Full Breakdown
FIFPRO Report Highlights Financial and Mental-Health Pressures on Women’s Football Players
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Findings of the 2026 Global Employment Report
FIFPRO’s 2026 Global Employment Report, based on a survey of roughly 800 professional women footballers, found 49 % are considering leaving the sport early. Of those, 59 % cite financial pressures and 46 % point to psychological stress. Only 66 % receive pay for the full 12-month calendar, and 56 % have a written employment contract.
Pay Disparities Across Regions
- Global average monthly club salary: $2,600 (€2,300).
- Eastern Europe: $880 per month.
- Africa: $432 per month.
- North America: just under $6,000 per month.
The median salary is $1,669 per month. In the women’s Bundesliga, the average base salary for 2023-24 was about €48,000 per year.
Employment Security and Support Gaps
- Contract length: average 19 months, yet only two-thirds are paid for the entire year.
- Pensions: just 13 % receive a club-provided pension.
- Staffing: 47 % say clubs lack enough qualified staff.
- Mental-health support: 57 % report difficulties, with half receiving no club assistance.
Official Statements & Responses
FIFPRO’s director of women’s football, Alex Culvin, called the situation a “recurring theme of precarity” and urged enforceable minimum standards for pay, contracts, pensions and health services.
FIFPRO head of research for women’s football, Frankie Brown, noted gaps not only between the top five leagues and the rest but also within individual leagues, where professional and amateur contracts coexist.
U.S. women’s national team head coach Ciara Crinion praised the rise in on-field quality and urged continued competition to match the sport’s growth.
German forward Nicole Anyomi said her move to the London City Lionesses was driven by the greater number of staff members available for player development in England.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Away from the best resourced clubs, there is a recurring theme of precarity and fragile conditions,” — Alex Culvin
- “It is positive that average salaries are increasing for some players and that more are earning a satisfactory wage, but it’s important to note that there is a huge disparity in pay across regions,” — Alex Culvin
Why It Matters
The report arrives as women’s football approaches global revenue exceeding $1 billion by 2027 and prepares for the 2027 World Cup in Brazil, the last 32-team edition. FIFPRO argues that commercial growth must be matched by structural improvements to protect players’ livelihoods and mental health, especially where salaries fall below national minimum wages.
What’s Next
FIFPRO is urging FIFA to establish a minimum-pay floor and enforce standards for contracts, pensions, staffing and mandatory mental-health services. The union points to the 2026 WNBA labor deal as a possible model for collective bargaining in women’s football. Policy discussions ahead of the 2027 World Cup are expected to address these demands.
