Telemundo: Women's World Cup campaign

The eighth Fifa Women’s World Cup is scoring goals beyond the back of the net with its new campaign from Telemundo. It sheds light on the harsh realities of the discrimination, bullying and the ever-present wage gap faced by female players, Latinas in the US and women at large.

The campaign follows four women in the Cup – Christen Press of the US, Su Helen Galaz of Chile, Erika Dos Santos of Brazil and Vanina Correa of Argentina – as they move through their everyday lives outside of soccer, revealing the challenges they are met with while in preparation for the tournament, a big factor being financial hardship.

A whopping 90% of players debate quitting their leagues altogether, often due to the immense pressure to make ends meet. As much as 50% of female global players are not paid at all, and 33% are paid so little that they need a second job to stay afloat.

Aiming to combat this prevalent issue in the world of women’s soccer, Telemundo Deportes donated to programs within the US Soccer Foundation that offer safe spaces and access to the sport for women and girls of all ages in underprivileged areas, while encouraging viewers to follow suit.

By showing the hardships that players face off the field, the Telemundo campaign seeks to raise both awareness of and appreciation for the ways that female soccer players overcome obstacles to be able to compete in the sport at the highest level globally.