FIFA approves price increase for 2019 Women's World Cup

KIGALI: FIFA will grow from $ 15 million to $ 30 million for the Women's World Cup starting next year in France, President Gianni Infantino announced Friday, although critics have immediately indicated that the increase will not increase. Was not enough.

Following a meeting of the FIFA Council in Rwanda, the Italian-Swiss delegation also said that $ 20 million would be available for pre-tournament preparations, for a total of $ 50 million allocated to the 24 participating countries.

The cash prize is double the amount awarded at the 2015 FIFA World Cup in Canada and, for the first time, the clubs will be rewarded for their players participating in the tournament, as in the men's edition.

"This is a very important message for women's football. This will certainly further strengthen this World Cup, "said Infantino at a press conference.

However, the global football union, FIFpro, said the changes were not enough to address the inequality between men's and women's football around the world.

"FIFPro notes FIFA's willingness to increase its gains for the Women's World Cup and to make structural improvements to support women's football. However, despite these changes, football remains even further from the goal of equality for all players of the World Cup, regardless of gender, "said a statement from FIFpro.

"In reality, the changes actually mean an increase in the gap between men's and women's earnings. This regressive trend seems to run counter to FIFA's statutory commitment to gender equality.

"We strongly support our members, the players of the National Women's Team in several countries, who have written to FIFA in recent days to express their dismay over the distribution of cash prizes."

The player unions of Australia, Norway, Sweden and New Zealand had written to the governing body of world football to protest that even if women's money was doubled, the rewards in men's football were still lower than the new amounts.

The total prize money for this year's Men's World Cup in Russia is $ 400 million, while France, the world champion, receives $ 38 million.

The Australian PFA letter stated: "For the group stage alone, Socceroos players shared $ 2.4 million for the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia, while the Matildas will only share $ 0.225 million. less than 10%.

"If the Matildas are to become world champions, they will receive only 50% of what the Socceroos have received to qualify for Russia."

The Americans, the world's most successful team and winner of three of the seven Women's World Cups, also called for higher prices.

"The USWNT Players Association is grateful to the women and men who work tirelessly on women's football in institutions like Fifa and US Soccer, as well as unions like FIFPro and its members," says the press release.

"The common goal of all these institutions – be they employers or unions – is to change the game in the end. Substantial investments are needed to overcome generations of inequalities and discrimination in women's sport, in order to make football the sport par excellence for women and girls.

"We are committed to … continuously discussing how Fifa and US Soccer can fulfill their respective gender-related statutory obligations, including cash prizes for the World Cup. 2019, an area in which we believe that an immediate and powerful investment can be made. "

Infantino said that FIFA is committed to constantly increasing its investments and announced the launch of a new strategy for women's football earlier this month, which included strengthening football in the 211 member associations.

"Clearly … we want to invest more and put more resources into women's football and not just the top 24 teams in the world competing for the World Cup, for which we have increased allocations and prices considerably, but we have a duty to make. around the world, "he said.

"In this regulation also, all the associations of the world have specific obligations: to be able to receive the necessary subsidies, they must organize feminine competitions, otherwise they will not receive these subsidies."