Australia’s Matildas call for equal prize money for men’s and women’s World Cups #Australias #Matildas #call #equal #prize #money #mens #womens #World #Cups

SYDNEY (AP) — Australia’s Matildas have called for equal prize money for soccer’s global showpiece tournaments just days out from kicking off the Women’s World Cup in Sydney.

Australia and New Zealand are co-hosting the biggest Women’s World Cup to date and both national teams will start their group campaigns on Thursday.

All 23 members of Australia’s World Cup roster, i ncluding star forward Sam Kerr, spoke in a video released by the players’ union on Monday to acknowledge the growth of the women’s game but to highlight that the total prize money at the 2023 World Cup is about one-quarter of what was on offer at the men’s World Cup last year.

France's Selma Bacha grimaces as she is lifted onto a stretch after an injury during their friendly soccer match against Australia ahead of the Women's World Cup in Melbourne, Friday, July 14, 2023. (AP Photo/Hamish Blair)

France’s preparations for the Women’s World Cup have received another injury blow after defender Selma Bacha left the field in tears on a stretcher in the final minutes of the team’s warm-up game against Australia.

FILE - The United States players hold the trophy as they celebrate winning the Women's World Cup final soccer match against The Netherlands at the Stade de Lyon in Decines, outside Lyon, France on July 17, 2019. More prize money than ever will be awarded at this year's Women's World Cup, and the players stand to get direct payments from FIFA this time. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco, File)

Global soccer players’ union FIFPRO has published analysis of its members’ workload during the 32 teams’ road to the Women’s World Cup that kicks off next week in Australia and New Zealand.

FILE - Republic of Ireland's Sinead Farrelly, center, greets players after the team's match with the United States in an international friendly soccer match in Austin, Texas, Saturday, April 8, 2023. (AP Photo/Eric Gay, File)

The Women’s World Cup will be played with new programs in place to help protect players and other participants.

FILE - Netherlands' Vivianne Miedema runs with the ball pursued by France's Charlotte Bilbault, left, during the Women Euro 2022 quarterfinals soccer match between France and the Netherlands at the New York Stadium in Rotherham, England, Saturday, July 23, 2022. (AP Photo/Jon Super, File)

Dutch forward Vivianne Miedema and England’s Leah Williamson are among the stars of women’s soccer who won’t be playing in the World Cup.

The Australian men’s and women’s teams receive the same minimum percentage of prize money under Football Australia’s collective agreement.

“Collective bargaining has allowed us to ensure we now get the same conditions as the Socceroos, with one exception,” midfielder Tameka Yallop said in the video produced by Professional Footballers’ Australia. “FIFA will still only offer women one-quarter as much prize money as men for the same achievement.”

The overall prize pool for the 2023 Women’s World Cup is $110 million. FIFA has allocated $152 million for the tournament, including the prize money plus preparation payments for the 32 teams and compensation paid to clubs, and said that is three times more than it allocated for the 2019 edition. The prize pool for the men’s World Cup was $440 million.

“While prize money has advanced, it’s still only 25% of what the men get, and FIFA are championing that that’s equality and there’s still no assurance that there will be equality,” PFA co-chief executive Kate Gill told Australian Associated Press.

Gill said the argument that broadcasting rights and sponsorship income contributed to the uneven payments didn’t cut it.

“They’ve got $4 billion in reserves, so they can afford to spend and equalize things now,” Gill told AAP. “So it’s a call to arms and also the players understanding that their power is in their collective and in their solidarity.”