The England women’s national football team (the Lionesses) are preparing for a showdown with the Football Association (FA). The team has declared that they are ready to go on a strike if they are not paid an equitable wage.
Over the past two years, Sarah Wiegman’s team have delivered at both home and abroad. They won Euro 2022 at home against Germany, and then came within a whisker of adding a World Cup title in Australia.
In the end, the Lionesses lost to Spain 1-0 in front of 75,000 fans at Sydney’s Stadium of Light.
Wiegman’s team put pay talks on hold to concentrate on the World Cup. Now, key negotiations will take place in the run-up to their first game against Scotland in the UEFA Nations League.
“The players want to give the FA the opportunity to resolve this constructively. They also have the nuclear option to refuse to play, however that is seen as a last resort,” said a source close to the squad.
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The Mail reports that the players are well aware of the options available to them.
They would prefer a ‘constructive’ negotiation with the FA over remuneration. While going on strike is a possibility, it is not one that they are actively pursuing.
The same publication previously reported that England wanted £100,000 for each player if they win the World Cup. They settled for £50,000 after Spain won the World Cup with a solitary goal.
Last year, the England women’s football team addressed concerns regarding the bonus and commercial structures to the FA. The hope was that negotiations would result in a resolution before the start of the World Cup.
“We are disappointed that a resolution has still not been achieved. We view the successful conclusion of these discussions, through player input and a transparent long term plan, as key for the growth of women’s football in England,” the statement read.
