Spain’s women’s national team has scored a major victory in their fight for equal pay with men.
In the future, they will receive an equal share of the bonus payments distributed by UEFA and FIFA and of television bonuses, the Spanish football association RFEF announced in Madrid.
The newspaper “El País” wrote that this does not automatically mean that women and men now receive the same amount of money for their services. Because there is more money to be distributed in men’s football than in women’s football. Sponsors would also invest more in men’s football.
RFEF President Luis Rubiales also acknowledged this. “Women’s football gets a lot less money than boys,” he said. Therefore a correction was introduced in the form of positive discrimination in the percentage of premiums. “Both sides thought this was appropriate. And in percentage terms, the women benefit,” said Rubiales.
Nevertheless, national team captain Irene Paredes described the agreement with the football association as a “historic day”. Along with her colleagues, world footballer Alexia Putellas, and Patricia Guijarro, she signed the five-year agreement with Rubiales. Rubiales also spoke of a “historic agreement”.