After a long and bruising battle, the U.S. women are getting paid exactly what the U.S. men are. The prize money the USWNT gets from this World Cup will be split with the U.S. men, just as the money the U.S. men got from last year’s tournament in Qatar was divided evenly with the USWNT.
The appearance fees the USWNT gets for its games in Australia and New Zealand will be the same as the men got for their games in Qatar. The teams have the same travel accommodations, support staff and child-care benefits.
“(U.S. Soccer) is the only federation in the world that does that, so we’re very happy we fought for that and were able to attain that,” Alex Morgan said last month, before the USWNT left for the World Cup.
“Now it’s up to FIFA and the other federations to do their part.”
It might not generate the same attention as the defending champion and world’s No. 1 team suing its employer, as the USWNT was four years ago, but there are several other teams fighting similar battles for equity at this World Cup.
WORLD CUP CENTRAL: 2023 Women’s World Cup Live Scores, Schedules, Standings, Bracket and More
Here’s a look at some of the most notable:
SPAIN
Last fall, 15 players sent the Spanish federation a letter saying their mental health was being “significantly” affected because of training conditions, treatment of injuries and team selections under coach Jorge Vilda. Two-time FIFA player of the year Alexia Putellas, injured at the time, didn’t sign the letter but said she supported her teammates.
The federation sided with Vilda, and the 15 players were blackballed. Several have since asked to rejoin the team, and Vilda selected three, along with Putellas, for the World Cup team. But it remains to be seen whether the original concerns have been addressed, and what the dynamic will be between Vilda and the team.
“There are still a lot of teams fighting,” Morgan said. “You look at Spain, and there are some players who should absolutely be at this World Cup that are not going due to the inequalities of their team and standing up for themselves and the future generations of their sport.”
CANADA
Canada remains without a contract, having left for the World Cup without agreement on a hoped-for deal.
The federation’s finances are a mess — why, given that soccer is at the height of its popularity ahead of Canada co-hosting the 2026 men’s World Cup, is the $4 million question — and it told both the men’s and women’s teams it needed to slash its budget this year.
But because this is a World Cup year for the women while the men played theirs last year, that’s meant unequal treatment for the women. Training camps have been shortened or scrapped altogether. When camps are held, there are fewer support staff. There was no send-off game before the team left for Australia.
In fact, Canada has not played a home game in more than a year. By comparison, the USWNT has hosted the SheBelieves Cup and played three friendlies since Jan. 1.
“A lot of us play with the Canadian players (in the NWSL), so we saw up front what it was like for them to go through what they went through earlier in the year and continue to,” Megan Rapinoe said. “This is where FIFA needs to do more.
“Mandate that these federations support their teams the way they would support everybody for the men’s World Cup.”
JAMAICA
Despite FIFA providing each World Cup team with a minimum of $1.56 million to cover expenses for the tournament, Jamaica players last month expressed concerns with training conditions and resources. The mother of one of the players even organized a crowdfunding campaign to help the Reggae Girlz pay for their pre-tournament training camp in Amsterdam.
“We were told that all our requests and concerns would be resolved in a timely manner. Unfortunately, that time has expired and once again our questions go unanswered and our concerns unresolved,” the players said in a letter posted on star Khadija “Bunny” Shaw’s Instagram page.
A lack of funding is not new for Jamaica, which is playing in its second World Cup. The team was once in danger of being disbanded until Bob Marley’s daughter, Cedella, stepped in to provide the necessary financial support.
“There is unwavering commitment from every player, coach and staff member of the Reggae Girlz. We desire to perform our best, to make Jamaica proud and to ensure a strong future for so many aspiring young Reggae Girlz!” the players said in their letter. “We hope there will be immediate and systemic change within our federation and those in charge of protecting the integrity of women’s football.”
NIGERIA
Super Falcons captain Onome Ebi dispelled reports that Nigeria planned to boycott its World Cup opener over yet another funding dispute, but it’s not clear whether players have been assured of getting their promised game bonuses.
Nigerian federation officials reportedly told the players they were canceling the bonuses because FIFA is, for the first time, providing prize money directly to players. Every player at the World Cup is guaranteed of making at least $30,000, with the sum increasing the deeper a team goes.
There is a long history of funding disputes between Nigeria’s federation and its national teams, both men and women. Four years ago, the women staged a sit-in at their hotel after getting only half their bonuses. The men’s team refused to practice during the 2014 World Cup because they hadn’t gotten money earned during qualifying.
SOUTH AFRICA
South Africa refused to play its send-off game over disparities in treatment by the federation, and only traveled to the World Cup after a businessman donated $320,000 to be split among the 23 players.
Funding is not the only source of tension, however. The players association said the women don’t have proper contracts and are subjected to poorer conditions than the men’s team. The stadium where the women were to play their send-off game, for example, can’t even host games in the men’s league.
INEQUITY WIDESPREAD
Troubling as these examples are, the disparities don’t end there.
Despite a significant increase by FIFA for this year’s tournament in Australia and New Zealand, the gap in prize money for the men’s and women’s World Cups remains massive. Forget about splitting prize money equally, most countries don’t even pay women the same appearance fees as they do the men. Women’s programs are routinely short-changed when it comes to resources, training, travel — the list goes on.
“It’s so infuriating,” Rapinoe said. “It doesn’t have to be like this. These are choices people are making.”
Follow USA TODAY Sports’ Nancy Armour on Twitter @nrarmour.
