Football Associations Banned Women's Soccer Because it Was Too Popular
Women's sports are endlessly compared to men's, yet they relentlessly receive less finance and resources, which men have never had to fight for.
The image of Brandi Chastain ripping off her jersey after scoring the game-winning goal in the 1999 Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) Women's World Cup championship shootout against China is symbolic. On her knees with her arms raised and fists clenched toward the sky, Chastain reveled in the glory of achieving the world's first-ranked women's soccer team.
Chastain's pure ecstasy captured an era in American culture and women in sports globally. A sold-out crowd of 90,185 filled the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, to watch the final, making it the largest ever for a women's sporting event. Women's soccer established a sizeable (profitable) following by the third FIFA Women's World Cup, yet the athletes are endlessly compared to the Men's World Cup, which has existed since 1930.
