Telemundo FIFA Women’s World Cup Campaign Highlights Challenges Faced by Female Players (Video)

Ads spotlight the adversities that women who play soccer around the world face, including prejudice, discrimination, lack of tournaments and wage gap

The FIFA Women’s World Cup kicks off on Friday from France, with 24 nations from around the globe competing over the next month.

Matches air in English in the U.S. on Fox and FS1, while Telemundo has the Spanish broadcast rights for the millions of Latino soccer fans.

Using the mantra, “If they fought to play it, watch what they are going to do to win it,” Telemundo Deportes has launched a campaign to spotlight the adversities that women who play soccer around the world face such as prejudice, discrimination, bullying, lack of tournaments, few teams to play in and wage gaps.

The campaign is tied to a corporate initiative at Telemundo titled “Unstoppable Women” that launched early this year with the goal of encouraging and celebrating women’s achievements across many fields.

According to statistics from the FIFPro World Players’ Union, 50% of global female pro female soccer players receive no pay, 33% need a second job, 18% report gender discrimination and 90% of female players say they might quit early because financial or career pressure and that they want to start a family.

The ads tell the stories of four Latina players U.S. striker Christen Press, Argentine goalkeeper Vanina Correa, Chilean defender Su Helen Galaz, and Brazilian defender Érika Dos Santos.

“This is why we fight, and nothing can hold us back,” Press says in the first promo.

Telemundo’s World Cup female-strong coverage is led by anchors Ana Jurka and Carlota Vizmanos, analysts Viviana Vila, Deyna Castellanos, Amelia Valverde, Monica Gonzalez and Janelly Farías. The Paris-based production and operations team is also led by 17 women.

A recent study conducted by NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises conducted in partnership with Horovitz Research found that:

54% of Hispanics 18+ in the U.S. interested in the Women’s World Cup are female 
For most Hispanic female soccer fans (80%), soccer is seen as an important part of Hispanic identity.
The Women’s World Cup appeals to all ages: 58% of Hispanics ages 18-34 are interested in the Women’s World Cup, 61% of Hispanics 35-49 and 55% of those 50+
51% of Hispanics feel that the Women’s FIFA World Cup will be equally as popular as the Men’s FIFA World Cup in the next five years

Watch the video above.

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