Three Moroccan clubs will receive $200,000 each (Ksh 21 million) from FIFA as a grant after their players were named in the national team for the 2018 World Cup that will be hosted in Russia next month.

According to a Rabat-based news outlet, Al Massae, Raja Casablanca, Berkane Sport Renaissance and Ittihad of Tangier will receive part of MAD 6 million which has already been channeled to the Moroccan Federation accounts.

Local players Badr Banoun, Ayoub El Kaabi, and Réda Tagnaouti were named in the 23-man squad that will take part in the competition where Morocco are scheduled to face Iran, Portugal as well as Spain in the group stages.

The decision to reward the clubs comes after negotiations initiated by the CAF President, Ahmad Ahmad, with the world football governing body which resulted in the exceptional agreement signed on April 12.

It follows a decision by the CAF Emergency Committee, held on December 1, 2017, and approved by the CAF Executive Committee on January 10, 2018, to provide exceptional financial support to the five African representatives for their preparations for the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

FIFA has already advanced $2 million (Shs 200M) in prize money to each of the five African teams that have qualified for the World Cup which the teams are using to help themselves to prepare for the tournament.

Apart from Morocco other African countries that will be in the tournament are Egypt, Nigeria, Senegal and Tunisia and are expected to use the money “to settle beforehand the question of bonuses due the players.”

The 32 teams taking part in the June-July tournament receive $1.5 million each from FIFA in the form of a preparation fee and are guaranteed a minimum of $8 million more in prize money after the tournament ends.