How much do female football players earn? Salary of lionesses compared to men.
A entire generation of female footballers were inspired by England’s win at the European Championships this summer, which was viewed by over 10 million viewers on television.
Chloe Kelly’s extra-time goal triggered extraordinary scenes of passion and ecstasy at the home of English football, the likes of which had never before been witnessed at a women’s football match prior to this summer.
As a result, the women’s game has entered into the public like never before, causing many to question how much the best players are paid. Notwithstanding a recent improvement, it is unsurprising that the income gap between men and women remains substantial.
The Women’s Super League, English football’s premier domestic tournament, is regarded as one of the world’s most competitive divisions and contains an abundance of talent, like Chelsea’s Sam Kerr and Arsenal’s Vivianne Miedema.
In certain situations, though, incomes in the league might be as low as £20,000 per year. According to reports, the average WSL pay is £30,000 per year. Some athletes are apparently “priced out” of playing professional football due to the combination of a low beginning salary and a dearth of possibilities.
SportBible reports that former United States great Carli Lloyd made more than £432,000 per year before retiring last year, with Australia and Chelsea star Sam Kerr now being the highest-paid player in the women’s game, earning more than £400,000 per year.
Comparing the gulf to men’s football players, the gulf is a startling difference. When at Real Madrid, Gareth Bale was reputedly paid up to £600,000 per week, which is three times the annual salary of England’s Lucy Bronze. According to Forbes, Lionel Messi is the highest-paid male player, with an annual salary of £62 million before sponsorships.
Numerous organizations pay their men’s and women’s teams the same amount for overseas travel in the current era. England, Brazil, Australia, and Norway are among these teams. Each match earns England approximately £2,000.
The Football Association of Wales has committed to implementing equal pay for its male and female international players by 2026’s end. This comes after the most-capped footballer for Wales, Jess Fishlock, stated in an S4C documentary that unequal pay for representing Wales in football is “unacceptable.”
Following their record-breaking summer, the Telegraph announced that the Lionesses will receive the “most lucrative bonus in the history of the FA,” with each player receiving £55,000. However, such a payout would be far less than the £5 million bonus England’s team was rumored to be eligible for if it had won Euro 2020.
But, experts have projected that the Lionesses could be in line for big endorsement deals following their performance. In addition to her existing contracts with Pepsi and Nike, Captain Leah Williamson will likely receive hefty compensation after securing a contract with the Italian fashion powerhouse Gucci.
Marketing expert Andrew Bloch told the BBC, “Viewership often decides the size of sponsorship and endorsement deals, therefore this tournament will spark an economic revolution in the women’s game.”
According to data from Neilsen Fan Insights, fans of women’s football are more gender-balanced and younger than followers of men’s football, a combination that is desirable for sponsors.
highest-earning female footballers.
1.Carli Lloyd (since retired): £432,000 ($518,000)
2.Sam Kerr: £417,000 ($500,000)
3.Alex Morgan: £375,000 ($450,000)
4.Megan Rapinoe: £373,000 ($447,000)
5.Julie Ertz: £359,000 ($430,000)
6.Ada Hegerberg: £355,000 ($425,000)
7.Marta: £334,000 ($400,000)
Marta: £334,000 ($400,000)
(According to 888Sport)
Five of the aforementioned players are members of the National Women’s Soccer League in the United States, a league that has long been the benchmark in comparison to the Women’s Super League, which only turned professional in 2018.