Morocco federation to dish out hefty bonuses in CHAN 2018

Issam Erraki of Morocco is fouled by Nilmar Ble Treika and Davy Koffi Boua of Ivory Coast during the 2016 CHAN football match between Morocco and Ivory Coast at the Amahora Stadium in Kigali, Rwanda on 20 January 2016 ©Ryan Wilkisky/BackpagePix

by Graeme Jackson

Thursday Jan 04, 2018. 16:00

The Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) will reportedly dish out bonuses of 200,000 DH (over US$21,000) to each player if the Atlas Lions progress through the group stage of the 2018 African Nations Championship (CHAN).

Moroccan daily Al Ahdath Al Maghribia has reported these bonuses in its Thursday edition, adding that the figure will increase to 300,000 DH if Jamal Sellami’s side make it to the final four of the competition.

Al Ahdath Al Maghribia cite an unnamed source close to the FRMF and also claim that the organisation’s president Fouzi Lekjaa has promised an even larger amount of money if the host nation’s team win the 2018 CHAN.

Such bonuses are not unusual for the FRMF, who last year awarded each player of their locally-based national side 120,000 and 250,000 for defeating Egypt home and away in CHAN qualifiers.

This was before Kenya was stripped of its hosting status and Morocco were appointed as the new tournament hosts.

The FRMF also reportedly awarded Herve Renard’s full national team players 300,000 DH each for their quarterfinal showing at the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations, and 1,000,000 DH each for their qualification to the 2018 World Cup.