Megan Rapinoe took center stage to talk equal pay

After a victorious 2-1 win against the Netherlands, US player of the match and consequential golden boot winner, Megan Rapinoe, utilized the opportunity to discuss an issue plaguing sustainability of women’s football on the world stage as a conductor of engagement and financial optimization as men’s football. As the women’s world cup kicked off early June in France, talks of the necessity to ensure equality between sexes have ensued, but little has been done by FIFA to close those gaps. With an average of 1,053,096 total attendees and roughly 21,062 per match, it is important to note the fiscal reservations that the corporations have in incentivizing pay equality, however without it, standards cannot be improved. 

Crowds were heard from the stands chanting “equal pay” at the end of the finale, whilst FIFA president, Gianni Infantino, was heard being booed in the stadium. In response to the positive chants, Rapinoe emotively explained: “I think everyone is ready for this conversation to move to the next step…I think we’re done with: ‘Are we worth it, should we have equal pay, is the market the same?’ Yada yada.” “Everyone’s done with that”, she announced, “fans are done with that, players are done with that. In a lot of ways, I think sponsors are done with that. Let’s get to the next point. What’s next? How do we support women’s federations and women’s programmes around the world? What can FIFA do to do that? What can we do to support the leagues around the world?” Using her platform for good, Infantino has made much needed steps to a more positive future, away from the backward present. To put matters into prospect, according to Guardian stats, the average pay for FA women’s Super league is “£26,752 a year while the men in the Premier League are paid an average of £2.64m”. Chew on that.