New heights: More pay and equal treatment for Matildas through new CBA

2023 has been a year of unprecedented success for the Matildas and now it looks like they will be getting a pay increase as Football Australia announces a new four-year National Teams Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) for Australia’s national women’s soccer team and their counterparts, the Socceroos.

During the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup the Matildas captured the hearts and minds of Australians by making it through to semi-finals where they were defeated by England. Despite the loss, the team put up a sterling effort and filled stadiums wherever they went.

The new CBA will improve revenue sharing for both national teams, support the Youth National Team program, provide significant funding for player well-being and development, and introduce programs for former players for the first time.

According to The Guardian, the Professional Footballers Association (PFA) confirmed that the landmark new deal could mean a pay increase of up to $80,000 for the top women players. This in addition to their club salaries and tournament prize money.

The groundbreaking new agreement will cover the AFC Asian Cups™ 2023 and 2027, Paris 2024™ Olympics, AFC Women’s Asian Women’s Cup 2026™, FIFA World Cup 2026™ and FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027™.

Excellent.

‘The Matildas and Socceroos have struck a new pay deal..The deal follows the successful Women’s World Cup where the Matildas attracted hundreds of thousands of fans and set television ratings records.’ https://t.co/ecSI3xwudp

— Craig Foster (@Craig_Foster) November 8, 2023

Fans took to the socials to express their excitement that the beloved national women’s side were deserving of the new deal.

“I’d pay them more. The Socceroos aren’t selling out stadiums everywhere they go!”

“Well deserved…and then some”

“If their bringing the $ in then they deserve a fair share”

“Better late than never. The Matildas are owed more than thanks by Australia: we owe them for the time, the strenuous training and game play, the risk of serious injury these women commit to bring us the beautiful game.”

“The women in this case should get paid more !!!”

With immediate effect, the Matildas’ player payments will transition from centralised contracts to match and commercial payments.

Other key highlights of the CBA include maintaining gender equality, which ensures equal pay, employment conditions, and high-performance standards for players, along with improved parental policies.

Football Australia’s CEO, James Johnson hailed the new deal as a pioneering model that will take Australian football and its players to new heights.

“It’s a model that ensures 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.”

Johnson acknowledged that Football Australia had enjoyed remarkable growth in recent years and explained that under this new structure players will be incentivised to promote further growth.

He said, “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.”

Johnson concluded, “I am proud to say that this CBA is a landmark not just for Football Australia, but for sports organisations worldwide. It sets a new standard for how players and national associations can work together to achieve common objectives.”

Former Matildas captain and co-chair of the Professional Footballers Association (PFA) 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 capitalise on the growth and popularity of our players and national teams across the next four years and further incentivise performance on the global stage.

“We thank Football Australia for the spirit of collaboration that has defined these negotiations and the contribution of over 40 national team players who were so actively involved.”

Since their stellar run during the World Cup, the Matildas have now turned their attention to qualifying for the 2024 Paris Olympics.