I have ZERO interest in football, but I have a question.

[ColinRobinsonsfamiliar]

My lot have been glued to the England womens football.
I asked if these players are equal to the mens England players, are they paid the same? Are they full time professionals (don’t have day jobs in other words) do they have everything professionally that the mens team have?

I recall a news item a couple of years ago where they interviewed a female footballer who was saying that they do not. She described the differences, it sounded like the 1940’s.
I was furious on their behalf.

Has this changed?

Following a I'm interested too, but in my limited knowledge... I think there are a few professional teams (for some reason Arsenal comes to mind) and I highly doubt they get paid anywhere near the same as players in men's Premier League teams.

They’d be well paid, but not anywhere near that of the regular premier league. But that’s just the same as male players in lower leagues that will earn a fraction of a top tier premier league player.

Most of the players are professionals in the English WSL, although a couple play for overseas clubs. They are on full time salaries but nothing like those of the Premier League. More like that of league 2 I can't quote for individuals but the average wage in the league is nearing the 30,000 mark and I would have thought that these stars would them be higher than that.

Women's football is improving but it doesn't attract the same coverage or crowds and therefore generates less money, as a consequence, the players earnings are much lower, but it is improving.

footballers pay

According to this article, some get as little as £20000, although obviously the more experienced players get more. I guess they get extra money through sponsorship etc.

Here you go.

www.nationalworld.com/sport/football/how-much-do-female-footballers-get-paid-womens-euros-2022-salaries-equal-pay-3759605

They’d be well paid, but not anywhere near that of the regular premier league. But that’s just the same as male players in lower leagues that will earn a fraction of a top tier premier league player.

I disagree that it's the same. Male lower league players are less talented than PL players and therefore earn less. The female players we are talking about here are the best in England, the most talented. It's all about the popularity, TV rights and commercial saleability of the women's game.

It’s a growing game. It doesn’t have the huge investment that the men’s game does.
or the investment in the grassroots game, like they have done for years in the US. It’s changing, though.

So many more girls play football now. Grassroots girls football in England (not sure about the rest of the UK?) is thriving. Big tournaments with press coverage (like the Euros) bring in big sponsors and raise the profile of the women’ shame.

It’s a slow burn, but I think in a generation’s time womens football will be big, big business.

So much inequality still , but it’s an exciting time to be part of the womens game. I’d encourage you to go to a match. Audiences are still overwhelmingly female, which makes for a totally different atmosphere. I love it!