Women's Asian Cup finalists accuse governing body over equal moneyJapan's players celebrate winning the final of the AFC Women’s Asian Cup Australia 2026 football tournament between Australia and Japan at the Stadium Australia in Sydney on March 21, 2026. SYDNEY, Australia — Women’s Asian Cup finalists Japan and Australia renewed calls Thursday for equal prize money with the men's tournament in a direct challenge to the Asian Football Confederation and accused the governing body of "ignoring" previous requests. The prize fund for last month's Women's Asian Cup was widely reported to be $1.8 million, the same as in 2022, compared to the $14.8 million on offer at the men's equivalent. "Equal prize money would be transformational for all players and football communities across Asia. "Equal prize money would help to raise standards at all levels of the game across our region.
