Women’s World Cup: ‘Not a distraction’ – Australia hit out at prize money gap, won’t be distracted by activism

Australia’s squad for the 2023 World Cup have hit out at FIFA for providing one quarter of the prize money compared to the 2022 men’s World Cup, also raising concerns that many players competing still don’t have the rights to collective bargaining.

The Matildas’ bargaining agreements mean they get paid the same as the Socceroos, albeit at a FIFA event it is still less. The 2023 World Cup has a total prize pool of $110m, compared to $440m for the men’s World Cup last year.

“736 footballers have the honour of representing their countries on the biggest stage this tournament,” said Australia and Everton’s Clare Wheeler in the video.

Western Sydney Wanderers’ Clare Hunt then said: “Yet many are still denied the basic right to organise and collectively bargain.”

Brann midfielder Tameka Yallop added: “Collective bargaining has allowed us to ensure we now get the same conditions as the Socceroos, with one exception: FIFA will still only offer women one-quarter as much prize money as men for the same achievement.”

There was also a call on the women’s A-League, the top football league in Australia, to become fully professional with Sydney FC’s Cortnee Vine saying, “Our sisters in the A-League Women are still pushing to make football a full-time career, so they don’t have to work part-time jobs like we had to.”

Professional Footballers Australia co-chief executive Kate Gill hit back at critics who said this cause would distract players on the pitch.

“I don’t see this as new; I definitely don’t see it as a distraction,” she said.

“I mean, women, we can multi-task. So they can do two things at once … for sure, they can worry about football and they can also use their voices loud and proud, which they’ve chosen to do.”

Speaking in March about this issue, FIFA president Gianni Infantino said the organisation remains committed to having equal pay at the next World Cups. He said that FIFA are acting despite not having equal pay for the 2023 World Cup.

“Our ambition is to have equality in payments for the 2026 men’s and 2027 women’s World Cup.

“This is the objective that we set to ourselves. FIFA is stepping up with actions, not just with words.”