Even after the change in the USA, national coach Martina Voss-Tecklenburg does not make any demands for equal pay for German female soccer players as for men.
“It is also part of the truth that the marketing revenues from men and women, from which the tournament bonuses also result, are extremely far apart in the Bundesliga and the national teams. Unfortunately, that is still a fact,” said the 54-year-old from the “Bild am Sunday”.
The US soccer team, led by star player Megan Rapinoe, won their fight for equality last week. The Football Association of the United States and the unions of the women’s and men’s national teams agreed on a historic collective bargaining agreement that guarantees all players equal pay, including bonuses. According to this, the contracts running until 2028 ensure that the women’s national team, which is many times more successful than the men, receives the same bonus payments at major tournaments such as world championships and generally the same salaries as the men’s team.
“We are working at all levels at the DFB to optimize this, especially in marketing and visibility,” said Voss-Tecklenburg on the income situation for women. This is also part of the “Strategy 2027 – Women in Football” project at the German Football Association. But, according to the national coach, you take a close look at “what is happening in other countries – not least in the USA.”
The US soccer players are much more successful than the men, have won four Olympic golds and four World Cup titles. But they were paid significantly less. In March 2019, they therefore filed a class action lawsuit against the association for discrimination.