So here’s something to talk about..
Here’s what Australia’s national men’s soccer team, The Soceroos, got paid in match fees in the games leading up to their latest epic win:
$7,500.
Here’s what Australia’s national women’s soccer team, The Westfield Matildas, get paid in match fees for games leading up to their epic game on Monday (which evidentl placed them in the FIFA women’s world cup quarter-finals:
$500.
That means men got paid 15 times more in match fees than women. FIFTEEN TIMES MORE — even though the Matildas have been described as “one of the most dangerous teams at the World Cup”.
As if that gender pay gap weren’t wide enough, if The Matildas make it to the World Cup final, they’ll earn a total $5600 in match fees, while the Socceroos had the chance to earn $69,000 for an equivalent game during last year’s World Cup, The New Daily reports.
That’s more than a twelve fold increase in match fees, just because one group have vaginas.
Related: Australia doesn’t know the names of these sporting heroes. But here’s why we should.
That right there is some bullsh*t.
And that, my friends, is why we need to keep making noise about pay equality and the value of women’s sport.
A comprehensive list: What male and female soccer players earn.
According to The New Daily, Women earn:
$21,000 annual contract or $150 daily wage and an equal share in 30 per cent of all prize money, plus:
• $500 per standard international game
• $500 per group-stage tournament game
• $600 per round of 16-tournament game
• $750 per tournament quarter-final
• $1250 per tournament semi-final or third or fourth-place playoff
• $1500 per tournament finalMeanwhile, Men earn:
• A share in commercial profits from matches played and sponsor bonuses, plus:
• $6500 per standard international game
• $7500 per group-stage tournament game
• $8500 per quarter-final tournament game
• $9500 per tournament semi-final or third or fourth-place playoff
• $11,500 per tournament finalor $240 daily wage plus a share in 30 per cent of prize money.
Some sportswomen to watch:
Female Aussie sportswomen to watch.
For more on the Women’s World Cup: It’s the biggest event in the world right now – and you haven’t heard about it.
If you missed the Matildas’ win over Brazil on Monday, you can watch it here: