Around 20 per cent of women’s players are yet to be paid their share of prize money for their participation at the 2023 World Cup.
Before the tournament in Australia and New Zealand, FIFA, the world football governing body, guaranteed prize money to players to be distributed via participating federations.
The amounts before tax ranged from $30,000 per player for group-stage participation to $270,000 per player for those on the tournament’s winning team.
As many as six out of the 32 participating countries, however, have not yet passed on the prize money sent by FIFA to players for reasons that include tax issues. FIFPRO remain confident all players will eventually receive the sums.
“FIFA are as committed as we are to making sure that the players receive those payments,” says Sarah Gregorius, FIFPRO director of policy and strategic relations for women’s football.
“Time will tell but the intention is 100 per cent that it goes through for every single player that participated in the competition.”
Gregorius estimated a payment deadline should be “towards the end of this year” but acknowledged “the further we get away from the tournament, the patience will run out”.
Given there is no contract between individuals and parties it is unclear where the dispute will be…
