Women’s football: FIFPRO delivers an alarming report on the conditions of players during the 2023 World Cup

2023-11-29 17:55:33

This Wednesday, FIFPRO, the global union of professional players, unveils a “extensive investigation” which underlines “the need to make further improvements (…) with regard to international women’s football in terms of the match calendar, medical assistance and remuneration. » The conclusion of a report established thanks to the testimonies of 260 players who participated in the 2023 World Cup, won by Spain and which took place in Australia and New Zealand (July 20-August 20).

FIFPRO interviewed members of 26 of the 32 teams qualified for the World Cup and several figures point to conditions that are still alarming in comparison with those of the men. Thus, 53% of players believe they did not have the necessary rest before entering the World Cup. More generally, 66% of athletes believe they were not in the best physical shape at the start of the competition. “Which highlights the persistent problems linked to the international match schedule and the preparation of players,” explains FIFPRO.

Medical exams not taken

Since 2011, FIFA had gotten into the habit of imitating the men’s model and organizing the World Cup at the end of the sports season, starting it in June and concluding in July. But for this edition in Australia and New Zealand, the choice fell on later dates, coinciding with the usual summer preparation of European clubs, the biggest suppliers of players. “I was trying to rest and prepare at the same time, which doesn’t really work,” one player told FIFPRO.

Furthermore, the investigation details significant inequalities between players. “One in three earns less than $30,000 per year thanks to football, and one in five supplements their income with a second job,” specifies the union. Furthermore, travel conditions also differ from the men’s selections: 20% of the players flew back to their country of origin in economy class.

Finally, even more serious, FIFA did not respect its medical obligations. Among the 260 players questioned, 10% indicated that they had not undergone a medical examination before the competition and 22% did not have an electrocardiogram “even though these two examinations are provided for in FIFA regulations”, underlines FIFPRO .