England's Women's Euro 2022 squad have inspired the next generations of footballers with their exploits in the tournament on home soil.
UEFA have confirmed that a record breaking 487,683 people have already attended matches across the UK in the Women’s Euro 2022 ahead of tonight's final against Germany which will have sell-out crowd of 90,000. Millions watched on Tuesday night as England beat Sweden 4-0 with Alessia Russo's back-heeled goal going viral on social media.
With increased television coverage the women's game has skyrocketed in popularity in recent years, with huge viewing figures at the World Cup, and now the Euros. The increase in popularity is across Europe as El Clasico between Real Madrid and Barcelona set a capacity record of 90,000 at the Camp Nou earlier this year, which is set to be matched at Wembley tonight. So how much are the players paid?
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Despite the increase in popularity and media attention, women footballers are still paid considerably less than their male counterparts, and a lot of this is down to the money generated through big tournaments and matches. The women's game is going from strength to strength, but they are still a long way behind in terms of what they earn.
The Women's Super League (WSL) was established in 2010 and is the highest league of women's football in England. It is one of the most competitive and professional in world football, and features an abundance of talent across 12 teams, from Chelsea's Sam Kerr to Arsenal's Vivianne Miedema.
Tottenham and West Hall also have sides in the women's top flight along with Liverpool, Manchester United and Manchester City. However, the salary in the WSL can be as low as £20,000 per year in some cases, reports The Telegraph.
The domestic game still has a long way to go and some players are even being reportedly 'priced out' of playing professional football, due to the low starting wage and lack of opportunities. While some players are struggling to make ends meet others are offered in excess of £300,000 per year, so there are drastic differences in wages. The average yearly salary in the WSL is said to be £30,000.
It has been reported by SportBible that the highest paid female footballer was the USA's Carli Lloyd, who earned over £432,000 per year before her retirement in August 2021. Chelsea's Sam Kerr is now said to be the top earner in the women's game, earning over £400,000 a year. In comparison the highest paid male footballer according to Forbes, is Lionel Messi, who earns £62 million per year before endorsements.
With regard to national team salaries, times are changing and numerous national sides pay their men's and women's teams equally. These sides include England, Brazil, Australia and Norway. England women earn roughly £2,000 per match, according to National World.
It has been reported that if England win the Women's Euro 2022 tournament tonight then they will receive the ‘most generous’ bonus in the FA’s history, with each player getting £55,000, according to the Telegraph.
888Sport compiled a list of the highest paid players, Lloyd tops the list, despite her retirement last year.
Highest-paid women's footballers
- Carli Lloyd (retired): £432,000 ($518,000)
- Sam Kerr: £417,000 ($500,000)
- Alex Morgan: £375,000 ($450,000)
- Megan Rapinoe: £373,000 ($447,000)
- Julie Ertz: £359,000 ($430,000)
- Ada Hegerberg: £355,000 ($425,000)
- Marta: £334,000 ($400,000)
Five out of the top eight highest-paid women's footballers play their trade in the National Women's Soccer League in the US. In the UK, the Women's Super League only went fully professional in 2018, and after such an impressive increase in viewing figures and attendances in recent years, there is great scope for more wage increases in the UK in years to come.
