Overview
- The joint statement, released Thursday via FIFPro, accuses the Asian Football Confederation of ignoring pre‑tournament requests for equal prize money, a guaranteed player share, and a legacy plan.
- The 2026 prize pool was $1.8 million for the women’s event versus $14.8 million for the men’s, with only the four women’s semifinalists paid and no participation fees for the other eight teams, unlike the men’s $200,000 per team.
- Each Australia player earned about $6,100 for reaching the final, while an equivalent men’s runners‑up payout would have been nearly five times higher, underscoring the gap players want closed.
- Players point to the tournament’s commercial strength, including a record crowd of 74,397 for the final and roughly 350,000 total attendance, bolstered by FIFPro’s revenue estimate of up to $82.4 million.
- The statement also flags player‑welfare problems such as India’s ill‑fitting kits, South Korea’s federation disputes, and Iranian players seeking asylum, and the AFC declined to comment as players urged FIFA to honor equal World Cup prize money in 2027.