A whole generation of female footballers were inspired by England's European Championship triumph this summer with a crowd of almost 90,000 fans turning out at Wembley and a TV audience of more than 10 million tuning in to watch from home.
Chloe Kelly's extra-time winner sparked wild scenes of passion and joy at the home of English football, the likes of which had never been seen previously at a women's football match prior to this summer.
The women's game has subsequently broken into the mainstream like never before, leaving many to wonder just how much the top players actually get paid. Despite a positive increase in recent years, it, unfortunately, comes as little surprise that the disparity between male and female wages is still a large one.
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The Women's Super League, English football's top domestic competition, has a reputation for being one of the world's most competitive divisions and features an abundance of talent from Chelsea's Sam Kerr to Arsenal's Vivianne Miedema.
Nonetheless, salaries in the league can be as low as £20,000 per year in some instances. The average WSL yearly salary is said to be £30,000. Combined with a lack of opportunities, the low starting wage has led to some players being reportedly "priced out" of playing professional football.
SportBible report ex-USA star Carli Lloyd earned more than £432,000 per year before retiring last year, with Australia and Chelsea star Sam Kerr now said to be the top earner in the women's game, earning more than £400,000 a year.
When comparing the gulf with men's footballers, the gulf is an astonishing one. Gareth Bale was reportedly paid up to £600,000 a week while at Real Madrid, triple the amount England star Lucy Bronze was estimated to make per year. The highest-paid male footballer according to Forbes, is Lionel Messi, who earns £62million per year before endorsements.
In modern developments, numerous associations pay their men's and women's teams equally for international outings. These sides include England, Brazil, Australia and Norway. England earn roughly £2,000 per match.
The Football Association of Wales has pledged to introduce equal pay for its men and women international players by the end of 2026. It comes after Wales' most-capped footballer Jess Fishlock previously told an S4C documentary that unequal pay for representing Wales in football is "unacceptable."
In the aftermath of their record-breaking summer, it was reported by the Telegraph that the Lionesses were set for the "most generous bonus in the FA’s history," with each player set for £55,000. However, such a pay-out would be much lower than the bonus of £5m that England's men had been reported to be in line for had they won Euro 2020.
Experts, though, have predicted that the Lionesses could be in line to earn lucrative sponsorship deals in the wake of their success. Captain Leah Williamson is likely to receive lucrative fees after signing a deal with Italian fashion giant Gucci, alongside existing agreements with Pepsi and Nike.
Marketing expert Andrew Bloch told the BBC: "Viewership normally determines the magnitude of sponsorship and endorsement deals, so this tournament will be a catalyst for a business revolution in the women's game."
Data from Neilsen Fan Insights also shows fans of women's football are more gender balanced and younger than fans of men's football, which is an attractive combination for brands.
Highest-paid women's footballers
- Carli Lloyd (now retired): £432,000 ($518,000)
- Sam Kerr: £417,000 ($500,000)
- Alex Morgan: £375,000 ($450,000)
- Megan Rapinoe: £373,000 ($447,000)
- Julie Ertz: £359,000 ($430,000)
- Ada Hegerberg: £355,000 ($425,000)
- Marta: £334,000 ($400,000)
(According to 888Sport)
Five of the above players play in the National Women's Soccer League in the US, a league which has long set the standard compared to the UK, with the Women's Super League only turning fully professional in 2018.
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