The Matildas will take the pitch at the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup with a quarter of the prize money on the line than the men's tournament.
Create a free account to read this article
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The huge gap in prize money for FIFA's men's and women's tournaments prompted the 23 Matildas players to call for change.
FIFA announced a $161.8 million prize pool for the 2023 Women's World Cup compared with the $648 million splashed on the 2022 men's tournament in Qatar.
If the Matildas lift the trophy the 23-player squad will share in $9.1 million while second-place would net $6.6 million.
In a video posted before kick-off gets under way on July 20, the Matildas paid tribute to the effort of past players.
But they also called on FIFA to do better.
"While prize money has advanced, it's still only 25 per cent of what the men get, and FIFA are championing that that's equality and there's still no assurance that there will be equality," Professional Footballers Australia co-chief executive Kate Gill told AAP.
"There's a few weasel words in their commentary around the broadcast and the sponsorship mixture having to be right before they can move to that.
"They've clearly got $4 billion in reserves, so they can afford to spend and equalise things now.
"So it's a call to arms and also the players understanding that their power is in their collective and in their solidarity."
FIFA also put up $315.2 million more in preparation funding and club benefits for the 2022 men's world cup than for the women's tournament.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino said the organisation was aiming to have equal payments for the next men's and women's world cups in 2026 and 2027.
IN OTHER NEWS:
Football Australia chief executive James Johnson said there was "room for improvement" on prizemoney.
Australia had "set a great example" with its 2019 collective bargaining agreement to close the pay gap between the Socceroos and Matildas, he said.
"We pay our girls equally to our men... that was a groundbreaking deal and it extends beyond just payments, it's also the environment the Matildas play in; they stay at the same hotels, fly the same aircraft, they have the same access to high performance personnel," he said.
Women's footballers were first offered prizemoney at the 2007 FIFA World Cup - 25 years after the men.
At the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup the total was $22 million and at the 2019 event it was $44 million.
With Australian Associated Press
