VANCOUVER — Moving deeper into the Women's World Cup means more prize money for Canada.
In qualifying for the quarter-finals with a 1-0 win over Switzerland on Sunday, the Canadians assured themselves at least US$725,000. The Swiss, as one of the teams placing ninth to 16th, go home with $500,000.
The eight teams that failed to advance out of the group stage left with $375,000 apiece. Teams five through eight make $725,000.
The World Cup winner collects $2 million with $1.3 million going to the runner-up. The fourth-place team makes $800,000 while the third-place country earns $1 million.
The winner of the 2011 tournament made $1.075 million while victory was worth $1 million in 2007.
At $15 million, the prize money for this tournament was almost doubled by FIFA from the $7.6 million up for grabs four years ago in Germany.
The prize money, however, pales in comparison to that of the men's World Cup
Germany earned $35 million for winning Brazil 2014. Total prize money for that men's event was $476 million.
FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke noted that the men's tournament, which made $4.5 billion in 2014, finances all of FIFA's 20 world tournaments. And that the women's event was a relatively new one — starting in 1991 — compared to the men's championship, which began in 1930.
The Canadian Soccer Association has declined to detail its payment agreement with the women's team.