The Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) on Wednesday announced that the its national women’s football team will receive the same pay and prize money as their male counterparts.
“Since March of this year, CBF has made an equal value in terms of prizes and daily rates between men’s and women’s football,” CBF president Rogerio Caboclo said in a statement. “What they receive by daily call, women also receive. What they will gain by conquering or by staging the Olympics next year will be the same as the men will have. What men will receive at the next World Cup will be proportionally equal to what is proposed by FIFA.”
“There is no more gender difference, the CBF is treating men and women equally,” Caboclo added.
This means that Brazil’s female players such as Marta, Formiga and Leticia Santos will pocket the same fees and allowances as Neymar, Roberto Firmino, Gabriel Jesus and Phillipe Coutinho.
The CBF said that it had also appointed two women’s football coordinators, Duda Luizelli and Aline Pellegrino.
Brazil joins Australia, Norway and New Zealand, a few nations that are working towards equal pay.
Brazilian player Marta had issued an emotional appeal last year after the team’s exit from the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup, urging the next generation of players to “want more”.
“This is what I ask of all Brazilian girls. The future of women’s football is depending on you to survive. It’s wanting it more,” she had said.
The Brazil women’s team was ousted in the round of 16 match against France in 2019. The team reached the World Cup final in 2007 and Olympic finals in 2004 and 2008.
The debate around pay disparity between men’s and women’s football players has gained momentum since the United States women’s team sued the US Soccer Federation after winning the World Cup last year. The team alleged discrimination over pay and working conditions.
The case was dismissed in court in May this year by a judge who rejected the players’ claims that they were paid less than the men’s national team.
(With inputs from agencies)
