Local clubs Wilton and College Corinthians benefit from FIFA Women's World Cup prize money

More than €10,000 will be divided up between Cork City, College Corinthians, and Wilton United under the FIFA Club Benefits Programme after the Republic of Ireland’s participation at the Women’s World Cup last summer.

College Corinthians, the club that produced Megan Connolly, will receive €5,103.38 from FIFA and €4,374.33 will be going to Wilton United, the team that produced Denise O’Sullivan.

Cork City, formally Cork Women’s FC, will receive the smallest amount, just €729.

The Girls in Green played at the tournament for the first time last year, and they faced hosts Australia, Canada, and Nigeria.

The funds have been made available via FIFA’s Club Benefits Programme (CBP), which was introduced for the first time ahead of the 2019 Women’s World Cup.

The scheme was designed to recognise the fundamental role that clubs play in developing players, and the total amount committed to clubs that released and/or trained the stars of women’s football rose to $11.3m for the 2023 edition of the tournament.

The biggest benefactor of the program in the Republic of Ireland was Women’s Premier Division side Peamount United as they are set to receive €14,579.57.

Shamrock Rovers, who had two players playing at the Women’s World Cup in Australia, are in line to pocket €12,464.68.

The total amount for teams operating at various levels in the Republic of Ireland, according to The 42, is €76,975.57.

The funding will go to teams working with school girls and those operating in professional leagues, like the Women’s Premier Division.

According to the FIFA report, Each club’s share has been determined by the role that they played in a player’s development or participation in the tournament, either as a releasing club, a training club, or both.

Each eligible releasing club will receive an equal amount per player per day at the tournament, counting from the beginning of the release period (10 July 2023) and finishing the day following the last match of the player’s national team at the tournament.

“Strong clubs are crucial to the growth of women’s football, so distributing funding to over 1,000 clubs that have been instrumental in developing the world’s top female footballers is just one way that FIFA can offer its support,” said FIFA President Gianni Infantino.

“What’s truly unique about this programme is that FIFA does not only reward the clubs that released the players for the tournament, but also the clubs that have contributed to each player’s development between the ages of 12 and 22.

“This model ensures that crucial funding – as well as the incentive for clubs to provide the best possible training and environment for female talent – reaches every part of the global football ecosystem, benefiting grassroots and professional clubs."