️ The women's national teams of Japan and Australia have issued a direct challenge to the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), renewing calls for equal prize money with the men's tournament and accusing the governing body of "ignoring" previous requests. Japan defeated hosts Australia 1-0 in the final in Sydney on March 21 in front of more than 74,000 fans, the largest crowd in the competition's history.
️ The prize fund for last month's Women's Asian Cup was widely reported to be $1.8 million, the same as in 2022, compared to $14.8 million offered at the men's equivalent. In February, a report by the global footballers' union FIFPRO indicated the event could generate up to $82.4 million in revenue. A record 350,000 fans attended matches over the three weeks of the tournament.
️ In a joint statement released by FIFPRO on Thursday, the Japan and Australia teams stated: "Despite the success of this tournament, it remains the lowest-paying continental tournament in the world, and inequality between the men's and women's game persists. Our pre-tournament invitation to the AFC to work together on equal prize money, a guaranteed share to all players, and to co-develop a lasting legacy has so far been ignored." The statement added that the tournament "was played against a backdrop of real challenges that the AFC and the players need to work in partnership to address," highlighting issues such as the plight of the Iranian team and improper kit fittings for India's players.
️ Following the tournament, the Japan Football Association (JFA) abruptly dismissed coach Nils Nielsen just 12 days after he led the team to Asian Cup glory, with football officials accusing him of being "lax" and "lacking passion." Japan's team earned praise for their performances at the Asian Cup, scoring 29 goals and conceding only one. Coach Nielsen described his team as "inspirational," but there was no prior indication of his imminent departure.
️ Women's national team director Norio Sasaki claimed that Japan could not win next year's World Cup in Brazil if Nielsen remained in charge, citing his "too soft" coaching approach and insufficient rigor for major global titles. Japan is scheduled to play three away friendlies against the United States in April, with Michihisa Kano taking over as interim coach for the tour. Sasaki noted that the next full-time coach would likely be Japanese. Nielsen previously coached the women's teams of Denmark and Switzerland and served as technical director of Manchester City's women's side.
Source: www.aljazeera.com