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The "next" World Cup had a lot of hype in Russia. A gigantic cube was lit with video images of "Qatar 2022" in Gorky Park, while the ground floor of the upscale shopping center of Red Square was dedicated to displays touting the event.
There was little attention to the (next) next Senior World Cup: the women's tournament next year in France
It was surprising.
For several years, the scandal has enveloped the football governing board, FIFA has put a point of honor. proclaiming that it aims to increase both the role of women in the organization and the profile of women's play.
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President Gianni Infantino has appointed Fatma Samoura first secretary general of the International Football Federation in 2016, while announcing the creation of 39, a women's soccer division. 19659002] The Men 's World Cup in Russia could have been the opportunity to address fairness in the sport while focusing on the women' s tournament next year. But France 2019 has not been much promoted: no signs, events or exhibitions in tourist areas.
Samoura made a few appearances, but was not visible at the awards ceremony after France's victory over Croatia on Sunday
Deyna Castellanos was considered the ambbadador of women's football in Russia and she starred in a social media campaign anchored by the #DareToShine hashtag. But while the 19-year-old is considered a rising star in the women's game, Venezuela failed to qualify for France, so the selection seemed odd.
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Infantino acknowledged that more could be done for women's play during his concluding press conference in Moscow. There is no doubt that the Men's World Cup every four years is the financial heavyweight of FIFA. But women are the second biggest commercial badet of the governing body.
"We need to invest in women's football We are thinking of a new women's world league, because 50% of the world's population, the ladies, need to be treated the right way in a sport that is considered like macho like football, "said Infantino
. "We have to invest in women's football, we have programs and we have ideas." The call for greater equity in football is not new. In the run-up to the last Women's World Cup in 2015, a group of international players, led by American star Abby Wambach, protested because the tournament would be played on artificial turf, considered by many as inferior to the real one. grbad. The men's tournament had always been played on grbad.
Once the point of view on turf, the tournament in Canada proved a resounding success, attracting the biggest crowd of all FIFA tournaments outside of the Men's World Cup. He also broke the popularity records for television in North America, the final attracting more viewers than any previous men's or women's match in the United States.
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Following their victory over Japan for the trophy, the Americans negotiated and obtained a better contract with US Soccer which brings them closer to the compensation level of their male counterparts.
The Americans were not alone, national teams from other countries won more fair contracts with their federations, including Australia and Ireland. France could give FIFA the opportunity to present concrete changes at the highest level, and the possible messages could not be more perfect: France has won a World Cup and will welcome it from now on.
Two questions stand out. It remains to be seen how much the prices will be raised in 2019. The American women won 2 million dollars in 2015. In contrast, the men of France won 38 million dollars for their victory Sunday.
And there is no word left to be used as it was for men for the first time in Russia.
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U.S. Women's coach Jill Ellis was in Moscow the last week of the tournament for an appearance on FOX, which has national television rights for 2019 France. She would like to see an increase in prices and the use of the rebroadcast.
"I do not know what the consequences are in other countries, but you look at our own team, in our own country and the number of viewers." Presence – there is no difference (with men), "said Ellis.
"So I think that 100% FIFA should consider our game as a game, not as a women's game or a game of men."
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