In The Journey to the Cup, The Athletic follows six players as they work towards a place in the 2023 Women’s World Cup. On Tuesday, the federations of Aotearoa New Zealand and Australia both requested clarification from FIFA about a reported sponsorship for the 2023 Women’s World Cup by Visit Saudi, the tourism arm of Saudi Arabia. She had thought, given such an effort to be inclusive, this World Cup could be different from the 2022 Men’s World Cup, which caused some LGBTQ+ fans to feel alienated due to the choice of Qatar as host nation. AdvertisementRiley noted, as with many international collective bargaining structures, New Zealand players are not on salary with their federation. It’s an feeling she hopes transfers to her national team and the World Cup as a whole this year.
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