American forward Megan Rapinoe has expressed her belief that the upcoming Women’s World Cup will mark a turning point for women’s sports globally.
As the tournament approaches, Rapinoe, an advocate for equal pay in women’s football, highlighted the growing recognition and support of female players, stressing the need for adequate compensation and resources. Despite acknowledging the progress that has been made, Rapinoe stressed in an exclusive interview that there is still work to be done to ensure the world’s best female footballers receive the recognition and compensation they deserve.
Reflecting on the changing landscape of women’s sports, Rapinoe said, “Women’s sports right now feels like we’re just out of the war zone… It’s just blowing the lid off in terms of fanfare. “There seems to be a real opportunity. And the media and the sponsorships and the kind of big business around the sport.” She added that the Women’s World Cup is not only an important sporting event but also a paradigm shift at the global level, emphasizing the importance of recognizing the incredible achievements of women athletes.
The United States, seeking an unprecedented third consecutive title, entered the tournament on the back of a resolved pay dispute with its federation. Their victory at the 2019 World Cup was instrumental in promoting a collective bargaining agreement with US Soccer that included equal prize money for the men’s and women’s national teams. Despite this progress, Rapinoe acknowledged that there is still room for improvement and stressed the importance of providing teams with resources to raise the overall quality of play.
Rapinoe’s sentiments echo the growing popularity of women’s sports around the world. FIFA predicts the tournament in Australia and New Zealand will become the most attended women’s sporting event of all time. Increased attention and investment in women’s sports has led to increased ratings and attendance in domestic leagues such as the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) in the United States.
As the Women’s World Cup approaches, Rapinoe is optimistic for the future of women’s sports, saying, “Everyone is thankfully moving in the right direction and moving in that direction now. And here The sky’s the limit.” With 14 players making their World Cup debuts along with a mix of veteran stars and young talent, the U.S. team aims to once again make its mark on the world stage.
