New research from FIFPRO Asia/Oceania indicates that the 2026 AFC Women’s Asian Cup in Australia has the potential to become the most commercially successful edition in the tournament’s history, with projected revenues of up to USD 82.4 million. The findings reinforce the rapid growth of women’s football across Asia — while also underlining the urgent need for structural reforms to ensure players share in that progress.
The report, titled Opportunities of the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026, highlights both the commercial upside of the competition and the professional gaps that persist for women players across the region. In response, players from seven participating nations have formally called on the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) to enter into meaningful partnership discussions aimed at elevating standards for the tournament and strengthening its long-term legacy.
In a collective letter sent in December 2025, players outlined a four-point vision: regulatory alignment with the men’s competition, equal prize money, guaranteed direct player payments representing at least 30 percent of prize funds, and the co-design of a legacy programme to accelerate professionalisation in Asia. The current prize pool disparity — with the men’s tournament offering USD 14.8 million compared to USD 1.8 million for the women’s competition — illustrates the scale of the gap players are seeking to address.
Japan international Yui Hasegawa emphasised the scale of the opportunity, stating that hosting the tournament in Australia — a country that has achieved gender pay equality in its national teams — creates the conditions to “raise standards and prize money” and establish new benchmarks for the region.
While women’s football has experienced significant global growth in recent years, many players in Asia still face disparities in pay, training environments, and contractual protections compared to their male counterparts. The 2026 tournament therefore represents not only a commercial milestone, but a critical moment to translate momentum into structural progress.
At WPA, we believe this research plays a vital role in advancing meaningful change. Evidence-based analysis strengthens players’ voices, clarifies the economic realities of the game, and provides governing bodies with the data needed to implement sustainable reforms. When independent research demonstrates the commercial viability of women’s competitions, it becomes harder to justify unequal standards.
The 2026 AFC Women’s Asian Cup presents a generational opportunity. Through constructive engagement between players, unions and the AFC, the tournament can set new benchmarks for equity, professionalism and governance across the region. Research informs the conversation — but collaboration will determine the outcome.
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