July 19 (UPI) — One month after “guaranteeing” 2023 Women’s World Cup players would be paid at least $30,000 apiece, FIFA president Gianni Infantino couldn’t promise participating country associations will dispense prize money equally.
Infantino spoke about the issue during a news conference for the tournament Wednesday in Auckland, New Zealand. The 2023 World Cup will be held from Thursday through Aug. 20 in that nation and Australia.
FIFA announced in June that the World Cup prize money pool will be $110 million, “guaranteeing” each player at least $30,000. FIFA will give that money to participating countries through their individual federations and associations, which are then responsible for its dispensing it.
“We have issued recommendations, but we are an association of associations,” Infantino told reporters Wednesday. “So whatever payments we do will be through the associations. Then the associations will make the relevant payments to their own players.”
Infantino said FIFA is in touch with the associations and federations, but there are different situations in different parts of the world. He said taxation and residence stipulations are among the issues that will require special agreements, some of which were made previously.
“I think we have been taking some groundbreaking moves and decisions,” Infantino said. “It is by far not the end of the story. We are looking forward to work together with the associations and the players to have a smooth World cup in this respect.
“And then, on Aug. 21, we will start to focus on the future and on this matter, as well.”
Players from several women’s national teams have fought with their federations and associations in recent years about prize money allocation.
Earlier this month, South Africa players accused their association of withholding World Cup bonus payments.
FIFPRO — a global union for professional soccer players — said in its 2023 Qualifying Conditions Report that 29% of players it surveyed said they did not receive payments from their national teams within two weeks of their six confederation championships.
That report also found that 93% of players believed pay and prize money should be increased for confederation championships.
Infantino declined to criticize those responsible for allocating prize money and said he wanted to remain positive on the eve of the World Cup.
“Until the 20th of August, you will only hear positive things about everything and everyone,” Infantino said. “If somebody’s still not happy about something, well, I’m so sorry. I am happy with everything and I love everyone.
“As of the 21st of August, we focus on some other issues around the world and all the problems that are coming up.”
Infantino also said that FIFA must set an example when asked about its role in ensuring that federations and associations adequately support their women’s teams through annual payments.
“First of all, we have to set the example ourselves,” Infantino said. “That’s what we did, I think. … More than auditing or monitoring, it’s engaging.
“We engage with the associations around the world and with the leagues and clubs. Because at the end … we can distribute and pay only what we generate and so can the clubs, leagues and associations, so it’s impossible to ask them to do more if they generate less. But we all need to work together to promote the game, to make the game grow.”
Thirty-two teams will compete at the 2023 Women’s World Cup. The $110 million prize pool is $80 million more that what was distributed at the 2019 tournament.
The U.S. Soccer Federation announced in 2022 that players on the 2022 Men’s World Cup and 2023 Women’s World Cup rosters will be paid a “equal percentage” of collective prize money received by FIFA for participating and performing in their tournaments.
Host country New Zealand, the No. 26 team in the FIFA women’s world rankings, will face No. 12 Norway in the first game of the 2023 Women’s World Cup at 3 a.m. EDT Thursday on Fox.
The No. 1 U.S. women, who won the last two tournaments and are favored to win again, will face No. 32 Vietnam in their group-stage opener at 9 p.m. Friday on Fox. England, Spain, Germany and Australia are among the other expected title contenders.
