FIFA’s latest annual report, “Setting the Pace, FIFA Benchmarking Report on Women’s Football,” has shed light on the wide discrepancies in pay, contracts, and attendance in women’s football globally. Despite progress in recent years, the report highlights that significant work remains to ensure greater equality.
Stark Pay Disparity Between Tiers
The report revealed that the average annual salary for female professional soccer players worldwide is just $10,900. However, this figure is distorted by a handful of top clubs.
- Tier 1 Clubs: Among 41 clubs across 16 countries, the average salary was around $24,030. Interestingly, 16 of these clubs paid their players an average gross salary exceeding $50,000, with the highest salaries reaching approximately $120,000.
- Tier 2 and Tier 3 Clubs: Salaries drop significantly in lower tiers, with average gross salaries of $4,361 in Tier 2 and $2,805 in Tier 3.
“There is a need for players of a certain standard to earn a reliable and sufficient income solely from playing, reducing their dependence on secondary sources of income and allowing them to dedicate the time required to play at a higher level,” the report emphasized.
Contract Duration Reflects Stability Gap
The duration of contracts varied across tiers, with Tier 1 clubs offering the longest contracts, typically between one and three years. Salaries were highest for contracts lasting two to three years. - Tier 3 Contracts: Clubs in Tier 3 were more likely to offer contracts under three months, limiting player stability and growth.
- “A longer contract enables players to commit to a club and a location, giving them more stability so they can focus on their footballing careers,” the report noted.
Attendance: A Challenge for Lower Tiers
Attendance levels also varied dramatically between tiers.
- Tier 1 Clubs: Averaged 1,713 fans per game, though marquee fixtures saw record-breaking turnouts. Arsenal’s clash with Manchester United drew 60,160 fans at Emirates Stadium, setting a Women’s Super League record.
- Tier 2 and Tier 3 Clubs: Attendance fell sharply to 480 and 380 fans per match, respectively.
- “For clubs in Tier 1, the average attendance at the other stadium was typically double that at the regular stadium, indicating that the sport has the ability to attract larger audiences on occasion,” the report stated.
Gender Gap in Coaching Roles
The report also highlighted the lack of gender diversity in coaching.
- Only 22% of head coaches across all tiers were female, although referee representation was more balanced.
- Female Referees: 42% of referees were women, ranging from 57% in Tier 1 to 25% in Tiers 2 and 3.
FIFA President Acknowledges Progress, But Calls for More
FIFA President Gianni Infantino acknowledged the advancements but stressed the need for continued effort to unlock the full potential of women’s football.
“The strides made in recent years have been remarkable, but there is still more work to be done to unlock its full potential,” Infantino said.
Survey and Tier Classification Survey for "Setting the Pace" was distributed to 135 leagues and 1,518 clubs, with a response rate of 677 clubs from 90 leagues. FIFA paid notice even when scoring the tier based on: - Presence of a club licensing system - Number of players featured in the 2023 Women's World Cup - Member association budgets for women's football.