P3.58m FIFA funds await clearance
Kabelo Boranabi | Tuesday August 11, 2026 10:07
The figures were presented at the inaugural BFA Football Pitso last week, where Molefhi Obenne outlined the status of the BFA’s FIFA-funded projects and issues surrounding project closure and financial documentation. FIFA Forward is the world governing body’s football development programme, which provides tailor-made financial and development support to its member associations and confederations.
The programme began in 2016, with FIFA Forward 1.0 and 2.0 followed by Forward 3.0, which was launched in January 2023. Forward 3.0 covers the 2023–2026 cycle.
According to the BFA’s consolidated project-status report, 18 projects under Forward 1.0 and Forward 2.0 had total commitments of US$3,509,549.03 (approximately P47.28 million).
Of this, US$3,243,723.54 (approximately P43.64 million) had been used or paid, representing a 92.4% utilisation rate. The remaining US$265,825.49 (approximately P3.58 million) is identified for management attention.
The report does not describe the balance as either missing or misappropriated. It calls for the BFA to confirm the use, release conditions or possible recovery of the balance and complete outstanding technical and financial close-out requirements.
Obenne told the Football Pitso that an unclosed project or unused balance should not automatically be interpreted as money simply sitting untouched in the BFA’s accounts.
He explained that, in some cases, FIFA requires supporting documentation to establish how expenditure was made, particularly where spending may have differed from the original project allocation.
Obenne said receipts and other supporting documents could demonstrate how money was ultimately spent.
Of the 18 projects, 12 remain under monitoring and six are closed. The report says seven of the monitored projects are fully paid but still require formal close-out review.
The largest outstanding balance is from the Forward 2.0 Regional Football League Project, at US$119,032 (approximately P1.60 million).
The Forward 2.0 Women’s Football League Project has US$56,935.89 (approximately P766,700) outstanding, while the Forward 1.0 AUSC Region 5 Support Project has US$40,000 (approximately P538,800) remaining.
A further US$30,075 (approximately P405,100) remains under the Forward 1.0 Grassroots and Capacity-Building Project, while US$19,782.60 (approximately P266,500) remains under the Forward 2.0 Consultancy Services Project.
Forward 1.0 comprised 13 projects worth US$2,249,999.54 (approximately P30.31 million).
Of this, US$2,179,924.54 (approximately P29.36 million) had been used or paid, leaving US$70,075 (approximately P944,000) and a utilisation rate of 96.9 percent. Forward 2.0 comprised five projects worth US$1,259,549.49 (approximately P16.97 million).
About US$1,063,799 (approximately P14.32 million) had been used or paid, leaving US$195,750.49 (approximately P2.64 million) and an 84.5% utilisation rate.
The outstanding balance is now proposed for use in the BFA’s Forward 3.0 integrated portfolio for 2026-2028. The BFA document describes this as a proposed portfolio, rather than the FIFA Forward 3.0 funding cycle itself.
The proposed portfolio contains 12 projects, of which 10 are costed and two are pending, with the costed projects valued at US$3,312,303.09 (approximately P44.58 million).
The full US$265,825.49 (approximately P3.58 million) legacy balance is proposed for three projects: the national team bus, the Secretariat Governance and Capacity-Building Programme, and the Referees Support Programme.
The remaining US$3,046,477.60 (approximately P41.07 million) is expected from Forward 3.0 and complementary sources.
However, the proposed reallocation is not automatic. The BFA report states that use of the legacy funds depends on project closure and approval conditions, with outstanding acquittals to be completed and written FIFA approval obtained before the balances are committed.
One proposed project is the acquisition of a national team bus costing US$441,197.04 (approximately P5.94 million).
The project is classified “at risk”, with tender dates having elapsed. The report calls for the procurement plan to be reset and FIFA’s no-objection, specifications, tender route and delivery deadline to be confirmed.
The bus proposal allocates US$125,967.89 (approximately P1.70 million) from unused Forward 1.0 and 2.0 funds and US$315,229.15 (approximately P4.25 million) from Forward 3.0 and other funding.
Other proposed projects include US$600,000 (approximately P8.08 million) for two seasons of women’s league football, US$513,468 (approximately P6.92 million) for Under-13, Under-15 and Under-17 school leagues, US$727,376.36 (approximately P9.80 million) for refurbishment of the Lekidi Football Centre and US$564,729.88 (approximately P7.60 million) for an artificial turf facility in Shakawe.
A further US$140,000 (approximately P1.89 million) is proposed for referee support.
The BFA report also proposes tighter oversight through monthly expenditure and risk reporting, quarterly reconciliation of project records against FIFA and BFA financial records, formal approval of changes to budgets and project scope, and comprehensive technical and financial close-out.
The immediate task is therefore for the BFA to complete outstanding project documentation and close-outs and satisfy FIFA’s verification and approval requirements before the P3.58 million legacy balance can be reallocated to the proposed football development projects.