The upcoming 2023 Women’s World Cup prize money is set to receive a major financial boost. ESPN is reporting that the tournament in Australia and New Zealand will feature a $150 million purse. This would be an increase of about 300% compared to the 2019 competition in France.

It’s clearly welcoming news that the Women’s World Cup is generating significantly more revenue. After all, the 2019 tournament had $30 million in prize money and the 2015 competition had about $15 million. However, the $150 million purse for the 2023 Women’s World Cup is still drastically behind the $440 million in prize money for the Men’s World Cup in Qatar.

FIFA boss says media rights deals to blame

Newly reelected FIFA president Gianni Infantino stated on Thursday that some of this money needs to be allocated to the players. ESPN is claiming that $110 million will be for actual prize money, $31 million will go towards tournament preparation, and then $11 million is allocated to club benefits.

Infantino also put most of the blame on the disparity between the men’s and women’s tournaments on media rights. The FIFA boss suggested that the current prices for Women’s World Cup broadcasting deals are far too low. “Women deserve much, much more than that, and we are there to fight for them and with them,” claimed Infantino.

Women’s national teams fighting for equal money outside World Cup

Women’s national team players from around the globe have rallied for equal pay compared to their male counterparts. The United States House of Representatives previously passed a bill to help bridge the gap in pay between the USWNT and USMNT. Canada’s national women’s team has also recently gone on strike about their lack of funding.

Infantino is targeting equal pay for men’s and women’s teams for the next round of World Cups. This would be put in place in 2026 and 2027 respectively. Nevertheless, it seems as a tough goal considering how large the pay gap currently is. The next men’s World Cup will also be expanded to 48 teams as well.

PHOTO: IMAGO / ZUMA Wire

Guide to World Cup 2023

Here are some resources to help you get the most out of the biggest event in women's soccer!
Schedule: All the info on where and when to watch every game
TV Coverage: How to watch the games on TV
World Cup Bracket: Map out the entire tournament, from the groups to the final