Brazil has announced its men and women in the country’s national soccer teams will receive equal pay as opposed to an imbalance.
According Brazil’s Football Federation president Togerio Caboclo’s statement on Wednesday, September 2, prize money and allowances shall be distributed equally between the teams.
“The CBF has equalled the prize money and allowances between men’s and women’s football, which means the women players will earn the same as the men,” Caboclo said.
“It will be proportionally the same as what FIFA proposes for women, that is to say, there will be no more gender difference in remuneration between men and women,” he added.
He further stated that the new rule shall be applied to the teams participating in the Olympics next year as well as the next World Cup tournaments.
Brazil’s football association CBF said its decision was first communicated to the women’s team and their Swedish coach Pia Sundhage in March.
“This is historic. Being a part of this is very special, I’m very grateful,” said Sundhage.
Sundhage had also welcomed news that for the first time, a woman, Duda Luizelli, has been put in charge of coordinating the national women’s team.
This means Brazil’s female players including Marta, Formiga, and Leticia Santos will receive the same payments and allowances as Neymar, Gabriel Jesus, and Roberto Firmino.
Brazil joins Australia, Norway, and New Zealand among the nations that pay their men and women the same amount.
In March 2019, the US women’s team, the current world champions, sued their federation, alleging discrimination over pay and conditions.
However, a judge dismissed their case in May this year. The team has since filed an appeal.