Megan Rapinoe: 2023 World Cup is "real opportunity" for women's game to continue growth
US women's national team veteran Megan Rapinoe continues to lead the way for exposure and equality in women's football ahead of the 2023 Women's World Cup.
The 37-year-old has made over 180 appearances for the American team, recording 60 goals while leading a revolution for the women's game off the pitch. Now, as Rapinoe gears up for her fourth World Cup on July 20, she claims this tournament in particular will propel the game forward.
"I think, just in general, women's sports right now feels like we're sort of out of just the dogged fight phase. Not that there's not a lot still to fight for," ," Rapinoe asserted.
"It feels like a real opportunity to blow the lid off just in terms of fanfare and media and sponsorships and the sort of larger business around this sport ... "I think everyone is sort of hip to the game now and understands that this is not somewhere that's just like, oh, we should cheer for the Women's World Cup because that's the right thing to do."
Rapinoe continued to harp on equality and stating just how important it is from a business perspective:
"It is actually terrible business if you are not tuning in, you are missing out on a large cultural moment. I think we know that the bottom line, equality is actually good for business, that is something special that the women's game has and this is the premier women's sporting event in the world bar none and this is a paradigm shift globally, not just in the U.S."
The OL Reign player's comments are nothing short of the truth, as the USWNT have comfortably been the best team in women's soccer over the past several years, dominating in the international aspect of the game on the biggest stage.
"To have players like Rapinoe and Alex and Kelley [O'Hara] is just helpful because they can lead the rest of the group," head coach Vlatko Andonovski said, who will be coaching in hir first World Cup for USA.
The USWNT is set to take on Vietnam in their opening game of the group stage on July 21, kicking off their to secure a third-consecutive World Cup title.