Rapinoe and her teammates on the U.S. women's national team fought for equal pay after winning the 2019 Women's World Cup in France, eventually leading to a deal with the U.S. Soccer Federation that included equal prize money for the men's and women's national teams, among other benefits.
FIFA has guaranteed that any player at next month's Women's World Cup in Australia and New Zealand will earn at least $30,000, with the winners taking home $270,000.
Megan Rapinoe expects many changes for women's sports thanks to the attraction of the 2023 Women's World Cup
In a statement to the media on June 27, Rapinoe said there was still much work to be done to ensure the world's best female soccer players were given the benefits they deserved, including a showing at the 2023 Women's World Cup, one of the world's premier sporting events.
"I think women's sports right now feels like we're coming out of a period of fighting for equality," said Rapinoe, who played for the 2015 and 2019 World Cup-winning U.S. women's team. "It feels like there's a real opportunity for visibility, for media and sponsorship and bigger business for women's soccer. I think everyone's excited about the tournament now and people are going to be really interested and supportive."
Rapinoe acknowledged that the growth of women's soccer doesn't mean there's "no more work to be done." Canada's women remain embroiled in a labour dispute with their federation, with captain Christine Sinclair saying last week she expected at least a temporary resolution to be reached before the team departs for the 2023 Women's World Cup.
Megan Rapinoe and teammates have succeeded in getting equal treatment from the federation
Meanwhile, Jamaica's women's team at this year's Women's World Cup has resorted to fundraising campaigns as they prepare for the tournament due to a lack of resources from the federation. "It's frustrating. It doesn't have to be like this. But I think it's getting better... I think there are more resources that these groups can tap into," Rapinoe said of the situation of her counterparts in Canada and Jamaica.
The veteran striker of the US women's team emphasized that the difference will be seen on the pitch in Australia and New Zealand. Rapinoe, the winner of the 2019 "Golden Ball" award, is one of three players of the US women's team competing in the 4th World Cup. At this Women's World Cup, the US women's team has the participation of many young talents such as Alyssa Thompson (18 years old), Trinity Rodman (21 years old) and Sophia Smith (22 years old), the most promising player of the 2022 National Women's Football Tournament. At the upcoming tournament, the US women's team will play its opening match against Vietnam in Auckland on July 22 in Group E, which also includes the runner-up Netherlands and Portugal.
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