2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup: prize money, sponsors, attendance and more
2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup:
prize money, sponsors, attendance and more
The ninth edition of the FIFA Women’s World Cup takes place in Australia and New Zealand from July 20th to August 20th, 2023. The tournament has expanded to 32 teams, increasing the total number of matches to 64.
During the run-up to the tournament multiple controversies arose. There were issues about the release of players by clubs, potential sponsors, the sale of broadcasting rights, and the amount of prize money. Yet, with women’s football constantly growing, the tournament will surely surpass the success of the 2019 edition.
A look at several of the business aspects of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, including sponsorships, increases in prize money, and attendance figures.
Women’s partnership packages unbundled from the men’s
At the end of 2021, FIFA announced a restructuring of their commercial partnership programme. By unbundling the women and esports branches from the men’s game, FIFA hopes to increase overall sponsorship revenue.
In the new setup, FIFA has four partnership levels instead of three. At the top are FIFA Partners who have global access to all competitions. Then the program is split between the men’s game, the women’s game and esports. With the highest-level consisting of partners (e.g., FIFA Women’s Football Partners), who have global access to the tournaments of that specific branch. Then there are World Cup Sponsors, who have global rights for the World Cup event. The lowest level consists of tournament (or regional) supporters, who receive territorial rights for the World Cup or another tournament.
FIFA sold all partnership packages for the 2023 tournament
On the first day of the tournament, FIFA announced it had sold all partnership packages for the tournament (with contracts finalised or close to being finalised). They left it late and the governing body encountered challenges along the way.
For example, in March 2023, the organising body halted plans to make Visit Saudi a major sponsor after organisers and players voiced their concern and anger about the partnership.
In addition, FIFA announced several deals at the last minute. One day before the first kick-off, the football association announced Booking.com as official online travel sponsor. While the continuation of Hublot as official timekeeper was only made public on July 22nd, two days after the tournament started.
Which brands sponsor the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup?
So, there are four levels of partnerships, with FIFA Partners at the top of the hierarchy. Currently, there are five such partners. These companies have global rights and can use FIFA’s branding during all tournaments and across all branches:
- Adidas (sportswear)
- Coca-Cola (beverage)
- Wanda Group (conglomerate)
- Hyundai/Kia Motors (automotive)
- Qatar Airways (airline)
That is two less than during the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. QatarEnergy and Visa were both FIFA partners at the time.
FIFA Women’s Football partners
American company Visa is now listed as one of two FIFA Women’s Football Partners by the governing body. These partners have global access and rights during all FIFA women tournaments:
- Visa (financial services)
- Xero (software as a service)
FIFA Women’s World Cup Sponsors
The third tier consists of World Cup Sponsors. These companies have global rights as well but are restricted to the World Cup tournament (in the build-up and during the event).
FIFA has nine Women’s World Cup Sponsors:
- Booking.com (tourism – travel and accommodation services)
- Budweiser (alcoholic beverage and part of Anheuser-Busch InBev)
- Cisco (networking technology)
- Globant (software product development)
- McDonald’s (restaurants & real estate)
- Mengniu Dairy (dairy products)
- Team Global Express (logistics)
- Panini (collectibles)
- Rexona (consumer goods – antiperspirant deodorant)
FIFA Women’s World Cup Supporters
The FIFA Women’s World Cup Supporters are essentially regional sponsors. The companies have the same tournament rights but with regional restrictions. FIFA allows a maximum of four companies per region.
- Itaú (financial services)
- BMO (financial services)
- CMG (media – telecommunications)
- Claro (wireless services)
- CommBank (financial services)
- EstrelaBet (gambling)
- Frito-Lay (food)
- Geico (insurance)
- Hublot (watchmaking)
- Inter Rapidísimo (logistics)
- Optus (telecommunications)
- Jacob’s Creek (wine – alcoholic beverages)
- TAB (gambling)
- Yadea (electric scooters)
$807 million of revenue budgeted for 2023 – the Women’s World Cup year
By increasing the number of teams at the Women’s World Cup and World Cup, FIFA’s flagship tournaments, the governing body’s budgeted revenue has risen significantly.
The total revenue budgeted for 2023 (Women’s World Cup year) is $807 million (this was $4,666 million for 2022, the Men’s World Cup year). The amount comes from five main revenue categories. The sale of television broadcasting rights contributes the most with 31 percent of the total income and amounts to $254 million (2022: $2,640 million).
FIFA 2023 budgeted revenue [source: FIFA]
| Category | Amount | Percentage of total |
|---|---|---|
| TV broadcasting rights | $254 million | 31% |
| Marketing rights | $227 million | 28% |
| Licensing rights | $160 million | 20% |
| Hospitality rights & ticket sales | $47 million | 6% |
| Other revenue | $119 million | 15% |
| Total | $807 million | |
Sponsorship income (marketing rights) comes second with $227 million and contributes for 28 percent. Licensing rights amount to $160 million. While hospitality rights and ticket sales, solely from the Women’s World Cup, is expected to generate $47 million.
The total cost budgeted for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand is $395 million. A 152 percent increase compared to the $156.9 million incurred at the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup in France.
Budgeted cost of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup vs. other events [source: FIFA]
| Tournament | Amount |
|---|---|
| 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia & New Zealand | $395 million (budgeted) |
| 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup France | $156.9 million |
| 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar | $1,831 million |
Prize money at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup
The significant increase in costs is caused by the expansion and because of a 204 percent increase in compensation money compared to 2019. The total compensation for the 2023 edition is set at $152 million.
Of that amount, $110 million is reserved as prize money. Since 2019, FIFA also distributes money to member associations in the form of preparation money and to clubs releasing players through the Clubs Benefits Programme. In 2023, the preparation money amounts to $30.7 million, while clubs receive $11.3 million in total.
The latest change FIFA has implemented is to award part of the prize money directly to players. Of the $110 million in total prize money, $61.01 million (55 percent) goes to the participating national federations, while $48.99 million (45 percent) goes to the players.
Prize money at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup
| Place | Prize money national federation | Prize money players per team |
|---|---|---|
| Champion | $4.29 million | $6.21 million |
| Runners-up | $3.015 million | $4.485 million |
| 3rd place | $2.61 million | $4.14 million |
| 4th place | $2.455 million | $3.795 million |
| Quarter finals | $2.18 million | $2.07 million |
| Round of 16 | $1.87 million | $1.38 million |
| Group stage | $1.56 million | $0.69 million |
Prize money has increased from $6.4 million in 2007
FIFA awarded $6.4 million in prize money at the 2007 edition in China. Over $100 million less than it is now. At the 2010 edition, $10 million was awarded. Prize money was initially set at $7.6 million, but got raised after the event.
In France 2019, FIFA thus added preparation money and the Club Benefits Programme to the $30 million in prize money. Increasing the total compensation package to $50 million, an amount that has now increased to $152 million.
Comparing prize money with the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar
At Qatar 2022, there was a total prize money purse of $440 million. So, four times more than the $110 at Australia & New Zealand 2023. The champions Argentina received $42 million for their successful run, while the champions at the 2023 Women’s World Cup will receive a total of $10.5 million (divided between the member association and the players).
Attendance figures at the FIFA Women’s World Cup
The increase in prize money and compensation is also a reflection of the development and growth of the women’s game.
So far, the highest attendance figure at a Women’s World Cup final was set in 1999. 90,185 people saw the USA beat China after penalties at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, USA.
Attendance at the FIFA Women’s World Cup
| Year | Host country | Attendance final | Average attendance |
| 1991 | China | 63,000 | 18,344 |
| 1995 | Sweden | 17,158 | 4,316 |
| 1999 | USA | 90,185 | 37,944 |
| 2003 | USA | 26,137 | 21,240 |
| 2007 | China | 31,000 | 37,218 |
| 2011 | Germany | 48,817 | 26,430 |
| 2015 | Canada | 53,341 | 26,029 |
| 2019 | France | 57,900 | 21,756 |
57,900 people attended the 2019 final between the USA and the Netherlands at the Parc Olympic Lyonnais. Far less than during the 1999 edition, but it was the highest attendance figure of the last five editions.
1.12 billion viewers tuned in to France 2019
France 2019 set a record-audience of 1.12 billion viewers who tuned in to the tournament on TV at home, on digital platforms or out-of-home. Including 260 million people who watched the final live. The average live audience of the final was at 82.18 million double that of the 2015 edition. Across all matches the average live match audience was 17.27 million viewers, also more than double the 8.39 million average four years prior in Canada.
Who sponsors the national teams?
Apart from FIFA’s partnership packages, companies can get exposure by partnering with national federations. It requires some creativity though, as FIFA has strict rules to protect their brand and income stream. So companies can only “use generic football or country-related images and/or terminology that do not incorporate any FIFA Intellectual Property”.
Kit suppliers, on the other hand, can get in-game exposure by sponsoring participating nations. In Australia and New Zealand, 10 different sports brands sponsor the 32 teams. Nike supplies 13 nations, the most. Adidas follows with 10 teams. The German brand also supplies the official match ball (buy on Amazon) as FIFA partner.
Nike and Adidas often dominate as kit supplier at major tournaments and in leagues. At the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Nike (13 nations) and Adidas (seven nations) sponsored the most nations as well.
The 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup is set to break records, with more nations participating and the popularity of women’s football rising worldwide. You can follow along with the tournament on the official FIFA website. For other sports events to follow you can have a look at our overview of sports events.
