On Sunday, The United States Women’s soccer team defeated Japan to win the 2015 World Cup. Their powerful performance earned $2 million from body that supports the tournament, FIFA.
The women’s earnings fall extremely short of the U.S Men’s soccer teams earning $8 million for losing the first round of the World Cup –each Men’s team of was rewarded $1.5 million for only participating in the tournament.
This year, FIFA also has the Women’s team (not the Men’s) play on artificial turf, where it has been proved playing on turf can result in more fatigue and injuries than natural grass. It also increases the heat of the playing field, temperatures reached up to 120 degrees during the tournament.
@sportswithjohn It’s unfathomable that woman are made to play in these conditions. Men wouldn’t hear of it.
— bee (@wordybridget) June 6, 2015
There have been suits filed against FIFA for gender discrimination in Canadian court, but were dropped after it was made clear FIFA wouldn’t change their ways even if they lost. But they agreed to have the 2019 World Cup played on natural grass.
Women’s team’s Carli Lloyd scored three goals in under fifteen miniutes, breaking a record in the process. The Women’s team has won the World Cup a total of three times, to the Men’s zero times.
Image via flikr/DinoCorvino
