Women’s FA Cup prize money to get historic almost tenfold increase | Women’s FA Cup | The Guardian

The highly credible campaign, kick started by Lewes FC, to seek a 50/50 allocation of FA Cup money has ended in a score draw. Most people would consider the percentage of prize money allocated to the women’s FA Cup rising from 2% to about 15% a victory and more commensurate with the general interest and money raised by the separate competitions. Lewes FC should be basking in a campaign well fought and won. Highlighting the despicable prize money differences shows Lewes as trailblazers in the sphere of women’s football.

But Lewes FC had published in their Strategy 21/22 as an ‘Indicator of success- ‘The FA announces its intention to equalize FA Cup Prize money and lays out a timeline for doing so.’ This was foolish and unrealistic. The FA have bent as much as they could before drawing criticism from the other side of the argument that Women’s football is such a niche and underrepresented sport that any more would be seen as favourable and political expediency. I think they have got it right. It shows they have responded and have done so fairly. They have not announced a coherent timeline for equalizing the prize money.

There is a significant difference between moving in the right direction and demanding parity. My personal view is the FA should fully harmonise the prize money to help the women’s game progress. But unlike my club I live in the real world and realise most people in the football world simply will not agree. There is too much of a gung-ho we are right and correct at Lewes FC, wanting a revolution in football when simply put women’s football is in its infancy, is frankly poorly run and needs to produce a better product before it can get momentum behind it. Lewes FC may run the risk of tainting its earned label of being a trailblazing club to help change the game to one regarded as a pioneer for unrealistic gimmickry and publicity grabs.