With the hopes of a nation delicately balanced, the Matildas took on the Republic of Ireland, in front of a record crowd of 75,784, in their opening game of the Women’s World Cup. Leo Earle takes a look behind the tournament.
Matildas
“I’d like to call bullshit.” So declared Melissa Barbieri, a former captain of Australian women’s football (soccer) team the Matildas, on the symbolic support for women’s rights offered by sporting clubs and bodies on International Women’s Day.
The 23rd Ernie awards for sexist behaviour were held late last month. The peak body for soccer, Football Federation Australia, took out the Gold Ernie for the gross pay gap between male and female soccer players.
When the Socceroos won the Asian Cup each player was paid $103,148. In contrast, if the Matildas had won the World Cup, they would have been paid $5600 each.
The Socceroos receive a $6000 base payment for every international game, while the Matildas get just $500.
Matildas players earn only $21,000 a year — below the minimum wage.
The simmering industrial dispute between the nation's football (soccer) players and the Football Federation Australia (FFA) over pay and the right to collectively bargain has now boiled over with the national women's team, the Matildas, pulling out of a planned tour of the US.