Yesterday, the government released money for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying services. The players were owed $5,000 each. Elvis Nkandu, the Minister of Youth, Sports, and Arts, announced that the money had been released by the Ministry of Finance and National Planning. Nkandu stated, that they had already received money from the Ministry of Finance and National Planning to pay them emphasizing that this should not be viewed as a move done after the planned boycott; it was already in the pipeline. "But if it's true that players planned to boycott training, I must say we have not been treated well by our boys. Their preoccupation should be to get maximum points against Congo to increase chances of qualifying," Nkandu said. He pointed out that the government had already been steadfast in delivering winners' bonuses and had communicated its intention to settle qualifying bonuses before the World Cup qualifications. Nkandu clarified that the money was secured from the Ministry of Finance and National Planning, dispelling any notion that it was a reactionary move following rumored player boycott plans. In a separate inquiry on the alleged boycott, FAZ Communications Manager Sidney Mungala clarified that the players had sought information regarding their winning bonuses rather than expressing an intent to boycott. Mungala described the matter as an internal issue that all parties involved had been actively addressing since June. He said relevant communication channels were consistently utilized to update players on the resolution progress, with specific inquiries related to outstanding dues from the qualification bonus and draw for the Comoros match. This afternoon,Minister of Youth,Sport and Arts,Elvis Nkandu confirmed that the government has finally cleared the outstanding balance.