While Harambee Stars continue wondering what happened to the Sh50 million promised by Deputy President William Ruto if they qualified for 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, other countries are not joking. Stars were given Sh30,000 in allowances after their match against Ghana but this is peanuts compared to what their peers are getting. Take a look.
1. Morocco
One of the most generous countries, handsome bonuses is not a new thing to Moroccan players. The squad is believed to have earned between 200,000 DH and 300,000 DH (Sh2 million and Sh3 million) each for qualifying for Afcon 2019 after finishing top of Group B with 11 points.
Such bonuses are not unusual for the Moroccan Football Federation which last year awarded each player of their locally-based national side 120,000 DH and 250,000 DH (Sh1.2 million and Sh2.5 million) for defeating Egypt home and away in CHAN qualifiers.
The federation also reportedly awarded the national team players 300,000 DH (Sh3 million) each for their quarter-final showing at the 2017 Afcon and 1,000,000 DH (Sh10 million) each for their qualification to the 2018 World Cup.
2. Nigeria
The Super Eagles are one of the most motivated teams on the continent. They are entitled to Sh500,000 each for a win and Sh200,000 just for appearing in a friendly match. That means the federation paid each player Sh700,000 for their wins against Seychelles and Egypt in an Afcon qualifier and friendly respectively over a week ago.
The Super Eagles also benefit from the generosity of some of their politicians and flamboyant Delta State Governor Ifeanyi Okowais at the forefront on this. He rewarded the team Sh5 million and technical bench Sh1 million for the wins against Seychelles and Egypt, following on the Sh2.5 million he gave the team last November for every goal they scored against South Africa. That match ended 1-1.
3. Uganda
Uganda is one of the East African countries known to reward star performers handsomely and this year is not different.
The Cranes were among the first countries to seal their place in Afcon, doing so last November after beating Cape Verde 1-0 in Kampala to clinch their spot with one match to spare.
While it is the second straight time they are qualifying, President Yoweri Museveni responded by gifting the team Sh100 million plus a team bus. To make matters better, the Cranes always receive Sh250,000 each every time they win and Sh150,000 for a draw.
4. Ghana
The Black Stars were in the same qualifying group with Harambee Stars and the contrast could not have been starker. Ghana topped Group F after beating Kenya 1-0 in the final match last month and the reward was good.
While Kenyan players received Sh30,000 as their allowances for the match, the Ghanaian squad received Sh1 million each as a winning bonus, an increase from the Sh500,000 the players were rewarded with in previous assignments.
5. South Africa
Bafana Bafana were the last team to qualify for 2019 Afcon after piping Libya 2-1 in a nervy match that had fans on the edge of their seats. Victory meant South Africa finished second in Group E with 12 points, one behind Nigeria following Percy Tau’s scored brace at a packed Stade Taïeb Mhiri in neutral Sfax, Tunisia.
It saw the 1996 champions return to the high table of African football after missing out on the 2017 edition in Gabon and they are set to reap big. While South Africa Football Association (SAFA) said it will reward the players later, each is entitled to R60,000 (Sh413,000) for a win and R40,000 (Sh275,000) for a draw.
6. Egypt
The Pharaohs are believed to take home between Sh350,000 and Sh500,000 in winning allowances in major assignments and having qualified for 2019 Afcon as second-placed team in Group J with 13 points, just two behind Tunisia, Mo Salah and co reaped handsomely.
They won four matches, drew one and lost another, meaning they raked in between Sh1.6 million and Sh2 million. They have of course made more before after President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi handed $85,000 (Sh8.5 million) to the team after they made the 2018 World Cup following a 27-year drought.
7. Algeria
Like Egypt and Morocco, this north African country also makes sure its stars are pampered. Algeria is believed to pay out a winning allowance of Sh630,000 to its players and having sealed their place in Egypt as the top team in Group D, the star-studded squad had no reasons to complain. With three wins, two draws and a loss in the qualifying phase, the team took home something in the region of Sh2.5 million from the assignment.
8. Cameroon
Holders Cameroon were set to host this year’s tournament but lost the rights to Egypt after Confederation of African Football (CAF) deemed them ill-prepared. That meant they had to fight it out to qualify and sealed their place as the second best team in Group B with 11 points same as leaders Morocco who had a superior goal difference.
That feat will earn each Indomitable Lions player Sh2.15 million after their three wins and two draws as they are entitled to a winning bonus of Sh550,000 and half the amount for a draw.
9. Tanzania
When Taifa Stars ended a 39-wait to qualify for the 2019 Afcon, Tanzania President John Magufuli did not just join in the celebrations but rewarded the team the best way he knew how. Just hours after the team beat Uganda 3-0 to seal their place in the biennial tournament in Egypt, Magufuli announced that each player will receive a piece of land in Dodoma, the country’s administrative capital, as well as a Sh500,000 cash reward each for ending the long wait.
10. Burundi
Burundi might be tiny geographically but proved to be mighty when they qualified for Afcon for the first time in history after a second place finish in Group C with 10 points, four behind leaders Mali.
It was a major feat for the East African nation given Gabon, hosts of the last edition, were in the same group and President Pierre Nkurunzinza responded by rewarding the players Sh150,000 each with the federation also set to feat them.
