The reigning champions of Africa, Senegal, are set to receive a massive $21 million at this year's FIFA World Cup in a bid to outdo every other African nation to ever compete at the tournament.
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The west Africans are one of five nations that will represent CAF at the latest edition of the biggest sporting event in the world, and it seems the Lions of Teranga have a massive incentive to do well in Qatar.
According to Wiw Sport, the Senegalese government is committed to helping the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations winners perform well by setting aside $21 million (R379 million) for their preparations and time in the Gulf as they look to outdo their best finish in the competition, which were the quarter-finals of the 2002 edition of the tournament.
"Discussions took place between the ministry and the federation on the budget. Our representatives have confirmed to us that president Macky Sall has taken all the steps to ensure that the budget is mobilised and that all issues are taken care of in time to have a good preparation," a statement from the Senegalese Football Federation read.
According to Les Echos, the original amount the federation was set to hand to the team travelling to Qatar was $12 million (R216 million), but it appears the Senegalese government have decided to be much more generous than that by agreeing to a figure of $21 million instead.
Senegal are one of only three African countries to have made it to the quarter-finals of a World Cup, with the other two being Cameroon (in 1990) and Ghana (in 2010).
The African champions qualified for the global showpiece in Qatar after defeating Egypt in the final play-offs earlier this year.
Cameroon, Ghana, Tunisia, and Morocco are the other four nations that will represent the second largest continent in the world at the competition to be held from 20 November to 18 December.
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