The ongoing Women's World Cup has generated more than $570 million in revenue and helped the sport’s governing body to break even, despite raising the prize money tenfold compared to the 2015 edition, according to FIFA chief Gianni Infantino.
The Swiss also claimed that the ninth edition of the FIFA mega event had been the "best and greatest and biggest", despite the increase in prize money and teams from 24 to 32.
"Some voices were raised, would it cost too much? We don't make enough revenues, we will have to subsidise. And our opinion was, well if we have to subsidise, we will subsidise, because we have to do that," he told the FIFA Women's Football Convention.
"But actually, this World Cup generated over 570 million U.S. dollars in revenues, and so we broke even. We didn't lose any money and we generated the second highest income of any sport, besides of course the men's World Cup, at a global stage."
It must be noted that the prize money for the men's World Cup in Qatar, which was $440 million, was considerably more than the $152 million being offered to the women in Australia and New Zealand.
"I say to all the women, you have the power to change. Pick the right battles. Pick the right fights," Infantino said.
"Just keep pushing, keep the momentum, keep dreaming, and let's really go for a full equality. Not just equal pay in the World Cup, which is a slogan that comes up every now and then.
"Equal pay in the World Cup, we are going in that direction already. But that would not solve anything ... because it's one month every four years and it's a few players out of the thousands and thousands of players."
Infantino also hit back at critics over the choice of Australia and New Zealand as hosts for the event.
"I remember when we decided to do that, of course the usual critics, which are less and less, were saying it's not going to work and the level is too different," he said.
"There would be 15-0 scores, it will be bad for women's football and its image. I'm sorry but FIFA was right. FIFA was right. As it happens quite often in the last years, FIFA was right once more."
England will play Spain in the World Cup final in Sydney on Sunday.
