Insider: Women's World Cup Prize Money Revealed; Top USMNT Coaching Candidate

Overall compensation at the Women's World Cup is set to grow significantly–but so is the gap between women's prize money and the most recent men's World Cup prize money.

Prize money increases and overall FIFA compensation are set to go into effect for the 2019 Women’s World Cup, with a proposal expected to pass at the FIFA Council meeting later this month. According to a source with knowledge of the proposal, the total prize money at France 2019 would double from the last Women’s World Cup from $15 million to $30 million.

FIFA’s payout compensation for preparation costs, including business-class flights for teams traveling more than four hours, would go from $0 to $11.5 million, and payout compensation from FIFA to clubs for the use of their players would go from $0 to $8.5 million.

If you’re wondering what the total prize money for the men’s World Cup was this year compared to the women’s $30 million, the men got a cool $400 million. Proponents of the women’s changes will likely note that FIFA’s total payout compensation for the 2019 Women’s World Cup is more than tripling from four years ago, from $15 million to $50 million. Critics will say, however, that the gap in total World Cup prize money between men and women has actually grown—from $342.1 million to $370 million—in the past four years.

Elsewhere in world soccer news:

Berhalter remains USMNT coaching favorite

U.S. Soccer says it hopes to have a new U.S. men’s national team coach announced by November 1, and sources say that all signs continue to point to Columbus coach Gregg Berhalter, who’s also wanted by the LA Galaxy, which will likely give him significant leverage and a choice to make.

Why not other potential candidates? Former New York Red Bulls coach and current RB Leipzig assistant Jesse Marsch, sources say, had strong disagreements with U.S. Soccer CEO Dan Flynn back in 2011 over how the federation handled the firing of Bob Bradley and his staff–which included Marsch.

Tab Ramos, who has led the U.S. to the last two Under-20 World Cup quarterfinals, does not appear to be a serious candidate, in part because he hasn’t coached a senior team before. Tata Martino doesn’t speak English well, which GM Earnie Stewart said is a requirement for the job. And Peter Vermes is in the picture, but Vermes likes his situation in Kansas City and doesn’t appear to be as alluring to U.S. Soccer as Berhalter.