Polokwane City to claim FIFA funds for Appollis despite Pirates move

Polokwane City will submit a claim this week for FIFA funding linked to Oswin Appollis’ appearances for South Africa, even though the winger has since joined Orlando Pirates.

The registration and validation period for FIFA’s 2026 World Cup Benefits Programme closes on Friday. The South African Football Association (SAFA) will review the claims between 5 October and 13 November, with FIFA expected to make payments through member associations before the end of the year.

Polokwane are among the clubs seeking compensation under the programme, which rewards teams whose players represented their countries in the World Cup qualifiers or at the tournament in Mexico, the United States and Canada.

The club will also submit claims relating to South Africa’s Thabang Matuludi, Kenya’s Brian Bwire, Equatorial Guinea’s Manuel Sapunga and Zimbabwe’s Douglas Mapfumo. None of those players remains at Polokwane City, but each is eligible for benefits connected to the period when they were registered with the club.

Khuda Muyaba will not be included because he did not play in Malawi’s World Cup qualifying campaign.

How the programme works

FIFA has set aside USD 355 million, approximately R5.8 billion, for the Club Benefits Programme. Of that total, USD 100 million, or about R1.6 billion, is allocated to the qualifiers and will be distributed on a “per player, per match” basis.

A club qualifies for a payment if the player concerned was registered with it on the date of the relevant FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifying match. Only players listed in the matchday squad are counted, including the 11 starters and a maximum of 12 substitutes.

Clubs had until Friday night to register and validate their claims.

Appollis played in five World Cup qualifiers while he was a Polokwane player. FIFA’s calculation is set out as follows:

“USD 100 million 905 matches x 2 teams x 23 players + (10 friendly matches x 3 host countries x 23 players) = USD 2,362 per player, per match.”

That rate gives Polokwane USD 2,362, approximately R39,200, for each of Appollis’ five qualifying-match appearances. The club’s gross claim linked to the winger is therefore about R196,000.

Orlando Pirates will receive the remaining qualifying-match allocation for Appollis, covering the final four qualifiers, as well as the tournament-related funds because he was registered with the Buccaneers during that period.

Matuludi claim expected to be larger

Polokwane’s most valuable claim is expected to concern Matuludi, who has moved to Mamelodi Sundowns. He was included in South Africa’s World Cup squad and played in two qualifiers, meaning his invoice is expected to be worth millions.

The club will also lodge claims for Mozambique’s Manuel Kambala and South Africa’s Ndamulelo Mpahangule.

A further USD 250 million, approximately R4 billion, has been reserved for players involved in the World Cup itself. Those payments will be calculated on a “per player, per day” basis, with the minimum estimate standing at about USD 5,000, approximately R83,000, per player per day.