FIFA will double its prize money for teams participating in the 2027 Women's World Cup but the awards won't reach the same levels as the money distributed to its men's teams, according to multiple reports.
The prize pool for the tournament taking place in Brazil next summer reportedly will be at least $220 million, up from the $110 million pool utilized for the 2023 tournament in Australia-New Zealand.
Both are significant jumps from the $30 million pool for the 2019 tournament in France. FIFA also plans to boost the compensation given to the club of each player who takes part in the competition.
FIFA's Bureau of the Council also announced earlier this month that each participating member association will receive $2.5 million in preparation money
for the 2027 tournament, matching the funds provided to each men's World Cup team.
While they are significant jumps, they still fall short of the hope FIFA president Gianni Infantino expressed in March 2023 “to distribute equal prize money for the women’s tournament by 2027.”
The prize pot for the 2026 Men's World Cup was $655 million, but that tournament had 48 teams while the women's tournament will be contested by 32.
Sky Sports reported on Friday, Oct. 30 that FIFA expects to make a profit on the Women's World Cup for the first time in 2027, with the Men's World Cup serving as the primary revenue-generator for the organization.
FIFA recently agreed to distribute more of its cash reserves to member associations after a hugely successful World Cup that took place in the United States, Mexico and Canada. Leaders of the European and North American, Central American and Caribbean confederations wrote to FIFA, noting the reserves were above $5 billion. They requested $2 billion be split up by the organization's 211 members.
Spain is the reigning champion of both the Men's and Women's World Cup tournaments, having taken the prize money, trophy and glory both in North America and in Australia-New Zealand.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: FIFA to double Women's World Cup prize money but fall short of gender equality
