Would equal pay be fair?
A question that always gets chucked around when a big women’s match or tournament is on is always “do you think women’s footballers should be paid the same as men’s footballers?” Which, of course, causes an eruption of division. The problem I have is that the wrong question is always asked. It’s very easy to stand on a hill and shout things like “attendances, advertising, money, standards, quality” and if this you, you have perfectly valid arguments. If you are on the other side shouting “same job, same expectations, same clubs” you also have perfectly valid arguments.
However, I think it’s always framed and addressed the wrong way. The question should always be “should men and women be paid the same?” The answer to that question is simply yes. I absolutely agree that men and women should be paid the same. The question “do you think women footballers be paid the same as men’s footballers?” The answer is, again, an easy one. No, it’s not financially viable to do that. At the very surface level, clubs would be forced to choose to either face financial ruin or scrap one of the teams (no prizes for which one would most likely go). If your argument is “men should take a pay cut” why is that fair? That person is been paid what the club values their services at. Imagine someone needs to plaster a house with 2 rooms on the ground floor and 2 rooms on the top floor. So you are hired to plaster the top floor and another plasterer is hired to do the ground floor. You agreed your price of £500 and the person who hired you says “actually the person downstairs only charged me £150 so you’ll have to charge me the same.” Would that be fair?
One thing I do disagree with is national teams not paying their teams the same. I think if you’re are representing your country, you shouldn’t need paying, but if you are been, it should be equal. There is an unwritten rule amongst the men’s team that most of your salary from the national team is donated to charity anyway so maybe it’ll just raise more money for charity. You also look at the lionesses who are on the verge of winning back to back euros. They are history makers possibly responsible for a future generation of women’s footballers. Responsible for seeing the rise in popularity of women’s football in the UK. The quality will come with time and investment and it pays for itself eventually because with quality comes investment, with investment comes higher wages. So just support it, what’s the worst that could happen?
I was struck by Lucy Broze strapping up her own hamstring in the quarter final and pundits explaining that at one point women’s teams were put through training so they can manage their own injuries instead of hiring physios. You then look at Premier League footballers who get just about everything handed to them on a silver plate. In my lifetime, women’s football has come on leaps and bounds. The first known Women’s World Cup took place in 1970, the first official women’s World Cup didn’t take place until 1991. In 2025, we have the WSL, the women’s champions and the women’s national League. It is growing and it is improving and if all you can contribute is “they don’t deserve the money” then don’t bother ever watching football again. It started as the people’s game. It was played in the First World War, it’s survived financial crisis, World Wars, pandemics, disasters and everything in-between. It’s a game for everyone and anyone. So if you’re someone like a certain Joseph Barton who hates it, but can’t help but watch it, the women’s game is already beyond you. It’s on to bigger and better things.
I can’t wait for the euros final, good luck lasses, footballs coming home again.
