With reference to your article (Fifa may talk tough but it has paved the way by undervaluing women’s football, 2 May), it is important to highlight several points. Broadcast rights for the Fifa Women’s World Cup were historically something of an afterthought. That is precisely why the new Fifa, under Gianni Infantino, wants a fair price to cover its showpiece women’s tournament in the future. It was the current Fifa administration that established a separate commercial programme and strategy for the benefit of women’s football.
All revenue from rights deals for the Women’s World Cup are reinvested in the women’s game. The budget for the 2023 edition will be over $500m. This summer, the total performance-related funding will treble since 2019, to $152m, and will be 10 times more than in 2015, prior to Mr Infantino’s election.
It is Fifa’s aim to work for more equality in payments to players for the men’s and women’s World Cup in 2026 and 2027 respectively. It will take robust investment and is the right thing to do.
More than 155 territories worldwide have media rights for this summer’s tournament. Should we accept, in one case, an offer by a media outlet of less than 1% of what it paid to cover the 2022 men’s World Cup? There has been a surge in popularity to watch the women’s game, so why accept a substandard offer? There is no panic, rather a strong call for respect and fairness in covering women’s football.
Bryan Swanson
Fifa
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