A new report by economist Tiya Banerjee at the e61 Institute reveals a strong correlation between national wealth and success in women's football, a pattern observed in teams like Australia's Matildas, the US, and Canada. Banerjee's research debunks the theory that wealth simply translates to general sporting prowess, emphasizing that the advantage is specific to the women's game. While progressive gender norms and higher female labor force participation show some correlation, Banerjee identifies increased investment in women's football as the primary driver. Richer countries invest more in training infrastructure and resources for women's football, yielding greater returns than in the men's game, which is dominated by massive private money and global transfer markets.