It is the most repeated phrase: this will be the best women’s soccer World Cup in history. And it will not only be related to the show offered, the attendance records or the audience figures, it will also be the one in which the players have the best economic conditions. It was a pending task for FIFA and the highest body, headed by Gianni Infantino, has taken a step forward: of the 30 million dollars (28,255,583 euros) that there was a prize money in the 2019 World Cup has gone to 110 (103,614,326 euros). The distance, however, with the figure that was distributed in the men’s competition, the one held in Qatar in 2022, is still bloody: 440 million dollars (about €414M) were given. For the 2027 women’s edition there is a promise: the prizes will be matched.
The prize money for the Women’s World Cup will be equal to the men’s in the 2027 tournament.
27,502,713
more than in 2019
Australia and New Zealand 2023
For preparation and
for the clubs that release players
World Cup prize money
female will be equal to that of men
in the 2027 tournament.
Australia and New Zealand 2023
27,502,713
more than in 2019
For preparation and
for clubs that release players
But while the promise is fulfilled or not, each path to a women’s World Cup turns out to be going through similar paths. The protests and demands for better conditions and higher economic rewards are being replicated in the different teams. In 2019 they were Denmark, the United States or Brazil, and in the present 2022-23 they have been France, Canada, Chile, Nigeria, Japan, Peru, Spain… And even South Africa, a team that is part of those 14 that have signed the so-called ‘Equal Pay’, an agreement that in some cases, instead of responding to equal pay, is translated as a equalization in the conditions of the trips, percentage of income for the players, or diets. Because yes, the wage gap is still very present in football. A good example of this is what is going on today in the Spanish F League: the players fight for a new agreement that raises their minimum wage, Right now at 16,000 euros with a 75% partiality, that is, it can be 12,000.
At the same time, the minimum salary in the men’s First Division stands at 155,000 euros, with a new update that raises it to 182,000. However, it must not be forgotten that the main fight of the soccer players in the highest category was for their labor rights: registration in social security, vacations, maternity leave, conciliation… The historic agreement signed in Spain in December 2019 It was going to be renewed last summer and is still standing.
Retires before the age of 25 due to lack of financial support
He has a decent salary that allows him to live from his career
Highest-paid male soccer players VS highest paid female soccer players
Gross salary in euros (in the field)
*Number of his contract at PSG
Retires before the age of 25 for lack of
economic support
He has a decent salary that allows him to
live off your career
Highest-paid male soccer players VS
highest paid female soccer players
Gross salary in euros (in the field)
*Number of his contract at PSG
Just as the material conditions of many soccer players around the world are frozen and which FIFPro denounced in a report that highlighted data as shocking as that 47% of women do not get paid to play soccer or that only 10% have a decent salary that allows them to live from their sports career. Those who do, or rather, the privileged ones who are in the group of highest paid players in the world receive, of course, a salary 300 times higher…
While the revolution with a World destination has been taking place in the different teams taking advantage of the proximity of the appointment, Looking back makes the pioneers of this fight appear in the rear-view mirror, those who paved the way: Norway, Denmark or the United States. The aforementioned Nordic team even had the support of their men’s colleagues, but the changes were not enough: its great star, the first Ballon d’Or winner Ada Hegerberg, did not attend the 2019 World Cup in France. Something that has been reproduced in the current planetary appointment with cases such as those of the Spanish Mapi León and Patri Guijarro, who announced that they would not go to the World Cup because they did not believe the best ones introduced by the RFEF were enough.
Major milestones in the fight for equality
the pioneer in equalizing wages
The women’s team went from charging 330,000 to charging 640,000.
The men’s team donated 58,000 euros.
Despite everything, the top star of the team refused to
play the 2019 World Cup, considering that there are no equal conditions.
The players from Denmark published
a video denouncing not only the wage gap
“I would have savings
after my career”
“I would always play on the best courses”
“My college advisor wouldn’t have
laughed at me when i told him i wanted
to be a professional soccer player
Their male counterparts offered to reduce their salary by 500,000 crowns
a year to match the salary of her companions.
Five soccer players from the USA team
they stepped forward to demand equality
The men’s team LOSING all parties would charge 88,000
The women’s team WINNING all parties would charge 87,000
A chorus cry at the 2019 World Cup final was heard in the stands: “Equal pay”
Big milestones in the
fight for equality
The pioneer in equalizing wages
The women’s team went from
collect 330,000 to collect 640,000.
The male gave 58,000 euros.
The top star of the team
he refused despite everything to play the World Cup
of 2019, considering that no
there are equal conditions.
The players from Denmark published
a video denouncing not only the
wage gap
“I would have savings
after my career”
“I would always play in the
best fields”
“My college advisor wouldn’t have
laughed at me when i told him i wanted
to be a professional soccer player
Their male counterparts offered
reduce the salary 500,000 crowns
per year to match the salary of their
companions.
Five soccer players from the USA team
they stepped forward to demand
equality
The men’s team LOSING
all parties would charge 88,000
The women’s team WINNING
all parties would charge 87,000
A shout out in chorus at the 2019 World Cup
was heard in the stands:
“Equal pay”
Other players who raised their voices in their fight were the Americans: the world champions. Alex Morgan, Carli Lloyd, Sauerbrunn, Hope Solo or Megan Rapinoe led a fight that ended with a discrimination complaint to your federation. And they won.
In 2022 they reached an agreement and were compensated with 24 million dollars for
the discrimination suffered.
Both teams will share equally the prizes awarded to each of them:
At the World Cup in Qatar
the men’s team won
At the 2019 World Cup,
the women’s team won
* Figures in millions of dollars
The women’s team is more economically profitable than their peers
win the World Cup than they win it.
Both players threatened with a stoppage that the federation would not
allowed to perform They had cut the time of the concentrations,
the number of players and staff, in addition to equal pay.
Both the US men’s and women’s teams show their support.
Nick Bontis resigns as president of the federation and is replaced by the
medalist Charmaine Crooks, who happens to be the first woman
in occupying the position.
Recently many players have lashed out at their federations for
the lack of professionalism and resources.
Peru is located
without selector,
no training
and no parties.
Kimball is just one of
the many players
who has raised his voice.
With 132 games and
58 goals, Nagasato
abandoned the selection
due to lack of means.
They have not televised any
of recent matches
before the World Cup.
followed by others
players lashes out
against the federation
putting the focus on
the selector
Corinne Diacre, who
sign his resignation.
The captain has spent years
denouncing the lack of
professionalization.
Chile is eliminated
before the World Cup and his
coach is fired
due.
It will not be in the World Cup,
like Patri Guijarro
and other companions.
They belong to the group of
15, which has been reduced
after the outbreak in which
They demanded improvements.
Some of their demands are:
Infrastructure quality
Travel first class like their counterparts
Better sanitary conditions
More preparation: training sessions and matches
In 2022 they reached an agreement and
were compensated with 24 million
dollars for the discrimination suffered.
At the World Cup in Qatar
the men’s team won
At the 2019 World Cup,
the women’s team won
* Figures in millions of dollars
The women’s team gets more
economically profitable than its
teammates win the World Cup
they win it.
Both players threatened with a
stop. They had cut time
of the concentrations, the number of
players and staff, in addition to the
equal pay.
Both the men’s team and the
USA women’s team show
your support.
Recently many players have
lashed out at their federations for
the lack of professionalism.
Peru finds itself without a coach,
without training and without games.
Kimball is just one of many
players who have raised their voices.
With 132 appearances and 58 goals, Nagasato
abandoned the selection for lack of
media. They have not televised any of
recent matches.
Followed by other players, she attacks
against the federation putting the focus on
coach Corinne Diacre, who
sign his resignation.
The captain has spent years denouncing
the lack of professionalism.
Chile is eliminated before the World Cup and
his coach is fired
due.
It will not be in the World Cup, just like
than Patri Guijarro and other compañeras.
They belong to the group of 15, which has
reduced after the outbreak in which
They demanded improvements.
Some of their demands are:
Better sanitary conditions
Infrastructure quality
Although today not all the teams or players can say the same (the Canadian soccer players were forced to play, under threat of denunciation, when they announced a strike due to the budget cut suffered; the Banyana Banyana were replaced by other soccer players in a friendly way to the World Cup…), in most things, the collective struggle to improve conditions in football obtains results. It remains to be seen if it is still necessary in the 2027 edition of the Women’s World Cup…
Evolution in the participation of the World Cups
Texts: Marta Griñán / Video Editing: Vanesa Morente / Coordination: Javier Silles
Source: ElPatio / Relevo / Own elaboration.
Evolution in the
participation of the
World Cups
Texts: Marta Griñán / Video Editing: Vanesa Morente
Coordination: Javier Silles
Source: ElPatio / Relevo / Own elaboration.