remittance. This is due to the fact that the club provided goalkeeper Stephen Adams to Ghana’s final squad that were eliminated from the group stages of the World Cup on 26 June.

Based on the pro rata share provision, a trickle-down benefit occurred for three other clubs – Asante Kotoko, AshantiGold and Ebusua Dwarfs. They fell into the category of having former players specifically in the two preceding seasons to the World Cup tournament making the Black Stars’ final squad.

Goalkeeper Fatau Dauda was at the World Cup as an Orlando Pirates player but he had only joined the South African side after the 2012/13 season – hence the Miners receiving $35,000.

Ghanaian champions Asante Kotoko and Ebusua Dwarfs who were relegated at the end of the 2013/14 season also benefited from their involvement with Mamelodi Sundowns defender Rashid Sumaila over the past two seasons. Sumaila, was loaned out to Asante Kotoko from Ebusua Dwarfs before sealing his move to South Africa prior to the 2013/14 season.

Kotoko have been rewarded with a sum of $21,000 while Dwarfs receive $7,000 as their share of benefits for their ex-player’s involvement at Ghana’s third World Cup outing.

Fifa and Eca believe sharing part of the benefits from the World Cup to the clubs is a way of ‘recognising the important part they play in the success of the tournament.’ $40million was shared between 400 clubs after the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

© supersport.com