This surge in popularity signifies a new chapter for women’s sports fuelled by passionate fans and on-field superstars. Many of the top players at this year’s tournament are netting impressive figures from huge global brands with deep pockets – think Nike, Adidas, Calvin Klein, Hublot and Visa among many more.

This financial windfall isn’t just a win for the athletes – it’s also a telling sign of changing tides in a year where gender pay disparity has been front and centre.

Last May, US Soccer took a giant leap towards equality by agreeing to pay women the same as male players – so top American athletes now stand to benefit substantially, not just from brand endorsements but also from World Cup earnings, as reported by NBC News.

Fifa also agreed to boost the prize money for the tournament and promised that every single player would receive at least US$30,000 per game, per Reuters.

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With so much extra earnings in the air during this Women’s World Cup, let’s see who some of the highest-paid players are – and what they like to splurge their hard-earned winnings on.

1. Megan Rapinoe

As a passionate social activist advocating for LGBTQ+ rights and equal pay, Megan Rapinoe is frequently in the limelight, and a natural spokesperson for everything from philanthropic endeavours and social movements to global brands like Nike, Victoria’s Secret and Lego.

According to Forbes, Rapinoe earned US$7 million in the last year, with around US$6.3 million earned off the field. Judging from her impressive trainer collection, Rapinoe has invested a sizeable amount of that in high-end kicks, as well as sought-after luxury brands like Prada and Louis Vuitton.

2. Alex Morgan

The co-captain of Team USA, Alex Morgan’s goalscoring abilities and leadership skills have made her an in-demand partner for brands like Nike, Coca-Cola and Calvin Klein – but her staggering 10 million following on Instagram probably doesn’t hurt, either.

This stylish striker has a flair for fashion, and has posted pics of shopping sprees in Paris (where she picked up some designer Goyard goodies) as well as her impeccable OOTDs. She’s partial to luxury labels like Hublot (for whom she’s also an ambassador) and Alexander Wang, and boasts an enviable handbag collection that includes Fendi and Yves Saint Laurent. It’s estimated that she earned US$7.1 million in the last year making her the highest-paid player at the 2023 World Cup, per Forbes.

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3. Alexia Putellas

Spanish midfielder and two-time Ballon d’Or winner Alexia Putellas is another high-earner. She raked in around US$4 million, per Forbes, much of it from endorsements and appearances, while still earning a respectable salary playing for FC Barcelona. And Putellas should also receive a cool US$270,000 as prize money for winning the 2023 World Cup under new Fifa rules, per Hello!.

Though she’s not as flashy when it comes to sporting high-end fashion, Putellas loves to unwind and splash out on luxury holidays, snapping pics of her and her entourage on private yachts, oceanside villas and glamorous five-star hotels around the globe.

4. Alisha Lehmann

With her on-field earnings for Aston Villa estimated somewhere around US$200,000, per WondersList, the blonde bombshell is definitely comfortable financially. She often flaunts her affluent lifestyle on social media, filming herself in a Lamborghini, taking lavish holidays and sporting luxury athleisure fits by Louis Vuitton and Gucci.

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5. Trinity Rodman

In 2021, she made history as the youngest player ever drafted by the National Women Soccer League, per People. She followed that up the next year by becoming the league’s highest-paid player ever, signing a US$1.1 million deal over four years with the Washington Spirit, per Sportico.