U.S. players want more investment in women's game

FILE PHOTO: Julie Foudy of the USA (C) holds up the Women's World Cup trophy after the USA beat China in the World Cup final on penalty kicks. At left is Mia Hamm (9) and at right is Shannon MacMillan, with flag/File Photo

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The 1999 U.S. women's team may defy comparison in the eyes of many soccer fans but, 20 years after their famous World Cup triumph, the challenges they faced are all too familiar with pay and conditions still at the top of the agenda.

Soccer's world governing body FIFA has boosted the prize money for this year's women's World Cup to $30 million but that figure is dwarfed by the roughly $448 million on offer at the men's tournament in Russia last year.