Gianni Infantino: Women’s football should “pick the right fights”

[CC1]

Wasn’t sure where to post this but I had to stop reading after this comment by Infantino on women’s football; conditions & pay

Fifa president Gianni Infantino says women who "pick the right fights" can "convince us men


That’s the whole problem - men believing they have to be convinced by women…..
And FIFA believing they have to be convinced they’re often wrong!

 

[M16 citeh]

It's the classic putting the problem onto the person being oppressed to solve it and not the oppressor. Infantino is such a fool. I wonder what his 4 daughters think of his brand of feminism lol

 

[Gorton_Tubster]

Not getting involved in the politics side, it's shit.

Football is football whether it's women or men. I just want it to be that way.

The women's world cup has been brilliant though.

 

[mexico1970]

First step is convincing normally sport averse women to like sport and the isn't happening any day soon. Women who watch football prefer the mens game.

Infantino once described himself as black asian and gay as well as trans in the biggest simp speech of all time, go figure.

 

[Mon Autre]

Not getting involved in the politics side, it's shit.

Football is football whether it's women or men. I just want it to be that way.

The women's world cup has been brilliant though.

The women's world cup has been brilliant IN SPITE of the failings of FIFA and several local football federations in their duty of care towards players.

Sure football is football whether it's men or women but let's look at the context within which some teams have arrived and competed at this tournament:

Zambia - Head coach under investigation for sexual misconduct
Nigeria - Players not paid (including own out of pocket expenses for attending training camps) since 2021
Spain - Players absent and other forced to ask for "forgiveness" for refusing to play for a manager who makes them sleep with bedroom doors open at night and checks through their shopping.
Haiti - Head of football federation banned for sexual misconduct and harassment of female players
Jamaica - Funding from local federation pulled twice in last 15 years. Bob Marley's daughter literally funding the team out of her own pocket.
South Africa - Missing payments due to players. Boycotted warm up match in run up to tournament in protest.

On top of that the England team, USWNT and Canadian teams have also been in embroiled in disputes around pay and bonuses.

Those are just the ones I can recall off the top of my head. There might be more for all I know.

Regardless of what people think about equal pay for national sides, these complaints go way beyond that. To dismiss these conversations as "political" is plain wrong. When players are facing sexual violence and coercion on international duty and their agreed wages/expenses are going unpaid, it's right we demand answers. I wonder which of these battles Infantino thinks is the "right" one.

 

[Mon Autre]

First step is convincing normally sport averse women to like sport and the isn't happening any day soon. Women who watch football prefer the mens game.

Infantino once described himself as black asian and gay as well as trans in the biggest simp speech of all time, go figure.

Some women who watch football prefer the men's game. But certainly not all. I know quite a few who've binned off the men's game all together now they've managed to connect with a wider fanbase around women's football and find the overall fan culture and experience more enjoyable. I'm not saying one is better than the other, but it isn't true to say female fans prefer the men's game.

 

[mexico1970]

Some women who watch football prefer the men's game. But certainly not all. I know quite a few who've binned off the men's game all together now they've managed to connect with a wider fanbase around women's football and find the overall fan culture and experience more enjoyable. I'm not saying one is better than the other, but it isn't true to say female fans prefer the men's game.

It is though, 29% of premier league attendees are women. Out of ALL of the women I know only one watches football and that woman is my wife who watches city mens.

 

[mattcity5]

It is though, 29% of premier league attendees are women. Out of ALL of the women I know only one watches football and that woman is my wife who watches city mens.

So, because 1 out of 1 prefers men's football, that means women prefer to watch men's football?

Not totally sure that would be classed as statistical proof...

You mention about convincing women who don't like sport to go and watch. It's a good point, winning them over would help. But winning them over to watch any sport is good, and if their husband/partner/friends only go to watch the men's football then that's what they are likely to do too.

If however their partner suggests going to watch the Women's football, and hasn't spent the whole World Cup slagging off the standard, then they might find they are keen to go.

 

[mexico1970]

So, because 1 out of 1 prefers men's football, that means women prefer to watch men's football?

Not totally sure that would be classed as statistical proof...

You mention about convincing women who don't like sport to go and watch. It's a good point, winning them over would help. But winning them over to watch any sport is good, and if their husband/partner/friends only go to watch the men's football then that's what they are likely to do too.

If however their partner suggests going to watch the Women's football, and hasn't spent the whole World Cup slagging off the standard, then they might find they are keen to go.

I would say that out of all the women I know only one of them is interested in football is anecdotal evidence, and is therefore valid.

Getting women to watch sport on a weekly basis in greater numbers is a good thing not a bad thing but you have to agree that is a challenge to say the least.

I'm just waiting until we see a player turning out for the mens and womens team because they identify as both ;)

 

[mattcity5]

I would say that out of all the women I know only one of them is interested in football is anecdotal evidence, and is therefore valid.

Getting women to watch sport on a weekly basis in greater numbers is a good thing not a bad thing but you have to agree that is a challenge to say the least.

I'm just waiting until we see a player turning out for the mens and womens team because they identify as both ;)

The thing is, the WSL does now have things going for it. It's a decent standard, with players who have impressed on the world stage, and there's likely to be a relatively close title race.

Above all that though are that it is cheap, the crowds are pretty friendly and you can usually pay on the door. All that makes it really good to take young kids to - especially girls.

There's no doubt that none of it matches the biggest men's matches in terms of atmosphere, famous names or nerves, but theres also not as much likelihood of trouble, so it's a good alternative for those put off by that.

I know it's grown over here over the last 5-10 years, but from my side I wouldn't have had more than a passing interest in the past, watching it almost as a novelty. The game has grown at the same time my daughters have got involved with it, so anecdotally, I can say that almost all the women I know (mums of girls who play) have been to watch either City or united womens matches. I guess that's the crowd that I hang around with these days!