Following the unprecedented interest in this year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup, FIFA has pledged to triple the prize money for the 32 participating teams, with the winning nation taking home the biggest prize in the history of women’s football.
Heading into the knockout stages of the competition and it’s safe to say World Cup fever has officially swept through Australia. In a tournament that promised so much, the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 has surpassed even elevated expectations, with organisers and broadcasters hailing it as the biggest World Cup in history.
More than 5.3 million people watched the Matildas deliver the performance of the tournament to reach the knockout stages over Canada last week, with Channel Seven revealing it was the most-watched program on the entire network in 2023.
Coupled with world-class displays from all participating nations to reach the latter stages of the competition, it seems viewers simply can’t get enough of the women’s football action… and that’s being reflected in this year’s prize money.
“This Women’s World Cup has been a milestone for Football Australia and for women’s football in our country. We are overwhelmed with the profound impact of the tournament so far.”
James Johnson Football Australia CEO
At the start of this year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup, FIFA announced that the prize money for the tournament would increase by more than 300 per cent from the total value taken home by the United States in 2019, pledging a total of $152 million USD ($226 million AUD) package for the 32 participating teams.
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FIFA president Gianni Infantino said: “The captain that ultimately lifts the iconic FIFA Women’s World Cup Trophy on August 20 in Sydney will receive $270,000 USD, as will each of her 22 teammates.”
“The global salary of women’s professional footballers is approximately $14,000 USD annually so the amounts allocated under this unprecedented new distribution model will have a real and meaningful impact on the lives and careers of these players.”
By contrast, $440 million USD (~$656 million AUD) was provided in Qatar 2022 for the men’s World Cup, with Lionel Messi and his Argentinian teammates taking home $42 million USD (~$64 million AUD) between them.
Infantino has stated that FIFA’s goal is for equal prize money across both the men’s and women’s tournaments by 2027.
See how much each nation will receive below.
| Champions | $4,290,000 USD (~$6.508,479 AUD) |
| Runners-up | $3,015,000 USD (~$4,574,140 AUD) |
| Third place | $2,610,000 USD (~$3,960,004 AUD) |
| Fourth place | $2,455,000 USD (~$3,724,831 AUD) |
| Quarter-finalists | $2,180,000 USD (~$3,307,589 AUD) |
| Round of 16 | $1,870,000 USD (~$2,837,244 AUD) |
| Group Stage | $1,560,000 USD (~$2,366,899 AUD) |
Australia continue their World Cup campaign in the Round of 16 against Denmark tonight at 8:30 pm AEST.