FAM to finance football clubs over lack of government support
Previously, government-owned companies had been financing football clubs through the State-Owned Enterprises Assistance
FAM head Bassam Adeel Jaleel with President ibrahim Mohamed Solih
Football Association of Maldives (FAM) has stated that it will be financing football clubs since there was no guarantee that government-owned companies will finance them this year.
Previously, government-owned companies financed football clubs through the State-Owned Enterprises Assistance (SOEA), initiated by President Abdulla Yameen.
FAM President Bassam Adeel Jaleel said he discussed continuing the program with the current government but that he has still not been given a confirmation. He said that a budget to assist football clubs will be announced at the FAM congress on March 25.
From 2017 onwards, companies had paid MVR 2 million to each club in the first division and an additional MVR 1 million to any club picked for the Dhivehi Premier League.
A total of 12 government-owned companies had spend MVR 26 million each year for Maldivian football. However, many clubs did not receive much of the benefits and some are in financial trouble.
Clubs are currently preparing their budgets for the start of the football season in June.
