Currently underway in Australia and New Zealand and continuing through August 19, the FIFA Women’s World Cup celebrates the exceptional skills and achievements of women’s football teams and players, advances gender equality in sports, and combats abuse and discrimination both on and off the field.
“Football unites the world, and our global events, such as the FIFA Women’s World Cup, have a unique power to bring people together and provide joy, excitement, and passion,” said FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
Courtesy CNN
The 2023 Women’s World Cup is poised to make history as a celebration of football and a pivotal moment for gender equality. Women players across the globe have long struggled with limited professional opportunities, a massive pay gap, unequal sponsorship opportunities, lesser airtime, and inequitable playing conditions.
Even in the face of success, women players often bear the brunt of toxic online and offline backlash. To address these pressing challenges and move closer to closing the gender gap in football, FIFA has taken a bold step by increasing the prize money for the 2023 Women’s World Cup to a staggering $150 million, triple the amount awarded in the 2019 edition.
This significant financial boost is part of a comprehensive three-step gender equality plan, which aims to foster a more inclusive and equitable future for women in sports. “We will highlight a series of social causes – from inclusion to gender equality, from peace to ending hunger, from education to tackling domestic violence – during all 64 matches at the FIFA Women’s World Cup,” said Infantino.
The “Football Unites the World” campaign, a focal point of this initiative, will shed light on major gender equality issues throughout the tournament. It is a stark reminder, however, that many women and girls still face exclusion from the world of sports and encounter discriminatory treatment or abuse when participating.
