Fifa is expected to fall short of gender equality regarding the prize money for the upcoming Women’s World Cup in Brazil, despite generating a record $15bn in revenue from the men’s tournament.
The Parity Ambition and Prize Pot Projections
Gianni Infantino, the president of Fifa, stated in 2023 that the organization aimed to achieve prize pot equality by 2027, declaring that the governing body was acting rather than just speaking. This created widespread hope within women’s football that the 2027 prize pool would match the men’s on a per-team basis.
With 48 teams competing in the men’s tournament and 32 teams participating in the upcoming women’s event, a women’s pot measuring two-thirds of the men’s $655m fund would have represented parity. Instead, the women’s prize money is projected to reach about one-third of the men’s amount, as reported by Sport | The Guardian based on information revealed by Sky News.
The updated figure represents a significant increase, with the women’s prize fund targeted to double from $110m in 2023 to $220m. This projected sum marks a greater than seven-fold increase compared to the 2019 women’s finals held in France, where Spain’s men’s team received $50m for winning their tournament.
While some sources knowledgeable about recent negotiations have privately praised the increase, a senior female source characterized the outcome as a major missed opportunity for Fifa. No official confirmation is anticipated until the Fifa council meeting in December.
Additional Investments and Player Provisions
Senior Fifa officials have communicated with leading female players to present broader investments in the women’s game and to clarify the decision, which is linked to the expected commercial income of the 2027 competition. Infantino has previously criticized broadcasters for offering low television rights fees for the women’s tournament, which attracted 933 million linear television viewers and 895 million streaming viewers in 2023, according to Fifa data. The global live audience for the final between England and Spain in Sydney reached 67 million, with a total reach of 222 million people.
Fifa did not provide a comment to Sport | The Guardian, though governing body sources indicated there will be further enhancements to the women’s club benefits program alongside dedicated funds ringfenced for participating players.
Fifa confirmed earlier this month that teams competing in the 2027 Women’s World Cup will receive preparation funding equal to that of the men’s tournament, more than doubling to $2.5m per team. Furthermore, every player is guaranteed business class or chartered flights along with individual hotel rooms rather than shared accommodations.
