Players demand equal prize money for Women's Asian Cup

The International Federation of Professional Footballers (FIFPro) earlier this week released a report that included a letter sent to the AFC in December 2025, signed by players from seven nations and territories set to compete in the upcoming tournament: Australia, mainland China, India, Japan, the Philippines, South Korea and Taiwan.

The players urged the AFC to implement four key proposals. First, they demand that the rules and conditions of the Women's Asian Cup match those of the men's edition. Second, they call for equal prize money. Third, they request guaranteed payments for players, with at least 30% of the prize fund transferred directly to them. Finally, they are seeking a comprehensive legacy program to drive the professionalization of women's football across Asia.

The 2026 Women's Asian Cup offers a total prize fund of $1.8 million, a figure unchanged from the 2022 tournament. Moreover, this money is allocated only to the top four teams. In stark contrast, the 2023 Asian Cup boasted a $14.8 million prize pool, with the champions taking home $5 million and even teams eliminated in the group stage receiving at least $200,000.

Japanese international and Manchester City player Yui Hasegawa. Photo by Instagram/@yui___hasegawa

"The 2026 AFC Women’s Asian Cup prize pool currently represents just 12% of the men’s equivalent and is the lowest among comparable continental tournaments," the FIFPro report stated.

For comparison, the 2025 Women's Euros features a total prize fund of $47.2 million. The 2024 Women's African Cup of Nations offers $3.475 million, the 2024 CONCACAF W Gold Cup allocates $3.7 million and the 2025 Women's Copa America provides $2 million.

FIFPro Asia and Oceania secretary general Shoko Tsuji described the 2026 tournament as a critical moment to address inequalities in the past. The federation cited independent research from sports agency Gemba, which projects the tournament in Australia could generate $82.4 million in revenue based on historical data and commercial standards.

The AFC has not yet officially responded to the letter or the report. However, players continue to be vocal about their demands.

"While the environment for women's football is improving dramatically worldwide, the fact that the 2026 Women's Asian Cup will be held in Australia, the only country to have achieved equal pay between men and women, offers a great opportunity," said Yui Hasegawa, a Manchester City midfielder representing Japan, as quoted by Chosun.

Other players, including Australia’s Alanna Kennedy, India’s Ashalata Devi, and Taiwan’s Lee Hsiu-Chin, also called for equality.

"We devote everything to our country. Our dedication, sacrifice, and pride in wearing the uniform are no different from those of male players. Equal prize money and equal conditions are not only right but also show that women players receive equal respect," Devi said.

The debate over equal pay remains a complex issue in global sports. At the 2023 Women's World Cup, the total prize money was $110 million, three times that of the 2019 edition but still only 25% of the 2022 Men's World Cup pool. FIFA president Gianni Infantino has previously attributed the gap to broadcasters and sponsors, noting that rights fees for the women's tournament are often 100 times lower than for the men's, despite comparable viewership in some regions.

"Women deserve much, much more than that and we are there to fight for them and with them," Infantino said, as quoted by Daily Mail.

FIFA aims to equalize World Cup prize money by the 2026 and 2027 editions, though the expansion of the men's tournament from 32 to 48 teams presents new financial challenges.