The budget of the Congolese Football Federation

In order to promote, improve, develop, organize and host competitions in all their forms in the Republic of Congo, the Congolese Football Federation was created in 1962 in Brazzaville. The Congolese Football Federation (FECOFOOT) brings together the country's football clubs and organizes national competitions and international matches for the national team. What about the budget of this federation?

Sources of funding

A member of FIFA (International Federation of Association Football), CAF (Confederation of African Football) and UNIFAAC (Union of Central African Football Federations) since 1962, FECOFOOT's budget depends mainly on several sources:

Government subsidies are direct financial allocations from the State to support football activities. This is affectionately referred to the budgets of national teams in order to prepare and finance participation in international competitions such as the CAN, World Cup qualifiers. Organize local competitions (championships and national cup) and finance sports infrastructure. Training of technical staff and promote football schools. The amount of subsidies varies from one year to the next depending on the government's priorities and the team's performance which can influence the budget. The precise figures for state funds allocated to FECOFOOT are not always published transparently, in 2023 the state would have allocated several hundred million to support the federation. FECOFFOT also receives subsidies from FIFA during the Forward program, a means of financing intended for member associations for the development of football. "We work daily with FIFA on the Forward program which helps associations to develop," said the president of the Congolese Football Federation Jean-Guy Blaise Mayolas. In April 2020, FIFA paid an allocation of 150 million US dollars to the 211 national football federations. For its part, Congo received a sum of 500 thousand US dollars or 304.14 million CFA francs.

CAF, for its part, increased the subsidies granted to the federations this year from 25% to 50%. The annual subsidy increases from 250 thousand to 450 thousand dollars or 270 million CFA francs for member associations, from 450 to 750 thousand dollars or approximately 470 million CFA francs for zonal unions. That is an allocation of 8 million allocated to the Congolese football federation. In addition, match ticket sales, donations from partners, television rights, local or international companies associated with the federation generate additional income. At the ordinary general meeting held on March 9, 2024, in Sibiti, FECOFOOT announced its budget, which amounts to 2,100,000,000 CFA francs (approximately 3,131,100.00 euros in budget), an increase compared to previous years (1 billion 257 million CFA francs in 2022 and 1,781,945,000 CFA francs in 2019).

Financial management within FECOFOOT

This year, the Congolese Football Federation allocated 7 million CFA francs to each of the seven league 1 teams that met the administrative criteria. In 2023, FECOFOOT allocated 3 million CFA francs to the women's teams in the national championship, a total of eleven women's clubs, 2,500,000 CFA francs for the U17s. For the 2023-2024 season, crowned champion of Congo, the Leopards of Dolisie club received an envelope of 25,000,000 CFA francs during the ceremony organized by the federation, the second having received 10,000,000 CFA francs. The funds granted to FECOFOOT are often criticized for their management and use.

Congolese football faces many challenges both on the sporting and administrative levels. Transparent management of funds, corruption scandals and limited infrastructure influence the optimal use of these resources. Faced with this, can we admit that a complete reform could remedy the structural crisis that Congolese football is going through?