They say, for example, that women may receive a maximum bonus of $4,950 (PS3,858) every friendly game played for the national team, while males can earn up to $13,000 per game (PS10,132). There is no limit on how many such games can be played in a year.
The highest-paid female player in the world is Michelle Akers, who earned $250,000 (USD) in 2007. She is one of the most successful women's soccer players ever, having won two Olympic gold medals and a World Cup title with the United States team.
Other high-profile athletes who have made big bucks playing soccer include Alexi Gervais ($1 million per season), Michael Owen ($750,000), Ronaldinho ($500,000), David Beckham ($400,000), Cristiano Ronaldo ($300,000), Kaka ($260,000), and Zinedine Zidane ($240,000).
Average salaries of female soccer players are much lower than those of their male counterparts. In 2007, the average salary of a female soccer player was $25,000, while that of a male player was $55,000.
However, more females than males play the sport at a professional level, so overall earnings tend to be higher for men.
According to the statistics, from 2010 to 2018, U.S. Soccer paid $34.1 million in pay and game incentives to women's players, compared to $26.4 million to men during the same time period. There are distinct collective bargaining agreements and salary systems for the men's and women's teams. The average salary of a woman in the United States is $0.8 million while that of a man is $150,000.
The most lucrative league in America is the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL), which began operations in 2013. A record number of people attended NWSL games in 2017; however, only a few of them were paying customers. The majority of fans who watched the games did not buy tickets but rather came directly from games in which their team was competing. This is because the season is long - about 26 games from September through to July - with each game being played on a different day of the week at different locations across the country.
Teams keep rosters of 23 players, including two goalkeepers, and can add one extra player through the draft. Each club can also have an unlimited number of trialists available for selection. A player's contract is for a fixed term: either three months or up to half of the current season, depending on how early she signs up with her club. If a player is released by her club before the end of her contract, she is free to sign with another team.
According to ESPN, contracted players get a base yearly salary of $100,000, and at least 22 players are assigned to National Women's Soccer League clubs. Tier 1 players (of whom there must be at least 11) get an additional $67,500 per year, while Tier 2 players earn an additional $62,500 per year.
Since 2008, England's players have received a match payout of about PS2,000, which has been donated to charity. Since January 2020, women and men have received the same amount of appearance money, according to the English Football Association.
Unlike males, women on the national team are paid a base pay plus an additional salary from the US federation if they compete in the US championship, and they are paid more in some years than male players. Female players on the club level are usually not paid.
The base pay for a female player on the national team is $20,000 with another $10,000 available through bonuses. There are also scholarships that can be awarded to young women who want to play soccer at the college level.
For the club level, there are no paid contracts but many females receive additional money through advertising or sponsorship deals with different brands which often includes their name being used as a brand ambassador. They may also receive extra payments for appearing in videos games or movies.
In terms of total compensation, including bonuses and sponsorship deals, female players on the national team earn about 70% of what their male counterparts do. At the club level, where there are no contracts and no set salaries, females typically earn between 40% and 50% of what their male teammates make.
Female players may also receive appearance fees when they come off the bench in competitive matches. These fees are usually not very high (about $100 per game) but can add up over time if they play frequently for different teams.
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