How much do female footballers get paid? Women’s average salaries, national team pay & prize money

England take on USA in a blockbuster international friendly at a sold out Wembley Stadium tonight.
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England Women face the United Stadte of America in an international friendly at Wembley Stadium this evening.

The London venue is expected to be sold out for the blockbuster event in what could be another landmark event for women’s football.

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Attendance at women’s football matches has dramatically improved in recent years and, as the sport becomes more popular across the globe, there has been increasing discussion over the salaries of the game’s female stars.

They have always been paid a lot less than their male counterparts and only now is action being taken.

Here is all we know on how much female footballers get paid as of the Women’s Euro 2022 final:

Average salaries of female footballers

The salary of female footballers very much depends on what league they play in and who they play for, with many top flight leagues now professional.

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Despite the Women’s Super League in England said to be professional in name, starting salaries are thought to be around £20,000, with a number of WSL players having to work a second job alongside their football.

The average women’s salary in the WSL is reportedly around £30,000.

National team salaries

Female footballers often also rely on their earnings from the national teams.

A number of countries are now paying their men’s and women’s teams the same amount, including England, Brazil, Australia and Norway.

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The Lionesses are thought to earn around £2000 a match, however many England stars choose to donate their match fees to charity.

US Women National Team ended a six-year legal battle over equal pay in February, agreeing a deal worth $24m plus bonuses to match the terms of the men.

US Soccer agreed to provide an equal rate of pay for the women’s and men’s national teams and will also establish a fund with $2m to benefit the players in their post-playing careers and charitable efforts aimed at growing the sport for women.

Following the conclusion of the legal battle, US winger Megan Rapinoe said: “For our generation, knowing that we’re going to leave the game in an exponentially better place than when we found it is everything.

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“That’s what it’s all about because, to be honest, there is no justice in all of this if we don’t make sure it never happens again.

“It’s a herculean task to win a World Cup, certainly in the fashion we did with all that we were fighting for off the field and this felt just as herculean or probably bigger in so many ways. I’m excited about moving forward.”

How much did the England women’s team get for winning Euro 2022 finals?

It has been reported that England’s win at Euro tournament saw them receive the ‘most generous’ bonus in the FA’s history.

According to The Telegraph, the FA was set to give each player £55,000 - totalling a whopping £1.3m pay-out.

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However, this is still significantly less than the men would have received had they won the 2020 tournament, with Gareth Southgate’s side previously set to receive a £5m bonus.

Highest earners in women’s football

According to 888sport, the current highest earner in women’s football is Chelsea striker Sam Kerr, who is on over £400,000 a year.

Carli Lloyd was the highest-paid female footballer in the world prior to her retirement last summer.

The remaining members of the top 10 all either play in the NSWL in America or for French club Lyon.

1. Carli Lloyd (retired) - $518,000

2. Sam Kerr (Chelsea) - $500,000

3. Alex Morgan (San Diego Wave) - $450,000

4. Megan Rapinoe (OL Reign) - $447,000

5. Julie Ertz (Angel City FC) - $430,000

6. Ada Hegerberg (Lyon) - $425,000

7. Marta (Orlando Pride) - $400,000

8. Amandine Henry (Lyon) - $394,500

9. Wendie Renard (Lyon) - $392,000

10. Christine Sinclair (Portland Thorns) - $380,000

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