FIFA World Cup: What’s behind the Canada Soccer player compensation dispute?

Canada Soccer is anticipating the association can ink a pay equity deal with both the men and women’s teams before the FIFA World Cup starts in Qatar.

As Team Canada prepares for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, a lingering tussle over player image rights and prize money is playing out on the sidelines.

The issue of naming, imaging and licensing rights has been a point of contention in labour talks between Canada Soccer and the men’s national team ahead of the World Cup in Qatar.

The association recently struck a deal with star player Alphonso Davies. Under that agreement, according to a TSN report, the Bayern Munich winger will receive a royalty for sales of his national team jersey.

Canada Soccer has not disclosed the terms of the deal but its president said Wednesday that similar agreements will be offered to the men’s and women’s team players.

It’s a “complicated issue,” sports analysts say, that is distracting attention from Canada’s first men’s World Cup appearance in 36 years.

“I think it will absolutely impact performance on the field,” said Mac Ross, an assistant professor of kinesiology at Western University, who specializes in sport and human rights.

Canada Soccer president Nick Bontis is anticipating the association can ink “an epic, historical deal for pay equity” with both the men’s and women’s teams before the World Cup starts in Qatar on Nov. 20.

“I really, really do anticipate and hope that we can get something done prior to kicking a ball in Doha,’” said Bontis, speaking on Behind the Bench, a weekly coaching webcast, Wednesday.