Women’s Football World Cup 2019: Sam Kerr finds FIFA final programming hard to comprehend
Just when you think women’s football is making great strides comes a dose of reality from Matildas skipper Sam Kerr who reminds us of the enormity of their struggle.
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Ada Hegerberg’s high-profile World Cup boycott isn’t really on Sam Kerr’s radar.
But the Matildas captain does know that when it comes to gender equality, big statements matter.
It’s why she’s riled that FIFA has scheduled two other major football finals on the same day as the final in France.
July 7 will play host not to only the biggest match in the women’s four-year cycle, but also the final of the Copa America in Brazil and the Concacaf Gold Cup in the United States.
Adding to the ire is that the Women’s World Cup final will be a morning game in the US and an afternoon game in Europe, effectively making it an undercard to the two men’s regional cup finals played later.
In September last year, when the timetabling was made public, Kerr tweeted “Ok FIFA, enough’s enough”.
Seven months down the track she’s still struggling to comprehend it.
“They put the Gold Cup final and Copa America final on the same day as the final,” Kerr said.
“I just think that is ... it’s just disrespectful for the women’s game. It would never be done for the men’s game.
“You can’t really change it. You’ve just got to take it with a grain of salt and then just push for more the next time it comes around.”
Kerr’s comments are timely, at a tournament perched on a platform of sweeping feminism and increased professionalism in the women’s game.
It’s why, days before the tournament kicked off, US co-captain Megan Rapinoe called for “a major paradigm shift”.
And why Hegerberg, Norway’s reigning Ballon d’Or winner, won’t be lining up against the Matildas in Sunday morning’s round of 16.
The 23-year-old star Lyon forward stood down from national-team duty two years ago as part of a principled stand against her federation for unequal treatment of men’s and women’s national teams.
“Yeah, I don’t really understand that situation, to be fair,” Kerr said.
“I’ve been trying to read a little bit about it but without being on social media too much.
“We have the same agent though, so maybe after the World Cup I’ll get more details.”
Kerr has taken a stronger position on Women’s World Cup prizemoney.
While doubled by FIFA to $43 million in 2019, coupled with an increase to the men’s purse the result is an even larger gender disparity, an issue on which the Australian players’ union is campaigning heavily.
“It just kind of made people shake their heads,” Kerr said.
“They up the women’s – they double it – but then they put more into the men which actually makes the pay gap bigger.
“Maybe this World Cup will open people’s eyes to how much value there is in women’s football, and how much support and interest there is.
“It sucks and we’re going to keep fighting for better things for the women’s game.”
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