The Manu Samoa Rugby World Cup campaign will cost $4 million.

Prime Minister, Tuilaepa Dr. Sa'ilele Malielegaoi, who is also the Chairman of the Samoa Rugby Union provided an update on the Manu Samoa's fundraising efforts during a press conference in Australia. 

"A total of $4 million is needed for the campaign to the World Cup," he said during the press conference. 

The Prime Minister provided an update on the status of the fundraising campaign. 

“The [Samoa] government has donated more than $1 million tala. We received $400,000 tala from the American Samoa government and Samoa’s telethon garnered more than $100,000," he said. 

“We also received $6,000 NZD ($10,290 tala) in Auckland and another $5,000 NZD ($8,575 tala) was contributed by the Catholic Church in Malaeola."

Further fundraising in Australia landed a $170,000 AUD ($311,123.81 tala). 

A total of $183,014 tala was donated by the Kingland Group while the Siva Samoa by families raised $20,000 and the rest came from tickets and auctions conducted with the Samoan communities in Australia. 

In July, 2019 a 10-hour telethon organised by the S.R.U. raised more than $100,000 in support of the Manu Samoa’s World Cup campaign.

The S.R.U. then proceeded to American Samoa and they raised $350,000 tala during the “Ua Le Ma Le Mativa” (poverty knows no shame) fundraiser had its largest contribution from the American Samoa Government, which donated $250,000. 

The first donation to the fundraising drive was by Reverend Elder Ioane Evagelia who gave the opening prayer for the telethon/radiothon: he donated $2,500 tala.

The biggest private donation was $10,000 from Nana’s Company. Late on Friday the telethon/radiothon had brought in a total of $352,000 local media reported. 

Last year the Iwaki City signed an agreement to play host to the Manu Samoa during the preliminary training camps of the Rugby World Cup and the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games. It will cover accommodation, meals, facilities, transport and hospitality. 

The Prime Minister at the time noted the agreement as a blessing.

“Hosting the Manu Samoa will translate to savings to the Union of more than $500,000 tala.  That is a tremendous financial assistance to our union. For the city to come to our hour of need, is a testament of Iwaki’s genuine kindness.

 “We have long since established an informal mutual understanding with the Iwaki City some years back, after they were devastated by a disastrous tsunami.

“Samoa responded with a donation of $100,000 tala to assist Iwaki with her tsunami recovery effort and as Good Samaritans to Samoa, they have repaid our meagre assistance with humility by helping our Rugby Union and Olympics preparations,” the Prime Minister said.