Have done there. I am very proud. You have done really there. I am very proud. You have done really well have done really well throughout have done really well throughout the have done really well| throughout the whole have done really well throughout the whole tournament and you throughout the whole tournament and you have throughout the whole tournament and you have done throughout the whole tournament and you have done really throughout the whole tournament and you have done really well and you have done really well to get and you have done really well to get this and you have done really well to get this far and you have done really well to get this far so and you have done really well to get this far so good and you have done really well to get this far so good luck. L to get this far so good luck. Good to get this far so good luck. Good luck to get this far so good luck. Good luck. You to get this far so good luck. Good luck. You can to get this far so good luck. Good luck. You can win to get this far so good luck. | good luck. You can win this. Fans are getting ready for the big game in spain too. The womens game there has seen an explosion in popularity, with the number of women players in federated leagues increasing by almost 200 from 2009 to 2022. Heres one of them. Translation the way they show the are translation the way they show they are breaking translation the way they show they are breaking down translation the way they show they are breaking down barriers i they are breaking down barriers time and time again, the Collective Bargaining, the commercialisation of womens football in the way they represent the values of sport for me and for all of us is a complete inspiration. Off the field during this competition, there have been serious conversations taking place about womens sport and its place in the world, including pay equality. The total prize pot for the womens world cup is 110 million. Thats a 300 increase from the 2019 tournament, but by comparison its significantly lower than the mao million pot for the mens tournament in qatar last year. At the beginning of the competition, analysis by cnn found that female players at the world cup would on average earn just 25 cents for every dollar earned by the men. Many teams have called for more to do done to achieve pay parity and better conditions, like this from the australian side. We call on those who run the game to work to provide opportunities for girls and women in football, whether they be players, coaches, administrators or officials. And on those in positions of power and on those in positions of power across business, sport and power across business, Sport And Politics to come on this journey and politics to come on this journey with us to make womens football journey with us to make womens football as journey with us to make womens football as football as big as it can football as football as big as it can be. In the matildas case, the australian government, at least, was listening. It announced a 200 Million Investment in womens sport friday on the back of ratings like this. Over 11 Million People watched the matildas loss to england, which saw the lionesses book a spot in the final. It makes it the most watched tv Program Since australias ratings measurement started in 2001. And close to a Million People also tuned in on the seven networks streaming application another record. But the response from the world games governing body fifa as recently as friday has come under fire. Speaking in sydney, fifa president Gianni Infantino said women who pick the right fights can convince us men what we have to do to ensure progress is made for women. Pick the right battles. Pick the right fights. You have the power to change. You have the power to change. You have the power to change. You have the power to convince our cement what we have to do and what we dont have to do. You do it. Just do it. With me, with fifa, you will find open doors. Just push the doors. They are open. For more on this, i spoke to former american professional Soccer Playerjoanna lohman. Joanna loman, former professional Soccer Player and member of the us National Team, thank you forjoining us. You might talk to us about the life of the woman Soccer Player in the us. Many people think big mansions and flash cars, eye watering salaries. Is it the same for the women in the us . I hate to be a myth. But it isnt fortunately not the same in the United States. I say that knowing that the sport is growing exponentially. The resources being invested in the womens game are growing, but when i was a Soccer Player i retired in 2019 so from anywhere between 2000 and 2019 the salary was below minimum wage. I would say on average i made about 15, 16,000 a year playing professional soccer and instead of living in a mansion i would live with a host family and it was a situation where we understood the resources were very minimal and the salaries were very meaningful and so we were very meaningful and so we were working towards a Brighter Future which you are seeing now with the 2023 womens world cup and the current state of the nws cell in the United States. The salaries might be different between men and women but the commitment is no less different, the pressure on your bodyis different, the pressure on your body is no less different. There is still a long road to 90, there is still a long road to go, isnt there . There is still a long road to go, isnt there . Yeah, there is a lona go, isnt there . Yeah, there is a long road go, isnt there . Yeah, there is a long road to go, isnt there . Yeah, there is a long road to go go, isnt there . Yeah, there is a long road to go and go, isnt there . Yeah, there is a long road to go and we go, isnt there . Yeah, there is a long road to go and we have| a long road to go and we have been fighting, battling for equal pay, dating back into the 1985 is equal pay, dating back into the 1985 is when the Womens National team had their first ever team National Team had their first everteam camp, and National Team had their first ever team camp, and so this has been decades, generations of fighting for equal pay, and, again, we are starting to see steps taken again, we are starting to see steps ta ken towards again, we are starting to see steps taken towards equal pay. We had the Womens National team who in 2022 signed into law equal pay and you are seeing that have a Ripple Effect on the countries around the globe. You are seeing countries like canada in the confrontation with their federation because of equal pat federation because of equal pay. You are seeing different teams really trying to push for equality and justice and for what they feel like they deserve. What they feel like they deserve what they feel like they deserve. ,. , , deserve. Yet the prize money is not the same. Deserve. Yet the prize money is not the same. This deserve. Yet the prize money is not the same. This world deserve. Yet the prize money is not the same. This world cup. Deserve. Yet the prize money is not the same. This world cup is only one quarter of the fund that there was for the mens world cup. That there was for the mens world cup world cup. Fifa has grossly undervalued world cup. Fifa has grossly undervalued the world cup. Fifa has grossly undervalued the womens i world cup. Fifa has grossly undervalued the womens game and the 2023 womens world cup is another statement about how powerful womens soccer can be and so it will force fifa to truly look at the game in a more serious manner and be forced to dedicate more resources towards the womens game and again we have fought Tooth And Nailfor the game and again we have fought Tooth And Nail for the quality and we have consistently created events, world cup, where we are selling out stadiums, where you see growth year after year when it comes to the world cup and now i think australia has been a testament to the womens game, the talent, the skill level, the talent, the skill level, the humanity involved in it at all of the compelling story lines that we have going into this world cup final. This world cup final. Given that long this world cup final. Given that long push this world cup final. Given that long push that this world cup final. Given that long push that you i this world cup final. Given l that long push that you have described, when you see the comments today from the fifa president Gianni Infantino who says women who pick the right fights can convince men of what we need to do to progress womens football, what is your reaction to that statement . It is infuriating to a certain extent because we have consistently had to ask for what we deserve and demand for there to be progress and change. In the face of so much resistance and that is what makes me so proud to be a part of the womens game is the battles that we have fought in the face of pushback, and everyone is saying we dont deserve it. We cant do it. We cant sell out stadiums, and now we are absolutely proving people wrong. 50. Now we are absolutely proving people wrong people wrong. So, as well as bein people wrong. So, as well as being an people wrong. So, as well as being an International People wrong. So, as well as being an international and i people wrong. So, as well as i being an international and club Soccer Player you are also a couege Soccer Player you are also a College Athlete and if we look at title line that gives women athletes the right to equal opportunity in sports in educational institutions in receipt of federal funding. Should the penalty for institutions that dont do that, that dont divide money equally, should those penalties be stronger or more strongly enforced . Be stronger or more strongly enforced . , ,. , enforced . Yeah, they should be. That is back enforced . Yeah, they should be. That is back in enforced . Yeah, they should be. That is back in 1970 enforced . Yeah, they should be. That is back in 1970 so enforced . Yeah, they should be. That is back in 1970 so women i that is back in 1970 so women do get equal access and resources when it comes to sports and it has been a transformational piece of legislation for female athletes in the United States of america, but there have been countless institutions that have tried to sidestep or get around the concept of equal investment when it comes to womens sports. I investment when it comes to womens sports. Womens sports. I would be interested womens sports. I would be interested to womens sports. I would be interested to know i womens sports. I would be interested to know your i interested to know your thoughts just when you are talking there about worth and that kind of messaging. We have so many young girls and young women tuning in every day of the week to womens sports, and particularly now to the world cup final. What sort of messaging does that send to them when you are raising these points about this means we are not worth as much. It points about this means we are not worth as much. Not worth as much. It means that they not worth as much. It means that they are not worth as much. It means that they are with not worth as much. It means that they are with fractions l not worth as much. It means| that they are with fractions of what a man is worth and that is not the messaging that we want to send women in the United States all globally because we have found that the best leaders tend to be women, right . The scales that we possess that women have had in spades when it comes to empathy and other Listening Skills and compassion, these create the best and most effective leaders who run our countries, who run our companies, who run our businesses, run ourfamilies, businesses, run our families, and businesses, run ourfamilies, and when you create a female athlete you are creating a future leader, and that is exactly what we want to do with this womens world cup � s have every young woman who is watching inspired to believe that they can achieve more. Inspired to believe that they can be the next leader, the next president of the United States, right . The next prime minister. And that is absolutely the type of messaging we want to send to young women around the world. Focusing on those great athletes just briefly, the final is on saturday. It is the pinnacle of your sport. I will put you on the spot and say england or spain for the win . I am on the bbc but i would be saying this otherwise i am taking england over spain. I have been so impressed with the lionesses resilience this tournament when it comes to injuries, playing in front of 75,000 people who are rooting against him in the stands. They have been an inspiration so i am taking the lionesses in the world cup final. World cup final. Ok. We will leave it there. World cup final. Ok. We will leave it there. Joanna i world cup final. Ok. We will. Leave it there. Joanna lohman, former professional Soccer Player and member of the us National Team, thank you for joining us. National team, thank you for joining us someone else hoping for an english victory is alex culvin, a former professional english Soccer Player and currently head of strategy and research for womens football at fifpro, who represents 65,000 professional Soccer Players male and female. We caught up with her earlier. Thanks forjoining us. We will get your thoughts on the Big Game On Sunday Injust A Moment but lets talk about the tournament and womens soccer in general. There has been some top drawer soccer on display these past few weeks, but also a bright light focused on inequalities in pay, prize money. Basic stuff like physios, kit and food. What do you think the legacy of these games has been . I think the legacy that we will see is one of the best temperaments tournaments there has been in womens football today. I think the players have performed to a level that was expected from everybody who is a fan and who works in womens football but for those new fans probably something they had never seen before because it has been truly exceptional. I think moving the tournament to 32 teams has meant that the quality has increased where many people actually doubted that and thought the quality would decrease because of the increase in teams so i think on the pitch legacy is actually phenomenal. I think off the pitch legacy is yet to be seen. I think you are right in citing that there has been a lot of discussions around pay equity, red conditions, around basic treatment of high performing athletes and International Footballers and i think that remains to be seen. I dont think the conversation should stop you, and we are really conscious of what the lights goes off and these players and the wellcome finishes, what happens after that . So, the wellcome finishes, what happens afterthat . So, it remains to be seen what the is off the field and around the players in a more holistic sense that i am hoping the conversation does not stop you. There is a big difference, isnt there, country to country . You have somewhere like the us where there is equal pay at a National Level thatis equal pay at a National Level that is not the same in every country. Tell us about that. The us is the anomaly in International Womens football and i think what we see now, because there is such a spotlight on womens football, is we see that the us has got equal pay and equal revenue that goes into the Collective Bargaining agreements, but actually, that was a long and hard fought battle over many, many years, which started around 2015, so they are something to strive forfor they are something to strive for for every National Team around the world, however, when you look down and we move more broadly, football globally, there are really fragmented examples of how football is developing globally, and that is for a couple of reasons. It is for a couple of reasons. It is investment, and. About being prepared to say we are investing in this term and it is a long term strategic investment. In many teams what happens is they go from tournament to tournament so it is likely invest for this certain amount of time because we want this when actually what we want this when actually what we really encourage is for a long term, Strategic Vision for not only National Teams but also Club Football as well that we note that to invest in players does not mean that you get results. It is not an Immediate Impact of investment, and i think england are a really good example of that as well, the way that they have invested in the National Team quite heavily since the formation of the fawsl in 2011 and we have seen the European Championship winners and also world cup finalist. 50. Championship winners and also world cup finalist. World cup finalist. So, you talk about world cup finalist. So, you talk about a world cup finalist. So, you talk about a Long I World Cup finalist. So, you talk about a long road i world cup finalist. So, you i talk about a long road travel there. A long road still to go. I would be interested to get your response to todays comments from the fifa president Gianni Infantino. When you hear him say that women should pick the right battles to convince us men what we have to do, that there are open doors at fifa that women just need to push, and describing equal pay in the world cup as a slogan that comes up every now and again, but you make of that . I comes up every now and again, but you make of that . But you make of that . I think it is a really but you make of that . I think it is a really interesting i but you make of that . I think it is a really interesting way l it is a really interesting way to view the struggles that women face in womens football. And more globally, football is just a microcosm of society is so the struggles that we see in football, but also equity, but also respect, battles for equal working conditions, maternity, all of those kind of battles that we see in womens football, for example, they are just battles that women experience day to day in their working lives. Womens football is no different to that. I think the comments from jenny Gianni Infantino show more broadly the struggles women encounter on a day to day basis because it is not wholly the responsibility of women and Women Football players to push down doors that shut. There needs to be strategic considerations and a Real Investment and intent to open those doors for Women Footballers, because it is not their responsibility to push doors down in my opinion. I think that equal pay is not a slogan and actually, it is not something that should actually be it is often used as a mask. You have seen federations be like we are stamping equal pay on our womens and mens National Team, and actually it is often used as a mask for really poor condition. So i think, i am quite happy for the equal pay to be called a slogan because i think we need to look at the whole, holistic picture of players conditions, compensation, projected dialogue for players, that is really important to us at fifpro, it is something that can be used to progress wash but it is also super important. Alex culvin, head of strategy and research for womens football at fifpro, the Global Players union. As she said there, the issues were talking about arent exclusive to soccer. Adelphi university in 2019 analysed average Player Compensation in American Sport it found a massive pay gap between the nba and the wnba in 2019. Fast forward a few years to last season, the top earning male made more than 50 million, while the highest paid females made 228,000. The study found a large difference between what male and female golfers in the pga and lpga earned on average that year, and in 2019 tennis, well known for its female athletes, was a little closer, but average earnings for players was still not the same. Lets talk about this with our panel now dr Bonnie Morris is an expert on womens sports history at the university of california berkeley. And Macaela Mackenzie is a Sports Journalist and author covering womens equality. Lets start there with tennis. The men and women get paid the same prize money at grand slam events, but not other events necessarily, but the Sponsorship Deals vary widely, and thats in a sport where some women are as big if not bigger stars than their male counterparts dr Bonnie Morris, The Path Of Progress moves slowly for women here doesnt it . Its very slow. I second everything your previous speaker, alex, had to say, and i was interested to hear her praise for the progress of womens soccer in the United States, we are certainly behind in semi other areas of equity. Tennis has had a bit of a head start because of the dynamic push by Billiejean King and her very famous catalogue the sexes victory over bobby riggs which is about to celebrate 50 years in late september. Sometimes you really need one advocate to open the door to look at in equity, but i also think we have a pattern in the us of assuming that male sports are the standard and that allowing women to play is, you know, some kind of pathway towards fairness. That sets up a real parameter that it is almost a privilege for women to step onto any court, they have to prove themselves, they have to prove themselves, they have to come up with the funds, and the structure has been set up early on to support and mentor men and initially, to have men bringing other men along. So the gap we have in the us is not simply the pay and equity in Womens Basketball that you mention, the Struggle Women Coaches and women to be in a leadership position, to help nurture other womens sports. And macaela, if i can bring you in there, you have been writing about sport and feminism. This bought one place where on some level, sexism appears to be tolerated in a way it is not in other walks of life . I tolerated in a way it is not in other walks of life . Other walks of life . I think that is absolutely i other walks of life . I think that is absolutely true. I other walks of life . I think that is absolutely true. Dr| that is absolutely true. Dr morris that is absolutely true. Dr morris brings up the Battle Of The Sexes with Billie Jean King in the the sexes with Billie Jean King in the 705, and i spoke to her my book in the 705, and i spoke to her my book and one of the things that she my book and one of the things that she talks about, 5he my book and one of the things that she talks about, she knew that 5he talks about, she knew very that she talks about, she knew very clearly at the time, and still very clearly at the time, and still understands very clearly 5till understands very clearly now, 5till understands very clearly how. Was 5till understands very clearly now, was that in order to get real now, was that in order to get real change in these metrics like real change in these metrics like pay real change in these metrics like pay and prize money, 5pon50r5hip dollar5, we need to have 5pon50r5hip dollar5, we need to have Culture Change. It is about have Culture Change. It is about changing heart5 have Culture Change. It is about changing hearts and minds. About changing hearts and minds, and notju5t trying to win this minds, and notju5t trying to win this argument about who is really win this argument about who is really better on the court. A5 5he really better on the court. A5 she did really better on the court. A5 she did with bobby rigg5. I 5he did with bobby rigg5. I think she did with bobby rigg5. I think that really 5peak5 she did with bobby rigg5. I think that really speaks to what think that really speaks to what we see in sports like tennis. What we see in sports like tenni5, a5 what we see in sports like tenni5, as you bring up, there are many tenni5, as you bring up, there are many stars who are much bigger are many stars who are much bigger and have bigger fan bases bigger and have bigger fan bases on the womens 5ide, bigger and have bigger fan bases on the womens side, they ba5e5 on the womens side, they draw bases on the womens side, they draw bigger Viewer Numbers and still the draw bigger Viewer Numbers and still the Sponsorship Gap exists still the Sponsorship Gap exi5t5. I think that speaks to the underlying bia5 exi5t5. I think that speaks to the underlying bias that still really the underlying bias that still really haunt5 the underlying bias that still really haunts the Sports Industry. Really haunts the Sports Industry really haunts the sports indust. ,. , industry. You mentioned changing industry. You mentioned changing culture i industry. You mentioned changing culture there. I industry. You mentioned | changing culture there. If industry. You mentioned i changing culture there. If we look at the issue of Maternity Leave, that is something in the field of soccer anyway where fifa has said female players must have Maternity Leave. So the rules are there to protect them, but it is not necessarily them, but it is not necessarily the case that the culture is there as well, macaela. Absolutely. It is one thing to say that you have paid leave which is enough of a fight already, obviously in the us it is something that we currently do not have in most industries, most women do not have the opportunity available to them, but even if they do, having a culture that supports the return to work and in sports specifically, the return to paying where obviously your bodyis paying where obviously your body is yourjob that is something that really needs to happen i think from the top down. We are starting to see a lot of progress there, us soccer has actually been a surprising leader in that space according to a lot of the players over the years who have felt supported in their return to play after becoming mothers. But that is something that we absolutely need to see more broadly. Crosstalk how can we solve these issues . Ijust how can we solve these issues . I just feel like historically iju5t feel like historically there iju5t feel like historically there is iju5t feel like historically there is a lot of 5kitti5hne55 around there is a lot of 5kitti5hne55 around womens bodies. There is all around women5 bodie5. There is all this around womens bodies. There is all this ten5ion around modesty, what are the uniforms, that is modesty, what are the uniforms, that is a modesty, what are the uniforms, that is a big modesty, what are the uniforms, that is a big barrier globally for many young women from conservative culture5, for many young women from conservative cultures, to do any conservative cultures, to do any kind conservative cultures, to do any kind of public or even private any kind of public or even private playing, in the us even with private playing, in the us even with more private playing, in the us even with more progressive attitudes about with more progressive attitudes about public appearance of women about public appearance of women or participation or dress. Women or participation or dress, there is still a lot of dre55, there is still a lot of tension dre55, there is still a lot of tension about the exposure of ten5ion about the exposure of womens ten5ion about the exposure of womens arm5 ten5ion about the exposure of womens arms and legs, Maternity Leave all the interesting discussion about women interesting discussion about women having to wear white when they are women having to wear white when they are 5elf con5ciou5 women having to wear white when they are self conscious about their they are self conscious about their periods, that goes back to the their periods, that goes back to the historic discomfort in the culture about womens bodies the culture about womens bodies being on display. Bodie5 being on display. And historically, what we have been willing historically, what we have been willing to historically, what we have been willing to pay for is a culture is beauty willing to pay for is a culture is beauty conte5t5, willing to pay for is a culture is beauty contests, the display i5 beauty contests, the display of attractivene55. And not athletic of attractivene55. And not athletic competitiveness. And athletic competitivene55. And until athletic competitiveness. And until we athletic competitiveness. And until we move past that cultural ten5ion, we will be stuck cultural ten5ion, we will be stuck with evaluating players based stuck with evaluating players based on appearance and not understanding that it is the everyday 5upport understanding that it is the everyday support of women from cradle everyday support of women from cradle to everyday support of women from cradle to grave, and all life5tage5, not simply the novelty of an occasional world cup event. But i think what alex cup event. But i think what alex again was saying earlier, the long term vision of investment in athleticism, self confidence, less concern with self confidence, less concern with beauty and more concerned with beauty and more concerned with strength, in the same way we inculcate those ideals with men we inculcate those ideals with men. � ,. , we inculcate those ideals with men. I,. , men. And very briefly, macaela, because we men. And very briefly, macaela, because we are men. And very briefly, macaela, because we are out men. And very briefly, macaela, because we are out of men. And very briefly, macaela, because we are out of time i men. And very briefly, macaela, because we are out of time on i because we are out of time on this, on the point of keeping young girls and young women in sport, there is a big challenges there. Just briefly, how could that be addressed . I think it needs to start with this Culture Change we are talking about. It needs to start with the idea that womens sports are a product worth investing in. For so long the conversation has been that women arent strong, arent as fast, arent as skilled, but still very much permeates the conversation around sport. But i think what we are seeing especially in this world cup cycle is what happens when you treat the product of womens sport as a valuable Entertainment Property that people can and will and should get excited about. Crosstalk sorry for interrupting you there macaela, we are out of time. Thank you both forjoining us. Ill be back at the top of the hour with the headlines. Do stay with us. Hello there. Storm betty is bearing down upon us through the rest of the night and the start of the weekend. Second named storm this month, and giving a lot of wet weather and windy weather, particularly for the western side of the uk. So heavy rain, potentially some really nasty thunderstorms across central and eastern areas being warned off could give some likely disruption, as well as the unusually windy weather which could bring down the odd small tree not great news for those under canvas either, those winds are more akin to autumn. So there are warnings out quite widespread warnings. More details on the website, but those gusts of wind could reach 40 50mph inland, as well. As i say, theres a potential for some really torrential thunderstorms, impactful weather because its so muggy and warm, thats also giving energy to these storms. Now getting towards morning, that rain is slow moving across scotland and northern ireland. It only slowly creeps its way northwards. The winds starting to abate a little bit, pushing showers ever eastwards. And look, for northern ireland, parts of scotland, its just shower after shower, but longer spells of rain for some. Before the event moves out of the way, thats storm betty, we could have a months worth of rain in some areas. But, given some sunshine through the day, particularly for the likes of eastern scotland, North East England with an offshore wind, it might feel warmer than it did on friday. And then, as we go through the evening and overnight, the showers ease off further, the winds gradually decreasing so we could have some mist and fog in southern areas in particular by sunday morning. And it will feel a little less oppressive, were losing that humidity, so a little bit more comfortable for sleeping saturday night, rather than the remainder of this night. Sunday sees fewer showers we will keep them in northern and western areas. Therell still be 1 2 getting into eastern areas, but there should be fewer showers on sunday for many parts. So perhaps the drier half of the weekend, still feeling quite warm it is august, after all. And, with High Pressure close to the south as we move into next week, we should see some more warmth here. But the lower pressure further north will maintain the risks of showers on monday, you can see some longer spells of rain coming in. Well, it is an area of the uk where we havent seen as much rain, but nevertheless east of the grampians best of the drier, brighter weather 25 26 further south. So, some warmth and some drier weather as we move into next week but, just for the remainder of the night, storm betty still with us. There are numerous warnings more details on the website. Comes up every now and again, but you make of that . Voiceover this is bbc news. Well have the headlines for you at the top of the hour, which is straight after this programme. This week, how robots are helping the british army stay safe in hostile environments. Its not only about going into a building knowing that there is going to be an enemy threat inside there, its what else is in there as well. Lara puts chatgpt through its paces. No time to stop between the super sets, although i do need to quickly look at my phone. We look at how ai is helping doctors diagnose neurological diseases. And we meet an Inspiring Sportswoman whos using tech to help her stay at the top of her game. I can put the glasses on and obviously watch training as normal, but as my coach is speaking, obviously i get live captions as well. Rigorous training to hone modern soldier skills is essential, as at any time they can be thrown into the heart of a war zone or humanitarian crisis. Yes, so mark cieslak has been to meet the soldiers of 16 Air Assault Brigade to see how technology is helping to train troops