How Much Are Women's Footballers Paid? A Comprehensive Guide

Are you curious about how much women’s footballers are paid? This guide breaks down women’s soccer compensation across different leagues and the world’s top players’ earnings. Discover the factors influencing these figures and what the future holds for women’s football pay.

1. Understanding Women’s Football Compensation

The salaries of women’s footballers can vary widely depending on several factors. These include the league they play in, the team’s financial backing, their individual skill and experience, and endorsement deals. Let’s delve into the details of women’s soccer compensation.

Key Factors Influencing Pay:

League Popularity: Leagues with higher attendance and viewership tend to offer better compensation.
Team Funding: Clubs with more financial resources can afford to pay their players more.
Player Skill & Experience: Star players and those with extensive experience command higher salaries.
Endorsement Deals: Sponsorships with major brands can significantly boost a player’s earnings.

2. Women’s Soccer Salaries Around the Globe

Comparing salaries across different regions is essential to understanding the landscape of women’s football compensation. Here’s a look at the median pay in Australia, the United States, and Europe.

2.1. Europe

Determining the exact earnings of female soccer players in Europe is challenging due to privacy regulations. Most figures available are estimates, and only a portion represents their league pay. Also, the very top players’ salaries skew the data, as they earn significantly more than most players. However, many female footballers in Europe do not earn enough to live on, playing for passion and holding other jobs to make ends meet.

In England’s Women’s Super League (WSL), the median wage is around £47,000 (approximately $59,000 USD). However, some footballers earn as little as £20,000 (close to $25,000 USD), which is much lower than the typical salary in the UK.

2.2. United States

The National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) in the United States has a minimum salary cap of $36,000 USD and a maximum of $200,000 USD. Players who have undergone specialized training, such as soccer goalkeeper training, often secure positions at the higher end of the scale.

These figures indicate a higher minimum pay compared to the UK. However, US players might miss out on the high-end earnings enjoyed by some of their UK counterparts.

2.3. Australia

In Australia, the minimum pay for any team member is $25,000 AUD, an improvement from the $20,000 AUD of the previous season. However, it remains almost half the minimum salary that soccer players in Europe and the US claim.

The sport’s popularity significantly affects compensation. The WSL in England boasts an attendance of nearly 15,000 fans, with major games attracting around 35,000. In contrast, attendance at Australian A-League Women’s games is just over 1,000 fans.

A female soccer player warming up before a match.

Footballers’ salaries depend on the support and funding of the leagues. | Photo by Jeffrey F Lin

3. The Highest-Paid Australian Soccer Players

While the A-League Women is not the most lucrative league, Australia’s best soccer players earn substantial amounts representing their country.

An athletic team wearing yellow uniforms on a football pitch.

Photo by Liondartois

Sources estimate the Matildas’ median salaries to be between $100,000 and $200,000 AUD, with higher salaries for more experienced and star players. Only two players from the Matildas squad play in the A-League.

3.1. Sam Kerr

A football player wearing a royal blue uniform prepares to kick the ball.

Photo by Thewomensgame

Sam Kerr’s earnings outpace any other Australian footballer by a significant margin. Some sources indicate her Chelsea pay packet is as high as £477,000, while others report a more modest $600,000 AUD figure. Endorsements constitute the bulk of her earnings, estimated to be upwards of $3 million AUD. She is currently the highest-paid female footballer in the world.

3.2. Ellie Carpenter

A person in a yellow and green team uniform runs toward a ball on a football pitch.

Ellie Carpenter’s talent and likability ensure a lucrative future. Currently, Ellie earns just over one-third of Sam Kerr’s total annual compensation, roughly $1.3 million AUD. While this is substantial, it still falls short of the world’s best-ranked players’ compensation.

4. World Cup Prize Money for Players

Players at the World Cup receive prize money based on their team’s performance. The prize money for the tournament has increased sixfold since 2015.

In 2007, the entire prize pool was $5.8 million USD. For the latest World Cup tournament, the amount was nearly twenty times that, at $110 million USD. The prize pool is allocated based on how far each team progresses in the tournament.

World Cup Prize Money Allocation:

$1.6 million USD: Divided among teams eliminated in the group stage.
$4.3 million USD: Awarded to the winners, with higher amounts for teams that progress further.

Australia achieved its best-ever result at the recent World Cup, with the team receiving $2,455,000 USD. Each member took home around $165,000 USD. The global median salary for female soccer players is around $14,000 USD, making the $30,000 USD prize money for the World Cup’s group stage a significant step forward.

A women

The best players in the premier leagues can make a lot of money, but still far less than in men’s leagues. Photo by Jeffrey F Lin

5. Who Are the Highest-Paid Female Soccer Players in the World?

Sam Kerr holds the top position as the highest-paid female soccer player. However, other notable players also earn considerable sums. Here are some of the highest earners for 2023:

5.1. Vivianne Miedema

Two football players vie for the ball.

Photo by jamesboyes

Vivianne Miedema is currently the second-highest-paid female soccer player globally. She plays for Arsenal but will end their partnership at the end of 2024, when her contract expires. She is keen to continue representing the Netherlands, where fans hail her record-setting style. She has scored 69 goals across 91 appearances.

5.2. Alex Morgan

A soccer player in a white team uniform walks on the pitch.

Photo by Erik Drost

Alex Morgan is one of the most experienced players on the high-earners list, with a lengthy career. She has helped her team win seven contests and a Gold medal at the London Olympics. Alex also models and writes books, supplementing her income.

5.3. Fran Kirby

A football player in a blue team uniform runs on the pitch.

Photo by Katie Chan

Fran Kirby helped bring the team to victory in the 2022 European Women’s Championship (UEFA). She has won numerous awards, including the Professional Footballers Association (PFA) Player of the Year Award.

5.4. Pernille Harder

A person wearing a green sports jersey and white sports on a football pitch, next to a ball.

Photo by Steffen Prößdorf

Pernille Harder has won multiple awards. Like Fran Kirby, she was PFA’s player of the year, earning that distinction twice. She has received nominations for the Ballon d’Or Féminin on three occasions.

6. The Future of Women’s Football Compensation

The earnings of these top players are significantly higher than the average worker’s income. Yet, they pale in comparison to the prize money in the men’s World Cup, which ranges in the hundreds of millions of dollars.

This financial gap is unlikely to persist given the growing popularity of women’s football. Clubs are recognizing the untapped market potential of women’s football, particularly as women’s teams often perform better than men’s teams. This positive shift also means that soccer is far more accessible to young girls.

Looking ahead, we can expect to see:

Increased Investment: More financial support from sponsors and clubs.
Higher Salaries: Rising pay levels across all leagues.
Greater Exposure: More media coverage and fan engagement.
Equal Opportunities: A continued push for pay equity with men’s soccer.

7. FAQs About Women’s Football Pay

Q1: What is the average salary for a female soccer player in the NWSL?
The average salary in the NWSL ranges from $36,000 to $200,000 USD.

Q2: Who is the highest-paid female soccer player in the world?
Sam Kerr, playing for Chelsea, is the highest-paid female soccer player.

Q3: How does the prize money for the Women’s World Cup compare to the men’s?
The prize money for the Women’s World Cup is significantly lower than the men’s, but it’s increasing.

Q4: What factors influence a female soccer player’s salary?
League popularity, team funding, player skill, and endorsement deals.

Q5: What is the minimum salary for a female soccer player in Australia?
The minimum salary is $25,000 AUD.

Q6: Do female soccer players earn enough to live on in Europe?
Many do not and often work other jobs to supplement their income.

Q7: How much did each member of the Australian team take home from the World Cup?
Each member took home around $165,000 USD.

Q8: How can young girls become professional soccer players?
With private coaching, you can learn how to play and achieve a level where you can join clubs and academies.

Q9: Which country’s league offers the highest minimum pay for female soccer players?
The United States, through the NWSL, offers a higher minimum pay than the UK.

Q10: What are the median salaries of the Matildas?
The median salaries of the Matildas are estimated to be between $100,000 and $200,000 AUD.

8. Discover More at CAUHOI2025.UK.COM

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