Fifa has revealed that players at the Women’s World Cup next month will earn individual fees directly from the global governing body for the first time.
The winning team’s players will receive $270,000 (£217,000) each in Australia and New Zealand, while each individual competing in the group stage will earn $30,000 (£24,000). The amount paid will increase the further the team progresses and in many cases, the figures far exceed players’ salaries at their clubs. Fifa’s 2022 benchmarking report found the average salary of paid players is $14,000 (£11,300).
The players’ union, Fifpro, has praised the move as the “outcome of tremendous global collective action by over 150 national team players”. In November, Fifpro sent a letter to Fifa signed by 150 international players calling for greater equity, both financially and in conditions, and included a demand for players to receive a significant share of prize money directly.
The players stated in the letter: “Many players at the Women’s World Cup come into the tournament as amateurs or semi-professional, which undermines their preparation and, in turn, the quality of football we see on the pitch. Many players have no agreement with their member associations to ensure they receive fair and equitable treatment, including a guaranteed World Cup compensation, for example, as a portion of World Cup prize money.
Per player (in US dollars)
Group stage $30,000
Round of 16 $60,000
Quarter-final $90,000
4th place $165,000
3rd place $180,000
2nd place $195,000
Winners $270,000
Participating member association allocation (in US dollars)
Group stage $1,560,000
Round of 16 $1,870,000
Quarter-final $2,180,000
4th place $2,455,000
3rd place $2,610,000
2nd place $3,015,000
Winners $4,290,000
“Therefore, no matter the amount of prize money available, players are not granted a share in what they endeavour on the field to earn – a share that would support their careers and livelihoods. This is especially true for our fellow World Cup competitors around the world who are still not yet fully professional.”
Fifa will pay out $152m (£122m) in total, more than three times more than the $50m (£40.2m) paid in 2019: $110m (£88.4m) is being put towards the performance-based fund, $11.5m (£9.3m) is being spent on the club benefits programme, and a further $30.7m (£24.5m) is being paid as preparation money.
The participating member associations will receive $1,560,000 (£1,254,224) for playing in the group stage with that figure rising to $4,290,000 (£3,449,117) for the winners.
