Football Clubs in Samoa have been offered gift vouchers to enable their players to get food, thanks to the COVID-19 Solidarity Grant from the Oceania Football Confederation.

The grant is to assist those who were affected by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The representatives of 11 football clubs from Upolu and Savai’i received Tradepac and Frankie Supermarket gift vouchers at the Football Federation of Samoa headquarters at Tuanaimato on Wednesday evening.

The gift vouchers will offer the recipients food and necessities from the two retail outlets to the value $75.51 [Tradepac] and $54.30 [Frankie Supermarket]. There are a total of 490 Tradepac vouchers and 490 Frankie Supermarket vouchers.

The F.F.S. Chief Executive Officer, Seve Dr. Folototo Seve, told the Samoa Observer that the grant was from the O.F.C and each member association in the Oceania region was given NZ$50,000 to assist football players or football members.

He said there are two ways the grant could be used in accordance with the criteria of O.F.C. One and that is to provide food items and necessities to families affected by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic as well as financial assistance for thoses affected by the pandemic.

The O.F.C has advised that the funding goes on food and necessities for people associated with football in Samoa, mainly players but also coaches and referees, hence Seve pointing to their decision to settle on Tradepac and the Frankie Supermarket.

"The process was that we inform the clubs about this fund and we asked clubs to fill in application forms which we give out mainly during the games," he said.

Seve added that they allocate the number of vouchers based on the number of applications that they received but they leave it to the clubs to decide who gets it, based on their assessment of the people who need it.

NZ$43,000 of the funding was spent on the vouchers while the remaining NZD$7,000 will be given to the referees and volunteer coaches as financial assistance.

Seve thanked FIFA and the O.F.C. for the assistance, saying this is not something that they get every day and it is not something that every sport gives out.

He further reiterated that people in football are very fortunate to receive the assistance and also gave his thanks to the F.F.S Executive Committee.