The work done by the USWNT in advocating for their equal pay cannot and does not stop now that they have been successful in their fight. It continues, it needs to and it must. That’s why you can’t leave the politics off the field when it comes to women’s sports. It’s a game as much as a protest, a sporting pursuit as much as a defiant cry. When the on-field enmity is done, there’s a lot of unity that needs to be seen to off it.

Major strides I felt were made by the relatively smaller footballing nations even though their journey have come to an end. The pick of the beaten for me are Nigeria, Jamaica and Morocco. For Nigeria and Jamaica, the teams go back to a funding dispute with their federations, whom I really hope have stood up to see that despite their (the federation’s) stand, the women have shown they are toe-to-toe with the World’s best, and at times, outplaying them. Seriously, imagine these teams with a USA-type program. fire

Jamaica may have captured the imagination of fans at the World Cup but it took a crowdfunding effort by one of the player’s parents to garner enough funds to help them address transportation and accommodation costs to get to the competition venues. Disputes with national football federations regarding costs, facilities and resources are a tragically all too familiar refrain in the women’s game.

The championship is already bereft of its superstars going into the tournament. Viv Miedema (NL), Beth Mead, Leah Williamson (ENG), Christen Press, Cat Macario (USA), Janine Beckie (CAN), Delphine Cascarino, Marie-Antoinette Katoto (FRA) — the list of players missing due to an ACL tear alone could fill an All-Star XI.

And speaking of South East Asian countries, this is the second World Cup that we have seen our ASEAN neighbours qualify. Thailand in 2019, Vietnam and Philippines in 2023.

Which begs the question - Malaysia, when?