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.
Speaking during a news conference for the tournament in Auckland, New Zealand, yesterday, 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.
The 2023 World Cup will be held from today through August 20 in New Zealand 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 dispensing it.
“We have issued recommendations, but we are an association of associations,” Infantino told reporters. “So, whatever payments we do will be through the associations. Then the associations will make the relevant payments to their own players.”
“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 August 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 per cent 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 per cent 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.
