SAFA reinvests over R100 mil of World Cup bonuses to development and administration

This is according to the Chairperson of the SAFA Finance Committee, Mxolisi Sibam when he spoke to SABC Sport about the bonuses. 

For finishing in the last 32 at the World Cup, Bafana Bafana ensured that SAFA got $12million (R218 million), and they also received a preparation fee of $2,5million (R41 million) to prepare the team before the tournament. 

Sibam says they thank the players for not forgetting about development...

"Ronwen Williams shared the same sentiment to say that the Bafana Bafana players don't want all the money, what they want is to see us reinvest that money so that we can produce another Ronwen Williams. That money is going to be allocated right through the ecosystem of SAFA."

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According to the exchange rate when the money was being paid out by FIFA, the players were set to share around R65 million, guaranteeing each player around R2,5 million each, with the head coach Hugo Broos receiving 10 percent  (R21,8 million) and the assistant coach Helman Mkhalele rewarded with five percent (about R8million). 

The rest of the technical staff were said to be sharing the other two percent, and 50 percent goes to the FA. 

Sibam says this comes from successful negotiations of the bonus structure with the players.

It’s not only SAFA that will be benefiting from the World Cup prize money, but the Premier Soccer League (PSL) teams too, with Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates set to receive over R25 million each for having eight players respectively in the World Cup squad. 

Sibam says these are benefits of having a squad dominated by local talent...

"The more we use players in the national team from our own league the more that will benefit both the association and the clubs, who will be receiving much needed money that will be reinvested to produce even more players that can be part of our squads."

Bafana Bafana were one of the few teams at the World Cup with a 100 percent squad of players born in the country, and they managed to compete against teams ranked in the top 30 of the world rankings. 

Sibam says this also speaks to the healthy development standards of the PSL and private academies in the country.