The Matildas, Australia's national women's soccer team, will be paid the same as the Socceroos, their male equivalent, as part of a pay deal set to be signed between the Football Federation Australia (FFA), and Professional Footballers Australia (PFA), the national players' body, reports, www.sportspromedia.com/.
According to the Daily Telegraph newspaper based in Sydney, the governing body for Australian soccer has struck a landmark agreement with the PFA to split 40 per cent of commercial revenues generated by the two teams.
In addition to a split of broadcast rights and ticketing revenues, for which the Socceroos currently generate the majority of the federation's income, the Telegraph report claims that the FFA has also agreed to split 40 per cent of prize money won by the two teams.
The move follows pressure on soccer's world governing body, Fifa, to raise prize money for the Women's World Cup, which has been doubled to US$60 million for the 2023 edition, though falls further behind the men's pot, which will grow by US$40 million to US$440 million for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
The FFA-PFA deal – which is expected to come into effect in time for the Matlidas' friendlies against Chile on 9th and 12th November ahead of their Tokyo 2020 Olympics qualifying matches next February against China, Taiwan, and Thailand.
