Women’s WC Soccer Players Unpaid With Poor Playing Conditions: Survey

According to a poll report by a global body, women representing their countries to qualify for the World Cup are placing their safety at risk due to poor quality of pitches and many are playing without pay.

The Federation Internationale Des Associations De Footballeurs Professionnels (FIFPro) report suggests that almost 30% of international women players who were polled said that they have been playing for nothing. Two-thirds of the surveyed players said that they had to take unpaid leaves from their jobs to represent their country in confederation championships.

Women’s WC Soccer Players At Risk

The report revealed the players also had widespread dissatisfaction with the conditions of the pitch and the stadium, medical evaluations, and a general lack of universal standards. This has led the FIFPRO to call for a review of the qualification process for the six regional soccer confederations.

According to 32% of the surveyed players, the stadium and pitches on matchday were not of "elite standard," and more than half of them said that they were not provided with a pre-tournament medical examination.

The FIFPro said that the conditions the players were exposed to and expected to perform in during the biggest competitive events of their lives weren’t of elite international football standards, which subjected both the players and the sport to risk.

The report came in the wake of a global concern over the injuries women players have been facing, which has called for better research into the prevalence of injuries ahead of the World Cup, which is scheduled to begin on July 20 in Australia and New Zealand.

Several prominent players, such as American sharpshooter Mallory Swanson, Canada’s gold medal-winning forward Janine Beckie, and England captain Leah Williamson, have been sidelined due to knee injuries they all suffered earlier this year.

The FIFPro noted that global standards need to be established for players to create a competitive landscape where they can perform their best in a protected and stable environment.

Furthermore, the FIFPro called for each of the six confederations to hold individual World Cup qualifying matches. Currently, only Europe holds standalone qualifying competitions.

Every player participating in the Women’s World Cup this year will be guaranteed a paycheck of at least $30,000 after FIFA made a ground-breaking move to direct some of its prize money to individuals rather than national federations.

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