the african narratives from africans perspective from debit trust. but it's a little while, like i taught things in a short documentary from an african filmmakers from mommy and gabon. bennett's retain the samples of st. medina, the heritage, and making her future direct on. i'll just the women's world cup final kicks off on sunday. the sports for successful, told him, and yet that's been rapid growth in the game. but is it a level playing field between rich and poor and nations? how far can the support go for female fullness? this is inside story, the

kind of welcome to the program. i'm adrian instead of going to spain play england on sunday, for the fif of women's will come off to a tournament. the scene wrinkled crowds and tv audiences worldwide. it's a transformation from the 1st women's world cup in 1991 a time when the game was developed in only a few countries. now it's a big business, professional sport. with the top styles, heroes and role models for young girls who cannot dream of one day scoring the went out for that country in a world comp. so what's next? the women's football kind of grew to be as big as the men's game. i kind of all countries have a fair chance of one day tasting will come dory. we'll be discussing all of the am for when we kick off the discussion with our guest in just a moment. but 1st, let's go to our report that alex told us in sydney at west spain and england will do battle in the final on sunday. whatever happens later this week, that will be a,

you name on the choices of the pit switch. the russell would say the right things, not just in australia, ticket sales have also been high than ever before. mister fence has perused the commercial viability of women and skilful if there was any doubts that sold in the 1st time. the key thing for christmas sense is the diversity of the audience for the new funds. so the schools would never normally show an interest. and the culture is different to the men's game, still noisy and passionate, the less toxic i'm intimidating. special mentions of columbia spends 3 turned up and impressive numbers and certainly made that presence known. most textbooks i've spoken to also sites able to spot other women sports to try to achieve the same visibility. the bass will still hasn't. they won in terms of prize money and pay to match the men's game. but also every national association to take the women's

game as seriously as the mens england 90 or in jamaica or along the change in dispute with the country. simple bosses going into this events, but there's no question. is more positive than negative australia, new zealand, welcome to wells. and so they started off. i'm alex thomas and sidney for inside story. but let's take a quick look at the rapid growth of the women's world cops. it's been 32 years since china hosted the 1st tournament in 1991, but then 12 teams qualified. now 32 teams played in australia, new zealand. that's a small that in the previous tournaments in france, 4 years ago. more teams of also let them all fans ticket sales a set to hit 92000000 foot by fans from 182 countries who have traveled down on to to see the games. tv audience is broken, records world wide. despite the significant time zone difference is such as this

world cup is on target to reach an overall tv audience of 2000000000 worldwide. right, let's me to a guess from toronto, canada, we're joined by shipping of a city contributed with cdc. sports has been covering the world come from kimberly the capital overland. it's a chicago shift full of professional athletes and sports journalists and from sit out in the netherlands is fundamental tash. there's a professional football or for the docs club for to, to sit on. and the women's 1st divisions, he's also the captain of the afghanistan women's national team. a will welcome to you will share it in this world. cup has been a huge success by any one's measure to what do you attribute that success? i think that we have to give a nod to new zealand and australia a co host of this incredible tournament for really providing a blueprint. this is my 3rd world cup that i've attended. women's world cup and the

country is absolutely in love with women sports. it is being supported publicly, it's being supported politically and i think that's the difference, how the game can grow and didn't really offer the world a map on how to be able to do this in a way that's not toxic. and that just provides a lot of excitement for the beautiful game show is great to see you. you were here with us in the heart of that was a 0 for the, for the men's will cover the end of, of 2022. this, the women's game is growing in popularity, world wide, of course, but i mean this toner, but it's been something else hasn't been incredible. and the fact that it's been down under a country like a stranger n u z. then that really embrace sports in general. but also that haven't brace, you know, women sports last year we so impeccable, you know, attendance is at the see the women's basketball woke up and now the keys for women's woke up, we just see age, you know, a lot of encouragement,

a lot of people embracing women and sports and really just going and buying tickets and making sure that the 2 young girls to be inspired. you know, i woke up and the numbers, but also just generally on 9 is be more interest than what we saw in the 2019. and for us, of course, it was a classic platform, but now it's really got into a very high level and it's, you know, just great to experience it is, it is indeed a kind of i was this tournament, always going to be a success, or do you think something else is a play here. i definitely believe it's a huge success, but the tournament and moments football is definitely headed in a positive direction. and i think one of the key contributors to that success is just expanding the format from 24 teams to 32 and replicating it like the men's world kind of. and because of that, we see so many new new nations taking part in the beauty of this woman's world, kind of and on top of that, the success has been a mass,

have been incredible. from the 6 confederations. each confederation has had teams that have one, at least one match. so it's definitely very successful and it's had it in a positive direction. you think opening it up to 32 teams was a good thing then. i mean it's, it's so if the game well and hasn't just highlighted the disparity in ability levels between various parts of the world. when the expansion of the world cub, you see that the teams that deserve to be at the world stage are in there. of course, but also other nations that you know deserve to develop and grow the woman's game and truly show that the woman's world cocked is a global tournaments. so regardless of the score line, regardless of whether your organization is losing 6 now today, i think 10 years down the road, it's really going to significantly impact the woman's game and only benefit sharing . one of the highlights of this to have been so far off. so, so you,

but also the field as well as on it before we get to talk more about the, the issues here. i think one of the things and just highlighting what if i couldn't, i had said, is that, you know, the expansion is really important. and you just mentioned the disparities between the team and the way that their support is financially. and the struggle is actually part of the conversation and a part of the culture in the ecosystem of women's football globally. and these are things that we can separate. i mean, a lot of people, it's easy for, you know, media to separate what's happening on the pigeon up, but they're really quite connected. and you, god, so you know, to view teams that made it beyond the group stages, which was incredible. a morocco was they do in this world cup only the 2nd team in the women's world cup history to ever go to the knock at rounds, the round of 16. and i think that's really important and also to have conversations that continue. and before we get to the issues of the field, truly, but highlighting issues that occur as a part of the growth of women's football. and one of the things i'm most excited

about is the conversations being had by supporters and by media. but what the type of things that are happening, good and bad in women's football and those conversations haven't always occurred. so it's really important that they, they are happening. i sure would you agree with that? i would you, would you agree that opening it up to 32 teams was that was the right thing to do. absolutely. um, i mean, even from a, an african point of view. now we get to see, you know, a new teams that are competing in women's football in the past. it's always been like nigeria kind of gotten to but just seeing this, you know, play is going to that stage to be done like zambia and miracle. getting into those conversations, playing friendly games and the lead up to the women's woke up and say, okay, we want to see where we stand, you know, at the global level. so just, you know, we hope also that you know, if it can continue like this and maybe see if i can also have a composition around saying ok. for the 1st time we've seen 3 african teams, the savings, the good season,

going to the rhonda 16. can we expand the number of slots that the african teams are getting because in the continent to be the 54 countries getting on the 4 slots is not enough. because what that means is if this yeah, you have some b s. and then they're not in the top 4 in the next, you know, 4 years then that doing the reason is gone. so, but if you expand the number to may be 8 and then we can have a different conversation and have them compete every year in year out and continue to get more exposure. so i think that's your next funding. um, the former has given us an opportunity to, to get some very nice stories, you know, like columbia, like jamaica, you know, being part of these compositions on the global stage. and actually how, how big is, is the woman's getting, how much support does it have in, in africa? does a mass support? do you know, now the situations are starting to seek, you know, i think could be a good mind here. you can start by the beautiful, an incredible story of miracles. 3 years ago, they didn't really have a women's football strategies, but the situation sat down and said, look,

if we want to compete globally, we have to do the right things. they went and hired a remote address, who obviously had one to women's junk is like, tied to is to be the key on, brought him tomorrow. co gave him the same facilities that the men's team that went to the semi finals of the woke up i using if anything to actually staying in the same hotel in the lead up to the woke up the match, they didn't win the recording, took a task so, you know, things like that, you know, having some be a, for example, playing a friendly games with the team, like germany and actually picking germany in the lead up to the woke up. those are the kinds of conversations that we need, but it has to get better. we need more teams and more investors and more people that make key decisions to embrace women's football. and this also means things like, for example, getting women's football on television. and that means in terms of showing the leaks, we can we couch, we sing some of the countries do that you've done to, for example, has the women super lead on of, or know some for television,

which is the national, you know, for the reason tv. so that, you know, helps people continue to see these women play not just was in for years when they go to the woke up. fucking, i mean as we some of the beginning, you're a professional for paula. you play with the force you to sit out in, in the, the women's 1st division in, in the netherlands. but of course what we're talking about the world cup, which is international level. it's getting a lot of attention. what is the situation at the domestic league level? how does your life as a professional football compared to your male counterparts? while the women's world cup is directly related to the domestic leagues as well. so what we see the pattern almost that we see is that we have a lumens world capital. we have these huge international tournaments, whether it be the us a call or the champions league final. and so after the events like this take place, which we have a lot of them and some a lot of attention,

it doesn't necessarily always translate to the domestically. so although the domestic leaks are heavily investing, they are uh, building a professional infrastructure for their players. there is still a huge disparity that does success. and although we are, you know, had it in a positive direction, i would still like to see that increase the amount of fan base infrastructure attention to really growing the woman's name at the domestic level. and ensuring that it is consistent and sustainable to re not out does the women's game keep the momentum going off to the store and buy them in after the last world cup. and until what i think until the euro's last year, that seem to be a frustrating, lo, i think one of the things to remember is that we shouldn't just pay attention to and support every quadrennial. it shouldn't just be at omega tournaments like fi olympics. or like, you know, the women's world cup,

and i think that the interest in, in the women's game itself needs to continue you have, in the final is some spain in england. you have to have the most, you know, exciting invigorating domestic leaves in the world. the women super league and then they get from united spain, with teams that are really, really and trawling. and i think we need to look at even a little closer. i mean, i'm in canada and we don't even have a domestic women's league here. we have a proposed one and that's really important to continue to support the women's game at the grass roots level is really essential. and even if that means supporting, you know, an n c, a team or university college team. these are all or, or development teams. and youth teams, which is really important, and i mean those are where the stars come from. those are where the next generations come from. and when you speak with players or also advocates, cuz remember, adrian, that women's athletes also become advocates for women, support a new growth and sustainability of it,

which is something that many players don't actually have to do. um, i think you should remember to keep supporting at those levels that you know, the product we know was incredible. the ticket sales detention the broadcast numbers tell us that people are heavily invested. i remember a time when the line s, as didn't get very much public support. i was in france in 2019 and couldn't find, look at anywhere in the stores. so i mean, i see the growth to the one. i hope that change. and i hope that changes here to stay. okay. i show that as trey was saying that there is gross money is starting to be invested in certain parts of, of the world. what more needs to be done, for instance, to get invested into football, in, in places in, in, in africa, the less affluent places in africa? well, to be honest, you know, it's really a new, consistent that we have to change. because when we talk about women's football and people talk about, you know, we're not able to see these women, we need more broadcast, you know, good because partnerships, you know,

in the lead up to the women's woke up, the car is the one going on. there were issues, for example, with the top 5 countries in europe, not being able to buy the rights. so the small things affect, you know, the growth of the game. and yes, we talk about, you know, a lot of the 9 nights happening. maybe around the u. s. for women's jumped is the we so the big numbers, you know, friends that went to the company, knew to watch best and no net in england. it's the same thing. but from a global perspective, we need more people to, to watch them as football. we can, we count that impacts, you know, the commercial revenue that comes around the game. and also the decisions really from the situations to embrace women. so it's not a competition. we're not saying that women want to be better than men. it's really what you invest in demand should be the same that use us in the women. we've seen that growth, you know, even from a teams library on a jayden months is a night that embraced, we met students way later than the, the big boys in, in the game. you know, as know my just the cd chelsea. but now you can see that those 2 teams competing,

you know, at the favorable level. so when you take it, you know, to the club level in the rest of the countries across the world, that's where the composition needs to be. hi. yes, we talk about eco page, but that you could pay comes from, do we have the same opportunities when it comes to investment? and those are the things that we need to be talking about for kind of, can you ever see a time when a professional plans like you normally pay it as much as you'll mail counterparts, but enjoy the same working conditions and a basic support. i can visualize that i'm very optimistic that we will have um even better. um, you know, infrastructure for of opportunities and its just a matter of time. however, i personally do not like to compare man and woman football as free and as they both are, a woman football has received attention really sorry i received attention rather much later than the men's game had. i think people are just starting to understand

how much impact, how much passion and dedication and dr. female athletes genuinely have both on and off the pitch. and so do i think the pay gap will reduce? yes, i do. however, again, i'm very optimistic that other is not just female athletes are the ones advocating for this, but it's the whole global community that sees the need for female athletes to be at the forefront during coming back to the challenges that you were talking about at the grass roots level equipment, facilities, coaching support. what about things like, like kids and footwear sports where manufacturer was making enough get specifically for women rather than shutting out unisex stuff for or stuff for men women are after have to make do with i think one of the important things is the women's game is incredible product on its own. and i agree with, you know, my co panels start comparing it to the men's side. it's not something we should do

and many leaves around the world. and in many federations women's kits aren't even available. and i, you know, live in canada and you weren't able, you're not able to buy a women's kit and national teams could even after they won the olympics in 2020. so we mean, you look at that and you look at what are the opportunities i'm and you know, that's something that's really important to say. and these are just part of other psycho social factors. we've seen increased injuries in a, c, l, a interior crucial ligaments. and that's also because of environment, it's not just because of the pressing of the athlete. there's so many things like resources, facilities. as previously mentioned, morocco is one of the only federations to provide really what they do. their facility outside of the box is like one of the only ones in the world, and they're the only league in the world that has 2 tiers, the professional women that actually are remote or rated. so there's so many things here. it's not just about k, it's about support. it's about broadcast. is it being televised? are there, you know, we know the north america,

4 percent of all broadcast is women sports. that's not a lot. you'd are getting 4 percent. there's so many leaves or so many opportunities and, you know, people need to keep investing, not just to, and yes, there's little the money numbers and people will argue that, you know, you, it's the product isn't, you know, worth that you, you know, women shouldn't be paid equally but labor and valuing that labor is extremely important and we know what the growth the women's woman's game has skyrocketed and people are willing to pay. and in australia, matilda is jerseys, have completely out sold the soccer ruse. so this there's and that's a country where soccer may not be, football, may not be the number one sport. you know, it gets all the routes, football, but still the point is that there's a place for this. there was a place for women's football to exist and to thrive. and in terms of the other things, i mean, the social issues, political issues around the teams. those are very much an important story. and a quick point i want to make, it's not only countries in the global south considered oper, car, or even,

or south america that aren't being paid. canada is very much in a dispute with its own federation. and the us, you know, as previously students, employer. so i really want to make sure that we understand that not providing resources to women support is not just an issue when the global self i'll show as is the game adequately meeting the health needs of, of when players. and i'm thinking in terms of, of the types of injury that women suffer when they play football, as opposed to met and give it that much sports science research is, is focused on, on the male body and not the female body. yeah, absolutely. and different conversations, you know, that are very important for us to have them. thank you for the question, adrian, because we need researches. we need the medical world to look into that. why are these female athletes getting these injuries but also really do have open conversations. for example, i bought measure periods, you know, what is for example of the jersey type. what are the sizes of this shots, you know,

as a play, as comfortable can. we also have conversations about sports braz because these are things that, you know, when you look around people think, oh, it's obvious. but you'll find that some of the athletes are playing in prize and not really sports drives and that affects you know, the way that they play because you're talking about 90 minutes of a football game. so i think that um, you know, for durations and decision makers and also reading organizations, if a nice there activist groups you know, have to open the talk about this and see how to grow the game. because it's not just about pay, pay, pay, pay, it's about things like that for quite a while. i'll come to you just a moment because there were the 2 specific questions i want to ask you guys at the end. so bear with me, but it should be and how does the women's game over come cultural and social challenges that exist in, in many parts of the world? i mean, i mean, many women involved in the schools have experienced online abuse, for example. yeah, i mean there's a culture of toxicity, certainly,

and you'll have, you know, massage and as some people who argue that you shouldn't be doing play and you know, you can't necessarily resolve all issues. and some regions are very specific to the type of abuse they gather. the type of discrimination that the women face, whether it's homophobia or in people's some sentiment and quite frankly, in france and this needs to be said, most of the women who want to wear his job can't even participate in sports domestically because of, of his job and that exists there and i mean there's so many issues that we can discuss about this. but one of the things we need to do is realize and understand that football needs to be access safely by women all over the world and see what their needs are and look around and see how they can be supported. and the other thing is to not to shy away from the questions that are really important and just as they should just mention whether it's issues regarding menstruation or needs of those alphabets, these are very specific needs and things that are important to talk about. and whether, you know, there's been criticism in the us team and how they navigate other space there ulcer

and team culture will be very different than someone like in england. but you've seen solidarity from all these players, whether it's facing sexual abuse and the sport with some of these teams, particularly haiti, i've had to overcome. i mean, this is, these are really important things and we can't shy away from those discussions. adrian, it's important to recognize and celebrate the joy of the game while addressing the challenges at the same time. i should just very briefly, would you agree with that? yes, absolutely. we have to look at both sides of the story. no one is trying to say that it's only the positives that i have to, you know, we'd dash women's football because when you look at, for example, the women is woke up and you see the journalist was asking, you know, the american captain about eligibility cubes. and if she has any teammates on the team that are playing, and this is i had of the 1st ever game at the women's woke up, they could have chosen to ask a different question, but that's what they chose to do. so there's a lot really to talk about. yeah, for kind of, as we said at the beginning of the program, you, you're also the captain of, of afghanistan's within women's national side. what is the future of the women's

game in afghanistan? where is your team right now? well, unfortunately, like many people might be aware right now, since the fall of, of can a stand and 2021. we actually don't have an active national team. so what that means is that the fact the government has band woman support participation in general, among many other bands, such as rights to education, of their basic necessities. now that being said, since 2021, that can spend a long as national team, the players that were within the country, have been evacuated to australia, to portugal, and other parts of the world and players such as myself, who belong to the atkins diaspora that grew up outside of up can ascend, obviously still remain outside of the country. now the issue we're facing right now is, but because of the de facto government, our football federation, it would not be safe for them to restart women's football. now,

the solution to that would be that fee far as the governing body of football needs to intervene and be able to provide a sustainable plan for us to return to sports in a safe manner in any way that no one would be affected. and in a way that we can insure the sustainability of our one's program and show that female updates and ask den woman are capable. so now that is the situation as it remains, and we hope to find a resolution very soon for, for quite a he, hey, we got your, your own. i was a 0. you're, you're speaking to women who, who can say is in, in afghanistan, women who aspire to, to, to play football. they, they loved the game. yeah. they look up to you as, as, as the hero, what would your message base with them right now? my messages never lose health, life is extremely unpredictable, and we've seen it time and time again. and i am optimistic that there are better days ahead. we all have to be in this together and i think together we will find

a solution to the issues that we are facing. let's hope so many thanks indeed showing um it's ayesha chromebook issue and for chrome demo tasha for taking punch in today's discussion. you can see the program again at any time by going to the website around to 0 dot com for further discussion. join us with our facebook page at facebook dot com, forward slash age right inside story. and you can join the conversation on twitter, handle a page i inside story from the adrian instead of going have a team here though. thanks for watching. we'll see you. the the

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