Asian Cup Success Masks Underlying Issues in Women's Football

Record crowds can't hide gender inequality in Asian Football

The Women's Asian Cup has broken attendance records, but concerns over gender inequality and funding gaps persist. The Asian Cup's success is marred by disparities in prize money and resources for women's programmes.

Record crowds in Australia highlight the growing popularity of women's football, but underlying issues remain...

The Asian Cup's record crowds are a testament to the growing popularity of women's football, but beneath the surface, familiar issues persist. Gender inequality and a significant divide between rich and emerging nations continue to hinder progress. The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has taken steps to develop the women's game, launching the Women's Champions League in 2024, but critics say more needs to be done.

The tournament's prize money, for instance, is the lowest among women's continental competitions, at $1.8 million, barely half of the Africa Cup of Nations' prize pool. This disparity highlights the need for increased investment and a clear development roadmap to bridge the gap between traditional powers and emerging nations.

Australia and Japan's enthusiasm for the game is evident, with record-breaking attendance figures, but the sport's growth is uneven. Rich Gulf nations invest heavily in European football, yet devote limited resources to developing women's programmes.

The Women's Asian Cup is breaking records! The final between Australia and Japan at Sydney's Stadium Australia is expected to push the cumulative attendance past 300,000, more than five times the previous record of 59,910 set in 2010. This would be a remarkable achievement, showcasing the growing popularity of women's football in Asia.

A crowd of 60,279 watched Australia's 3-3 draw against South Korea at Stadium Australia, setting a new record for the Women's Asian Cup. This attendance figure even surpassed the group-stage record of 50,276 set during the 2015 men's tournament when Australia played Oman. The enthusiasm of Australian fans, including migrant communities supporting visiting teams, has contributed significantly to these impressive numbers.

A goal worth watching on repeat 🔁😮‍💨#Matildas #HowWeWaltz #TilitsDone #WAC2026 pic.twitter.com/V3UiQP2Cq0

— CommBank Matildas (@TheMatildas) March 19, 2026

The Matildas' popularity has definitely played a big role in drawing huge crowds, but it's not just about them - Australia's migrant communities have also shown up in force to support visiting teams. Case in point: Japan's semi-final win over South Korea drew a record 17,367 fans, the largest crowd for a match between two non-hosting nations.

This shows the tournament's appeal extends beyond just the home team, with fans from diverse backgrounds coming out to support their countries. The energy at these matches has been electric, contributing to the Women's Asian Cup's record-breaking attendance figures.

Kanya Keomany, chairperson of the AFC Women's Football Committee, believes this edition marks a turning point for women's football in Asia, saying, “Overall, I believe this edition represents a significant turning point for women's ⁠football in Asia.” However, despite the tournament's success, the on-field gap between Asia's traditional powers and emerging nations remains significant.

The disparity is evident, with top teams like Australia and Japan dominating the tournament. While the crowds have been phenomenal, the sport's growth is uneven, and more needs to be done to bridge the gap between rich and emerging nations.

The AFC expanded the Women's Asian Cup to 12 nations in 2022, but the tournament's hierarchy remains largely unchanged. Japan and Australia dominate, while only China, North Korea, and South Korea have made the final in the past 25 years, alongside Japan and Australia. This highlights the struggles of emerging nations, whose women's programmes are held back by limited resources and lack of professionalism.

The familiar pecking order shows that growth is uneven, with top teams pulling away from the rest. For emerging nations to catch up, they'll need more investment and development opportunities. Without it, the Asian Cup risks becoming a showcase for the same old teams.

“It is very difficult for (their players) to be able to commit the same amount of time to the sport as the others are,” Beau Busch, the Asia-Oceania president of football players' union FIFPRO, said.

“That leaves Asia quite vulnerable to almost a two-speed economy emerging.”

Asia's definitely playing catch-up when it comes to women's football. The Gulf nations, in particular, invest heavily in European football, but their women's programmes are lagging behind. It's like they're prioritizing the men's game, while women's football gets left in the dust.

The AFC is trying to drive growth, launching a Women's Champions League in 2024, but more investment is needed. The disparity in resources and professionalism is stark, and it's holding back emerging nations. 

Bahrain's women's team is the Gulf's highest-ranked at 110, while Iran leads West Asia at 69. Qatar, which hosted the men's World Cup in 2022, doesn't even have a ranked women's team - that's a stark contrast.

The AFC's launched initiatives like the Women's Champions League in 2024, but critics say it's not enough. Prize money's a major issue, with the Asian Cup offering just $1.8 million - way less than other continental tournaments. More investment's needed to level the playing field.

The Asian Cup's $1.8m prize pool is the lowest among women's continental competitions, barely half of the Africa Cup of Nations' $3.47m. To put it in perspective, it's only about 12% of the 2023 men's Asian Cup prize pool in Qatar.

The disparity's stark, especially considering the 2023 Women's World Cup prize pool was about a quarter of the men's in 2022. Critics are vocal about the inequality, and it's clear more needs to be done to address the imbalance.

The AFC hasn't commented on the prize money inequality and funding issues for women's programmes, leaving players frustrated with the gender funding gaps in their home nations. South Korea's women's team even threatened to boycott last year's Asian Cup over poor conditions.

Players from seven nations have written to the AFC, calling for equal regulations, prize money, and conditions, as well as guaranteed player payments and a legacy programme to boost women's football. The current $1.8 million prize pool is the lowest among comparable continental tournaments, representing just 12% of the men's Asian Cup prize money.

Busch emphasizes that the AFC should lead by example, bridging the gender gap in prize money and creating a clear plan to uplift women's football across the board. “Lifting all boats” means investing in emerging nations and ensuring equal opportunities.

“For Asia to be successful and really develop into a football powerhouse, we don’t need two or three great nations. We need 10 or 12 ⁠to really drive competitiveness,” he said.

“You can’t hit a ⁠target you’re not aiming for.

“What we’d really like ‌to see is clarity around a real roadmap for the development of women’s football across Asia.”