The Zambia National Soccer team fondly known as the Chipolopolo has missed out on an opportunity to compete and possibly grab the winner prize for the second time that has now been pegged at US$5m. The Chipolopolo boys have now missed out on three consecutive appearances.
Yotham Mwanza, a soccer analyst has stated that the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) and Zambia as a nation has also missed out on Prize money which the association could have used to boost its finances if the team had qualified and won the African Cup of Nations – AFCON.
Speaking in an interview with the Zambian Business Times-ZBT, Mwanza said the Football Association would have benefitted from the winnings if Zambia had won the AFCON, as some of the money would have gone into their coffers.
“When you qualify there is an opportunity to market your nation and its soccer talent and the prize money’s start to increase at every stage, as you get into the quarter finals there’s money that comes in. Assuming we were to win like we did in 2012, the USD 5 million could have helped to settle a lot of issues”, he said.
According to the statement seen by ZBT, The Confederation of African Football (CAF) Executive Committee has resolved to increase the prize money of the TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations Cameroon 2021.
The increase, which was announced on 7 January 2022, and effected in the edition that kicked-off at Olembe Stadium, Yaoundé on 9 January 2022 is in line with CAF’s commitment to reward merit performance and enhance the status of the TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations.
According to a statement on CAF’s website the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations Prize monies are USD 5 million (an increase of USD 500, 000) for the winner, USD 2.75 million (an increase of USD 250, 000) for the runner up, USD 2.2 million (an increase of USD 200, 000) for the semi-finalists and USD 1.175 million (an increase of USD 175 000) for quarter finalists.
This represents a total increase at the Africa Cup of Nations prize money of about USD 1.9 million. And the Andrew Kamanga led FAZ has announced that they will be unveiling the new Chipolopolo coach.
