FIFA President Gianni Infantino has expressed his desire to focus on “positive things” and avoid discussing disputes between players and federations ahead of the Women’s World Cup. Several countries, including England, Canada, Spain, and Nigeria, have recently faced issues related to financial support and overall backing from their respective federations. Infantino stated that until August 21, he will only speak positively about everything and everyone, and after that, he will address other global issues and deal with any problems that arise.
During his pre-tournament news conference in Auckland, New Zealand, Infantino began with a lighthearted joke about feeling tired after just landing but also feeling happy. This was reminiscent of his controversial statement during the 2022 men’s World Cup in Qatar, where he accused the West of hypocrisy and claimed to identify with various identities, including being Qatari, Arab, African, gay, disabled, and a migrant worker.
However, when asked about concerns regarding the handling of the Women’s World Cup and the management of women’s soccer in general by FIFA, Infantino avoided addressing these issues directly. Instead, he focused on the broadcast deals that FIFA has secured for the tournament, highlighting the number of territories in which it will be televised and the potential viewership.
FIFA Secretary General Fatma Samoura mentioned that for the first time in FIFA’s history, the Women’s World Cup was treated as a separate entity from the men’s tournament when seeking investment. Previously, the two events were bundled together. Additionally, FIFA guaranteed player compensation by allocating prize money to participating federations. This new system aims to ensure that players receive direct payments for their participation in the World Cup. Infantino acknowledged that money is a sensitive issue but expressed satisfaction with the increased prize money compared to previous tournaments. He explained that the payments would be made through the federations, who would then distribute them to the players. FIFA has also been coordinating with federations worldwide to address specific tax and agreement issues to ensure a smooth World Cup experience for the players.
One positive aspect that FIFA was happy to discuss was ticket sales for the Women’s World Cup. Samoura revealed that the number of tickets sold for this year’s tournament has already exceeded the total sold for the previous edition in France. So far, 1.375 million tickets have been sold. However, Samoura made a plea to the people of New Zealand, as some stadiums in the country still have available seats. She encouraged fans not to wait until the last minute to buy tickets and emphasized that this is a moment to savor.
In conclusion, FIFA President Gianni Infantino has chosen to focus on positive aspects and avoid discussing disputes between players and federations ahead of the Women’s World Cup. While concerns about the tournament’s handling and women’s soccer management remain, Infantino highlighted the broadcast deals and player compensation as significant developments. The ticket sales for the tournament have been promising, but there are still available seats in New Zealand stadiums. As the tournament kicks off, fans are encouraged to seize the opportunity and support women’s soccer.