Players in Spain’s top tier of women’s football, Liga F, will strike over pay and conditions.
The 2023/24 Liga F season is due to start today, Friday 8th September 2023, but players have confirmed that they will be striking so that the first two games are not played. Liga F turned professional a year ago but the league has said the players demands will lead to “economic failure”.
Last season the minimum salary was set at €16,000 but players are requesting this rises to €25,000 for this season and then to €30,000 the following season. The Spanish Players' Association [AFE] said “The aim is to make progress in these negotiations, to achieve fair and dignified treatment for women footballers, to address and reduce the existing pay gap.”
Liga F has said they offered the players €18,000 for this season rising to €25,000 over the next three seasons, help with childcare and financial aid to study, among other proposals but these have been rejected. Liga F said “This Professional League will not give in to pressure or accept proposals that lead to the economic collapse of the competition, and, therefore, the failure of women's professional football.”
