It’s been three months since Spain lifted its first Women’s World Cup trophy in Sydney, and some athletes who played in the record-breaking event have still not been paid.
The international players union FIFPro said last week that tax issues were causing the delay and they are monitoring the situation. The news follows reports about another World Cup tax issue, with an Australian withholding tax having cost players who were based in Australia for the tournament 32.5% of their fee compared to those based in New Zealand who were not subject to the country’s withholding tax. FIFA said players and their associations were made aware of this before the World Cup.
The Australia and New Zealand tournament marked the second time hosting duties for a World Cup were split between two nations — the first being in 2002, when South Korea and Japan co-hosted the men’s event that year. But multi-nation hosting is becoming the norm, with 2026 hosting duties split between the United States, Canada, and Mexico, and tax is likely to become a bigger issue as a result.
“The most shocking thing about this is that you had players doing exactly the same thing and being exempt in New Zealand and then taxable in Australia, it just feels unfair,” Sofia Thomas, Chair of the International…
