Women's football is on track to become a billion-dollar industry, but a global survey by Fifpro of more than 800 players reveals that many professional players still earn low wages, work on insecure contracts and experience growing psychological stress.
According to the results, 59 per cent of players who considered leaving the sport early cited financial reasons, while 46 per cent of respondents identified stress as a factor. The report also shows that 57 per cent of women who responded to the survey were struggling with their mental health, with half of them receiving no support from their clubs.
Alex Culvin, head of women's football at Fifpro, said there was no single explanation for the increase in stress. She cited growing public exposure, financial insecurity and inadequate support systems as possible factors. 'Players are now very visible,' said Culvin, adding: 'Players are not just expected to be visible, but are required to be visible because of the low income they receive, to subsidise the lack of solid income they receive.' She explained that many players felt left to their own devices. 'Players also reported that, despite having higher stress levels, they did not have the support they needed in terms of mental health, either at the club or at international level,' said Culvin.
Players are increasingly accessible via social media, bringing them closer to fans, but also exposing them to online harassment and abuse. The survey suggests that, although pay, visibility and investment have increased significantly since 2017, a large part of the game still operates in insecure conditions. According to the definition, a professional player has a written contract and is paid more than the costs incurred by playing. In the survey, 62 per cent of players described themselves as professional, 27 per cent chose semi-professional, and 12 per cent as amateur. All players in the survey played for clubs in their country's top tier, but only 78 per cent reported having a written contract, 82 per cent said they were paid by their club, and only 57 per cent said their pay was sufficient to cover the costs of playing football. 'Players who are professional but do not see themselves or are not seen as professional do not receive the full benefits of employees,' said Culvin.
The average monthly wage has tripled since 2017 to $2,601 (£1,970), but the median wage is only $1,669 (£1,250). The average monthly wage varies significantly by region, from $6,450 (£4,886) in North America and $3,982 (£3,016) in central/western Europe, to $878 (£664) in eastern Europe and only $480 (£363) in Africa. The average wage in 10 Eastern European countries remains below the national minimum wage. Fifpro was unable to provide average wages by league as the report focused on regions rather than individual countries. The average length of contract has increased from about one year in 2017 to 19 months. 'Only two-thirds of players are paid for a full 12 months,' said Culvin. 'Many players are on seven-month contracts, nine-month contracts, which means they have to work to make up the rest of the calendar year.'
Culvin believes that the rapid growth of women's football has masked some of these realities. Despite the rapid growth of the Women's Super League, Fifpro says that conditions at the top can mask the reality for many players elsewhere. Culvin warned that the economic boom in women's football could 'mask some of the realities players are facing and are actually living with on a daily basis.' The report also showed that 24 per cent of players had experienced late payments in the last two seasons, and 42 per cent did not receive a pension. Culvin argues that there is a growing disconnect between expectation and reality. 'I think there is a call to arms for the ecosystem, that our players are suffering and there is no type of comprehensive support and accountability that is needed for players,' she said. She added: 'The economic argument for women's football has been made', but warned: 'I think the institutional regulatory and policy framework needs to catch up quickly to protect and advance our players, enabling them to perform at their best.' The report notes that global revenue in women's football is expected to grow from $581 million (£439 million) in 2024 to over $1 billion (£756 million) in 2027.
