Viral French football ad makes powerful gender statement as Matildas call for equal prizes in Women's World Cup
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Days out from the start of the Women’s World Cup, teams are turning up the pressure on the sport's governing body and spectators to give women players equal pay and respect.
Days out from the start of the Women’s World Cup, teams are turning up the pressure on the sport’s governing body and spectators to give women players equal pay and respect.
An advertisement by telecoms company Orange and the French national team that uses visual effects to draw attention to the quality of the women’s game is spreading quickly on social networks.
And on Monday, members of Australia’s national team released their own video taking a swing at FIFA’s failure to grant women the same prize money as men.
Australia and New Zealand are co-hosting the tournament which kicks off Thursday as New Zealand takes on Norway at Eden Park.
The total prize pool for the women’s tournament was raised to US$150 million this year, but it’s still only about a third of the US$440 million handed to the winners of last year’s men’s World Cup in Qatar. The women players say it’s not enough.
FIFA has said it’s committed to closing the pay gap and last month announced a new payment model that it said provides every Women’s World Cup player with “guaranteed remuneration for their achievements.”
But the Orange video is proving popular by making the point that, despite the pay disparity, the women are just as skilful as the men.
