PFF president Mariano Araneta, Jr. announced to members of the media that the FIFA Council recently approved the FIFA COVID-19 Relief Plan to help Member Associations in these challenging times.
The grant from FIFA will be used by PFF to pursue various football development projects once the situation in the country has eased. A further grant was also approved by the council for the development of Women’s football.
“The FIFA Council approved the financial grant to the tune of USD 1.5 billion wherein each Member Associations, like PFF, will receive USD 1 million in two tranches to help us mitigate the effects to football of COVID-19 in the country,” said PFF president Mariano Araneta, Jr., who is also a member of the FIFA Council. “FIFA also approved the budget of USD500,000 for the development of women’s football.”
Araneta also bared that the PFF Board of Governors will meet in due time to discuss how to spend this money. The funds to be received from the grant will go primarily to the development of football in the country, which has been severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Araneta announced that during the quarantine period, PFF also reached out to its active match officials, particularly the referees, providing them with a financial assistance to help address their needs during the pandemic.
“As what we have said in FIFA, football really gives back,” added Araneta. “We have to give back to football that’s why the FIFA Council approved all of these grants. Both FIFA and PFF are here to jumpstart football in the country.”
