FIFPRO and national players' unions have reportedly sought legal advice regarding potential action if players in the FIFA Women's World Cup do not receive prize money equivalent to their male counterparts. According to The Athletic, FIFPRO has sent a letter to FIFA proposing "proportional equal prize money for the Men’s and Women’s FIFA World Cups, including maintaining the minimum 30% guaranteed to players who compete in the FIFA Women’s World Cup (proportional to number of teams and games played)."
The letter, reportedly signed by players from Spain, England, the United States women's national team, and other top-ranked nations, states that these proposals "will ensure: equal pay for equal work for both women and men."
FIFA President Gianni Infantino announced in 2023 an "ambition" to achieve equal prize money for the 2026 and 2027 World Cup winners. Reports indicate that FIFA plans to double the 2023 prize pool, but this amount is still expected to fall significantly short of the $871 million awarded to men's teams in their most recent World Cup.
FIFPRO and FIFA have been collaborating on improving financial compensation and conditions for players. In a joint statement, the organizations noted their work towards a new set of terms for the 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup, which will include prize money and a new financial distribution model rewarding member associations and players who participated in the qualifying phase. "Our ambition includes equalising prize money but also goes far beyond it," the statement read, expressing optimism about the progress of discussions.
The 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup is scheduled to take place in Brazil from June 24 to July 25. The United States team aims to reclaim the title after being eliminated in the round of 16 in the previous tournament.