Australia’s women’s soccer team, popularly known as the Matildas, will transition from receiving centralized contracts to match and commercial payments like their male counterparts under the terms of a new four-year collective bargaining agreement (CBA) announced on Wednesday.
The announcement of the agreement comes after the Matildas reached the semi-finals at the Women’s World Cup on home soil this year, which attracted thousands of fans and broke television rating records.
The Guardian newspaper reported that as per the new CBA, the Matildas could receive a pay increase of up to $80,000 per year, on top of their club salaries and tournament prize money.
The CBA will cover the Asian Cups in 2023 and 2027, the Paris Olympics in 2024, the AFC Women’s Asian Cup in 2026, the FIFA Men’s World Cup in 2026 and the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2027.
The major highlights of the agreement include a strengthened commercial partnership between the players and Football Australia to drive further investment into the continued growth of Australian football.
Men’s and women’s national team players will receive enhanced payments on a scaled revenue-sharing model, with 70% payment in match fees and 30% in an annual commercial payment.
The Matildas will get equal treatment to the men’s team, the Socceroos, in terms of match preparation, including the option of single rooms at all gatherings and business class flights around the world to ensure player recovery and preparation.
Under the pregnancy policy, accommodation for carers accompanying players who are mothers will now be offered for children up to the age of four rather than two.
Football Australia’s CEO James Johnson said in a statement: “The new CBA represents a sophisticated economic model that rewards our players in tandem with the growth and commercial success of our national teams.
“It’s a model that ensures as we scale new heights commercially and our players will share in the fruits of these triumphs — a true testament to our shared goals and values.
“This agreement is more than a contract; it’s a commitment to progress and a promise that as our revenue base flourishes, so will the opportunities and rewards for our players, making them key contributors in our game’s prosperity.
“Our aim is clear: to continue growing the game of Australian football hand in hand with those who bring it to life on the pitch.”
As part of the agreement, a minimum of 5% of the national team’s generated revenue will be allocated to fund youth national team programs.
The agreement will see approximately $2 million handed over four years to Professional Footballers Australia programs and services to assist the development and support of players.
The Australian FA has also committed to developing a human rights policy for the sport to deliver impact beyond the football pitch and will make a guaranteed contribution to the Past Players Program run by the PFA.
PFA co-chief Executive and former Matildas’ captain Kathryn Gill said: “Since the first Socceroos’ CBA in 1997 and Matildas in 2010, our national team agreements have laid the foundations for the international success Australia has enjoyed across the past 25 years.
“In partnership with Football Australia, we have a framework to ensure we capitalize on the growth and popularity of our players and national teams across the next four years and further incentivize performance on the global stage.”