The Matildas have issued a call to arms ahead of the Women's World Cup, urging FIFA to put their money where their mouth is and deliver equal prize money.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
All 23 squad members speak line-by-line in a video from players' union Professional Footballers Australia (the PFA), where they also push for rival nations to have "the basic right to organise and collectively bargain".
The video is reminiscent of the Socceroos' human rights push before the 2022 men's World Cup in Qatar.
"Collective bargaining has allowed us to ensure we now get the same conditions as the Socceroos, with one exception," midfielder Tameka Yallop says in the video.
"FIFA will still only offer women one quarter as much prize money as men for the same achievement."
The Matildas' and Socceroos' collective bargaining agreement with Football Australia guarantees each team the same minimum percentage of prize money from tournaments.
But the overall World Cup prize pools sit at US$110m for women and US$440m for men.
"While prize money has advanced, it's still only 25 per cent of what the men get, and FIFA are championing that that's equality and there's still no assurance that there will be equality," PFA co-chief executive Kate Gill told AAP.
"There's a few weasel words in their commentary around the broadcast and the sponsorship mixture having to be right before they can move to that.
"They've clearly got $4 billion in reserves, so they can afford to spend and equalise things now.
"So it's a call to arms and also the players understanding that their power is in their collective and in their solidarity."
Defender Alanna Kennedy hoped the video could help other nations earn collective bargaining rights.
Most countries at the World Cup don't have CBAs, while countries including Canada, Nigeria and England have struggled to reach agreements with their federations, including on pay disputes.
"We wanted to have a voice in something bigger than football and for us, leaving a legacy is something that is, as much as we want to perform on the field, I think the off-field stuff is important as well," Kennedy said.
"As a collective between ourselves, the PFA and the FA, we've made huge steps forward for women's football in Australia.
"Just shining some light on that and being able to, I guess, encourage other countries globally to push forward for more for our sport."
The video cites players reflecting on early Matildas earning CBAs, which included the right to not have to wash their own playing kit.
Several of the current Matildas went on strike for better pay and conditions in 2015.
The video includes thinly-veiled messages to FA and the A-Leagues, urging those "those who run the game" to provide opportunities for women and girls and those in positions of power to help "make women's football as big as it can be, here and around the world".
FA chief executive James Johnson on Monday afternoon noted the current CBA included equal conditions between the Matildas and Socceroos and "had set a great example for the rest of the world".
He noted FIFA prize money had come a long way but still had room for improvement.
The current Matildas CBA has been extended until the end of the Women's World Cup, with discussions expected to pick up post-tournament.
Australian Associated Press
