MM football: SJK receives large compensation from Cape Verde's AFCON sensation

Finnish football club SJK stands to gain a substantial financial windfall from FIFA thanks to defender Kelvin Pires' unexpected journey to the Africa Cup of Nations with Cape Verde. The island nation's impressive performance in the tournament, reaching the knockout stage before a narrow extra-time defeat to Argentina, has directly translated into increased compensation for SJK, who had Pires on their roster.

While Pires did not feature in any matches during the tournament, his inclusion in the Cape Verdean squad qualified SJK for FIFA's solidarity payments. These payments are designed to compensate clubs for releasing players for international duty. The duration of Pires' absence from his club, starting from May 26 and extending through the day after Cape Verde's final match on July 3, is estimated to be at least 40 days.

Based on FIFA's minimum compensation rate of $5,000 per day for each player released, SJK's payout is estimated to reach approximately $200,000. This sum, equivalent to about 175,000 euros, represents a significant financial boost for the Veikkausliiga club. Pires, a 26-year-old defender, becomes only the second player from the Finnish top league to be selected directly for a World Cup or Africa Cup of Nations tournament.