England women’s football team manager, Sarina Wiegman, reportedly earns over £4 million less than men’s manager, Gareth Southgate.
After the Lionesses historic win against Germany in the Womens Euro 2022 Cup last night, their coach is thought to be earning a bonus of around half of her £400,000 salary.
In comparison, Southgate’s salary is thought to have increased in November from £3 million per year to around £5 million plus bonuses.
The Football Association (FA) previously made salaries for managers like Wiegman and Southgate more performance-related and incentivised, with winning a major tournament being the biggest factor for deciding bonuses.
The Lionesses’ win at the Euro’s in Wembley Stadium is the first major trophy that England have won since 1966 at the World Cup.
Alongside Wiegman’s reported bonus of around £200,000, the players themselves will have a £55,000 bonus after their win on top of the £2,000 earned per match, with further earning potential coming from brand deals.
According to The Times, the majority of England’s female players are paid around £30,000 from the FA, plus to salaries from individual clubs, in a tiered system that begins at just £15,000 and is based on age and seniority.
In the Women’s Super League, the highest league of women’s football in England, salaries can start at approximately £20,000 but leading players can earn up to £200,000 a year.
After the Lionesses’ historic win, female football fans are calling for less pay disparity, better brand deals and more recognition for the sport.
Emily Drakeley, co-founder of female-fan run organisation HerGameToo who fight against sexism in the sport, told Birmingham Live: “I think it’s really given young girls a voice and a chance for them to say ‘that’s what I want to do. It really is a turning point.
“I think men’s clubs need to take more responsibility for their female counterparts and promote what they do. Local communities need to start shouting about what opportunities are available to women and girls too because, when I was growing up, we didn’t have anything,” she continued.
“This result will give women the chance to demand equality and demand the same opportunities afforded to men. It will give us a platform, going forward, to say it’s her game too.”
