The England women’s team, according to stand-in captain Millie Bright, have reached an agreement with the Football Association (FA) regarding pay and bonuses. Initially, discussions were put on hold before the Women’s World Cup, where England finished as runners-up to Spain. Last year, the squad had raised concerns about bonus and commercial structures with the FA. Bright confirmed the agreement during a press conference ahead of the Nations League game against Scotland. She emphasized the team’s desire to be leaders both on and off the pitch and expressed optimism for positive changes in the future.
The dispute between the players and the FA arose when FIFA announced that individual fees for World Cup players would be paid directly, ranging from $30,000 to $270,000 for the winning team. However, the FA’s decision not to offer additional bonus payments to the England team on top of the FIFA fees caused tension leading up to the tournament. RushHourDaily has reached out to the FA for comment.
The Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) highlighted in July that pay issues were particularly prevalent in countries without collective bargaining agreements. FIFA had allocated a specific financial contribution for all World Cup players, resulting in each England squad member receiving $195,000 as runners-up. Spain’s soccer federation was set to receive $4.29 million, while the English FA would receive just over $3 million from FIFA’s distribution.
Bright emphasized that the discussions with the FA were about more than just the bonus. She stated that the women’s game is rapidly evolving and conversations like these are necessary to ensure excellence in all areas. The players feel confident moving forward with the newly established structure. England manager Sarina Wiegman anticipated the agreement and looked forward to refocusing on football. She explained that while the discussions were put on hold during the World Cup, communication remained constant. With the issue now resolved, the team can move forward positively.
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