FIFA has announced a significant increase in financial support for teams participating in the upcoming 2027 Women’s World Cup, a move that advances its goal of achieving prize money parity with the men’s tournament. The organization confirmed that each member federation of qualified women’s teams will receive $3.5 million in preparation funds, more than doubling the $1.4 million offered to teams ahead of the 2023 Women’s World Cup. This amount matches the funding allocated to men’s teams prior to the 2026 World Cup.
FIFA’s announcement came on Friday and included assurances that players in the 2027 Women’s World Cup will receive services equivalent to those provided to male players in the 2026 tournament. Additionally, any surplus generated from the women’s tournament will be distributed to the participating member associations, with a portion specifically designated for players.
During the 2023 Women’s World Cup hosted by Australia and New Zealand, FIFA President Gianni Infantino pledged to equalize prize money for the men’s and women’s tournaments by 2027. However, FIFA has not yet confirmed that full parity will be achieved, noting that final financial details will be reviewed by the FIFA Council in December. The organization indicated that increased financial distributions will benefit players, member associations, and clubs alike, as stakeholders collaborate to develop and professionalize women’s football.
The discrepancy in prize money between the men’s and women’s tournaments remains notable. The expanded 48-team 2026 men’s World Cup offers a record $72 million to the winner, while the 2023 Women’s World Cup champion received $14 million. Despite this gap, the women’s total prize pool in 2023 represented a threefold increase over the 2019 tournament, signaling rapid growth in the sport.
One key challenge for FIFA in achieving equal pay is the financial viability of the 2027 Women’s World Cup, which will be hosted by Brazil. Infantino has urged broadcasters and sponsors to increase their investment in the women’s game, highlighting that offers for women’s events have been substantially lower than those for men’s tournaments.
There is potential for improvement in commercial backing. Reports indicate that Netflix acquired the broadcast rights for the 2027 Women’s World Cup in the United States and Canada for $285 million. According to FIFA’s 2023 annual report, total revenue from television broadcast rights reached $380 million that year. Meanwhile, FIFA Chief Football Officer Jill Ellis projected that revenue from the 2027 tournament could approach $1 billion, nearly doubling the roughly $500 million earned in 2023.
FIFA’s latest funding commitment represents a clear step toward greater financial equity in international football, though significant work remains to close the gap fully by 2027.