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Megan Rapinoe has been at the fore of the USWNT lawsuit against US Soccer over “institution- alised gender discrimination“ or South Asian nations not participating would ever be heard. They have no doubt benefited from this global call to action. In Colombia, players Melissa Ortiz and Isabella Echeverri spoke of their own inferior treatment at the hands of their national federation. The team is currently without a head coach and has had payment for international travel for female players, along with their daily allowances, withheld. The play- ers feared being dropped if they complained about conditions. One player, Daniela Montoya, told the media she was not paid a $3,000 World Cup bonus promised by the federation in 2015 and was sidelined when Colombia reached the last 16, never to be picked again. The federation eventually paid squad members about $2,000 each, Ortiz said. Demonstrations of support have likewise been given to the Afghanistan women’s team, amidst allegations against former president of the Afghanistan Football Federation Keramuudin Karim for sexually abusing female players. Breaking the silence and supporting teammates has even caused players involved to sacrifice their careers. On 8 th June FIFA imposed a lifetime ban for all football-related activity on Karim, yet equally worrying is a recent report by The Guardian according to which the sexual misconduct accusations were addressed to FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation over two years ago without action from either party. For too long, it seems, female voices have fallen on deaf ears, posing the question: whether any action would have been tak- en without a community of players with the courage and the platform to say no? Having the most receptive and represent- ative governing bodies must surely be a priority, with women in positions of power able to participate in decision-making. Efforts are slowly being made. UEFA’s five-year plan has aimed to double participation in women’s football across Europe and increase female representation on its official bod- ies by 50 per cent. The first ever women’s football strategy arrived as a welcome recognition from a governing body of the improvements to be made. The hope is that aspirations are both fulfilled and emulated in other regions. As the USWNT await a tedious trial post-tournament, FIFA is yet to respond to accusations of negligence, suggesting both roads to resolution may be long. So too might Hegerberg’s re- turn to international action. What is clear, is that through this tournament we can start to view the wider history of women’s football and those at the vanguard of rewriting it. By nature, football as a game doesn’t discriminate and yet the surrounding industry is one these women are showing as in- different. The refusal to play is a sad indictment for a medium used the world over to promote gender equity and female empowerment. Yet whether on or off the pitch, the pursuit of a better world should be applauded, precisely because their repercussions resonate so far beyond football’s elite level, or even the game itself. Having these fast-becoming global superstars, holding swathes of cultural capital, unselfishly sacrificing their full attention towards playing, has shed light on the incredibly fertile ground of women’s football; upon which a global move- ment is united in political consciousness. They have made the potential to enact tangible change seem possible, not just in sending a precedent to future players but likewise to current players seeking change without the same cultural leverage in their own nations. The Argentinian team arrived in France despite barely existing three years ago. They were without a coach, fixtures, or even a FIFA ranking. Back on home soil, player Macarena Sanchez had taken legal action against her club and the Argentine Football Federation (A.F.A.) for not recognising her as a professional player. Against Japan, the team picked up its first point at a world cup, exorcising the oppression, sexism and disdain through wild celebrations. While the call for change has brought Argentina their first professional league, The Equalizer reports those most vocal in criticising the “profes- sionalism and efficacy” of management in France have since been dropped. Chile’s national team, Las Chicas de Rojo (The Ladies in Red), displayed equal fighting power. Goalkeeper Christine Endler subdued calls for smaller goals through her shot-stopping prowess. Amidst a similar battle of existence, Endler personi- fied the want of resources instead of a lack of talent being the major inhibiting factor for the game. Unfortunately, the accusations of discrimination are endless, the nature of which systemic, and the breadth industrial. For women, ascending the football pyramid is a slippery slope. Those able to reach new heights have fought their way there through sacrifice, without the privileges often attached to the men’s game. And yet, they still seek to hurl those up kept further down than themselves. Without this mobilisation towards a more equal game, who knows whether the plight of the Arab, Middle Eastern, Central “THEWOMEN’S GAME IS NOT BEHIND THE MEN’S GAME, BUT RATHER A PRODUCT OF THE SAME FOOTBALL SYSTEM. IT IS SMALLER IN SIZE AND VISIBILITY BECAUSE IT HAS BEEN EXCLUDED AND TRIVIALIZED BY THE CULTURAL NORMS, INSTITUTIONS, ANDTHEDOMINANT FOOTBALL INDUSTRY.”  Caitlin Davis Fisher, FIFPro 26 27 FOOTBALL FORGOODMAGAZINE | AUGUST 2019 AN EQUAL GAME