Women's billion-dollar boom leaves players behind, says Fifpro

BySally Freedman BBC Sport senior journalist.

Key points

• The report states that global revenue in the women's game is projected to rise from concerning $581m (£439m) in 2024 to over $1bn (£756m) in 2027.
• Average contract lengths have additionally climbed from regarding one year in 2017 to 19 months, but numerous players still face periods without guaranteed income.
• In the survey, 62% of players described themselves as professional, 27% selected semi-professional and 12% chose amateur.
• Despite the rapid expansion of England's Women's Super League, Fifpro states conditions at the top of the game could obscure the reality for plenty of players elsewhere.
• "What we've concluded, which I think is incredibly important, is that targeted regulatory intervention works – maternity regulations were introduced in 2021, " remarked Culvin.

Women's football is on course to become a billion-dollar industry, but plenty of professional players are still earning low wages, working on insecure contracts and experiencing rising psychological stress.

That is according to the findings of a new global survey of more than 800 footballers by the players' union Fifpro., external.

Players were asked why they might leave football early. While psychological stress was another factor identified by 46%, the report stated 59% cited financial reasons.

Alex Culvin, head of women's football at Fifpro, remarked there was no single explanation for the rise. She pointed to growing public exposure, financial insecurity and inadequate backing systems as feasible contributing factors. "Players are now very visible, " she remarked.

"Players are not only expected to be visible, but are obligated to be visible because of the low income to subsidise the lack of solid income they receive."

While awareness of mental health problems has improved, Culvin explained numerous players felt they were being left to cope alone.

"Players also reported, whilst having a higher psychological stress, that they didn't have the support they needed in a mental health sense, either at the club or internationally, " she remarked.

In total, the report demonstrates 57% of women who responded to the survey struggled with their mental health and half of them were not provided with backing by their clubs. Most women players earn less than £15, 000 – Fifpro. Legal action against Fifa to include women's schedule. Women's football could become 'billion pound' industry.

For context, the report states that global revenue in the women's game is projected to rise from concerning $581m (£439m) in 2024 to over $1bn (£756m) in 2027. It additionally highlights emerging psychological pressures facing professional women's footballers.

In an increasingly digital world, players are more accessible than ever through social media, bringing them closer to fans but additionally exposing them to online harassment and abuse.

In practice, the Fifpro survey suggested that although salaries, visibility and investment have risen significantly since 2017, much of the professional game still operates in precarious conditions.

For Culvin, the sport's commercial expansion is not yet being matched by safeguards for the players driving it. "The economic case for women's football has been made, " she remarked.

"I think the institutional regulatory and policy case needs to catch up quickly to protect and enhance our women's players and enable them to perform maximally." Players don't see themselves as 'professional'.

One of the report's most striking findings is how players view their own professional status.

Under Fifa's definition, a professional player has a written contract and is paid more than the expenses incurred playing.

All players in the survey were playing for clubs in the top tier of their country, yet only 78% documented having a written contract and 82% stated they were paid by their club.

Nevertheless, just 57% stated that payment was enough to cover the costs of playing football.

"Players who are professional but don't see or feel themselves as professional are not receiving the full benefits of being an employee, " Culvin remarked.

For context, the report additionally highlights the limits of salary expansion. Although mean average monthly earnings have tripled since 2017 to $2, 601 (£1, 970), the median salary is just $1, 669 (£1, 250).

Average monthly pay varies considerably 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 just $480 (£363) in Africa.

While salaries have risen sharply in leagues such as those in the USA and Mexico, average pay in 10 Eastern European countries remains below the national minimum wage.

Even in regions such as Western Europe and Asia/Oceania that span some bigger football markets, average pay is not significantly higher than national minimum wage levels.

Fifpro was unable to provide average salaries per league as the report focused on regions rather than individual countries. Short-term contracts and late payments.

"Only two-thirds of players are paid for the whole 12 months, " remarked Culvin.

"There's a lot of players who are on seven-month contracts, nine-month contracts, which means that they've got to work to make up the rest of the calendar year."

She believes the rapid commercial expansion of women's football has assisted to obscure some of these realities.

Culvin cautioned the economic boom in women's football could "mask some of the realities that players face and actually endure on a day-to-day basis".

While 42% were not provided with a pension, the report additionally identified that 24% of players had experienced late payments over the past two seasons. 'Wake-up call' is needed, notes Culvin. Culvin argues there is a growing disconnect between expectations and reality.

"I think there's a wake-up call needed for the ecosystem, that our players are suffering and that there is not the kind of wraparound support and accountability that's needed for players, " she remarked. Nevertheless, not all trends were negative. One significant improvement being felt in the game reservations parenthood.

In 2017, almost half of respondents considering leaving the game early stated wanting a family could drive them out of football.

That figure has now fallen to 19%. It fifpro attributes in part to maternity regulations that were introduced by Fifa in 2021 and updated two years ago.

Notably, the report highlights a widening divide within the women's game. The sport's elite clubs and players have benefited from investment and visibility, yet much of the global workforce remains vulnerable.

"You've got an industry that's very focused on the top 5% of players, " Culvin remarked.

"But then what you've obtained is the rest. It is 95% of the industry who are not paid on time, who have short contracts. They don't obtain paid for 12 months – they are in incredibly vulnerable and precarious environments."

Despite that, Fifpro insists the solution is not to slow down expansion but to ensure that commercial success and player welfare develop together.

Taken together, the developments around women' s billion-dollar boom leaves players behind, says Fifpro point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.