The United Nations agency for women’s rights has called on FIFA to ensure equal prize money for the next Women’s World Cup, highlighting the stark gender disparity in football tournament rewards.

The call comes as FIFA’s president, Gianni Infantino, expressed intentions to achieve pay parity between the men’s 2026 World Cup and the women’s 2027 event.

Despite Infantino’s ambitions, the prize fund for the Women’s World Cup remains significantly smaller than that of the men’s tournament. The 32 women’s teams share £86 million ($110 million), while the men’s teams in the 2022 Qatar tournament received £344 million ($440 million).

UN Women’s sports lead, Jennifer Cooper, has emphasized the importance of holding FIFA accountable for their commitment to equalize the prize money by the 2027 Women’s World Cup. Cooper, along with the players’ union FIFPRO, aims to ensure that FIFA follows through on its promise.

Throughout the ongoing Women’s World Cup, UN Women has partnered with FIFA to promote gender equality, with the message being displayed on captains’ armbands. Cooper acknowledges that achieving equal pay across all national federations governed by FIFA will take time and additional transparency in fund distribution.

FIFA holds substantial cash reserves, amounting to more than £3 billion, which could be used to raise funding for the Women’s World Cup. However, Infantino has urged sponsors and broadcasters to invest more in women’s football to bridge the financial gap.

Developing women’s football

UN Women’s praise for FIFA’s efforts to accelerate prize money equality is accompanied by a call for further projects aimed at developing women’s football globally. Despite the progress, challenges remain, including concerns over whether the allocated funds will reach players.

Cooper underlines the necessity of supporting women’s teams at the national level, indicating that the acceleration of change in prize money is a positive step towards broader gender equality in football.

The development of women’s football has faced historical challenges, but as UN Women argues, it’s a critical time to invest in the sport to create a more equitable landscape.

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