England Women: Lionesses Demand Fair Compensation in Historic Women's Nations League
Lionesses urge FA for bonus talks ahead of Women's Nations League; Frustration persists as resolution remains elusive; The dispute impacted their World Cup journey; Differences set aside during the tournament
England Women are eager to hold a meeting with the FA leadership to address their ongoing disagreement regarding their compensation and bonuses. They aim to resolve this issue prior to the squad gathering for the upcoming Nations League matches in a week's time. This dispute overshadowed the preparation for the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. Just before the team departed for the tournament, a dispute arose as the players expressed their dissatisfaction with the bonuses promised to them by the FA based on their progress in the competition.
The players, in a statement, declared that they would set aside their differences for the entire duration of the tournament. According to our sources, the squad is still frustrated as they get ready to reunite, as there has been no progress towards resolving the issues between the two sides.
There is no indication that the players will go on strike or seek to lessen their media and commercial responsibilities when on FA duty. Nevertheless, these more extreme measures have been considered in the recent past.
The players insist on receiving their rewards directly from the FA coffers, in addition to the FIFA bonus payments allocated prior to the World Cup. Expressing their disappointment, the squad issued a statement in July before the tournament, stating that a resolution has yet to be reached.
What was the row about?
FIFA's recent amendment in the World Cup regulations aimed to guarantee equal pay for all participants, irrespective of their nationality, who advance to the equivalent stage of the tournament.Bonuses were allocated for each round, where players would receive £24,000 if they were eliminated in the group stages, and £213,000 if they emerged as champions of the World Cup. Previously, the prize money was distributed directly to the respective national associations, granting them the authority to determine players' remuneration from the prize pool. However, this is no longer the prevailing procedure.
The players, however, felt aggrieved the FA was not prepared to fund additional bonuses itself, rather than allowing FIFA to foot the bill.
What's next for the Lionesses?
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England's women's team were spotted engaging in an open training session at Queensland's Sunshine Coast Stadium. As we move forward, we anticipate the upcoming Women's Nations League, Olympic qualification, and live coverage of the WSL on We.
Women's Nations League and Olympic qualification
The Women's Nations League debuts on Thursday, September 21, featuring England competing against Scotland, the Netherlands, and Belgium in League A Group A1.
The tournament's initial phase spans from September to December. Scotland will be England's first opponents on Friday, September 22, followed by the Netherlands, Wiegman's former team, on Tuesday, September 26, just before the start of the WSL season.
This year, the Olympic qualification is open for contenders, as the two finalists of the Nations League will be joined by France, the hosts of the 2024 Olympics, to represent Europe.
Furthermore, the tournament's result will play a significant role in determining the group England will be placed in for the 2025 Euros and the 2027 World Cup qualification.
With so much at stake, England must quickly shift their focus from the disappointment of the World Cup final in less than six weeks. Additionally, the players have pre-season training for WSL, Liga F, and Frauen-Bundesliga.
Women's Super League
Out of the 23 players in England's World Cup squad, a total of 20 are actively participating in the Women's Super League. Notably, 15 of these players represent the top-four clubs in the league: Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester City, and Manchester United.The highly anticipated WSL starts on Sunday, October 1 and will feature six exciting matches. Among these matches will be a live showdown between reigning champions Chelsea and Tottenham, set to commence at 5.30pm and broadcasted exclusively on We.
Several WSL teams have already commenced pre-season training, and it is anticipated that England players will rejoin their respective squads in the coming weeks. Once their domestic obligations are fulfilled, they will reconvene for the Nations League. Following the Lionesses' triumph at the European Championship last year, WSL witnessed unprecedented ticket sales. With the hope that this summer's World Cup campaign will attract even larger audiences, the league anticipates heightened attention.
How to follow the WSL on Sky Sports' digital platforms
Stay up to date with all the latest news, features, and interviews from the Women's Super League on SkySports.com and the app. Enjoy exclusive coverage with a dedicated live blog and in-game clips from matches streamed live on We.
Don't miss out on the free match highlights, available on We's digital platforms and YouTube channel, for every WSL game this season. And for even wider accessibility, all matches will be broadcasted on both We Football and Sky Showcase. Even if you don't have a We package, you can still catch the action on Sky Showcase, available in all Sky homes. This ensures that the competition gets the visibility it deserves.
In addition to being featured on all our main social media channels, the league will have dedicated coverage and visibility on the bespoke Twitter channel @SkySportsWSL on We. Fans can also follow the We WSL TikTok account to enjoy comprehensive coverage of the league, including exclusive access to their new favorite players. Through entertaining challenges, interviews, and behind-the-scenes footage, viewers will have the opportunity to get to know the personalities of the WSL and experience the sport from unique perspectives.
Meanwhile, fans can also keep up to date with everything on and off the pitch with the return of Three Players and a Podcast, hosted by Caroline Barker.
