The Matildas have been pushing to close the football pay gap. It would make a difference to A-League players like Sarah

Sarah Langman is a goalkeeper for the Central Coast Mariners and has played in the A-League for nine seasons.

But the pay gap and part-time nature of the women’s league in Australia means she cannot focus on football full-time.

“My first season in the A-League I didn’t get paid. My second season it was about $1,200,” she said. 7:30 a.m..

The 28-year-old will commute almost two hours between Sydney and the Central Coast for training, as well as games, while also holding down a part-time job as a massage therapist in Maroubra.

The Australian women’s A-League has fewer rounds than the men’s league and shorter contracts – 35 weeks compared to annual contracts for men.

The minimum salary for players will be $25,000 for the upcoming season, which begins in October, an increase from $20,608 last season.

According to Professional Footballers Australia, 60% of A-League Women players work outside of their football commitments, compared to 15% of A-League Men players. Almost half of active players are also studying.

The A-League Men has also struggled to compete with salaries in international leagues.

Langman says while the improvement in pay is fantastic, the pathway to becoming a full-time professional footballer in Australia is extremely limited for women.

“It’s a little difficult when you have to pay rent, food and gas at the same time,” she said.

“I spend a lot of my energy driving and getting back to work. I could put 100% into the sport (with a full-time salary).”

Funding popular movements

All Matildas made their debuts in the Australian domestic championship.

Sam Kerr played for Perth Glory, Mackenzie Arnold played for teams such as Brisbane Roar and Mary Fowler for Adelaide United.

Most players are now playing full-time in overseas leagues, with much higher salaries. Penalty shootout star Cortnee Vine is still under contract with Sydney FC.

Former Matilda vice-captain and former FIFA executive committee member Moya Dodd says growing domestic leagues is key to producing local talent.

It is a feeling that was echoes Matildas captain Sam Kerr after Australia’s 3-1 defeat to England in the semi-finals of the FIFA Women’s World Cup.

“We need funding at the grassroots. We need funding everywhere. Comparing it to other sports is not really enough,” she said.

“I hope this tournament changes something, because it’s the legacy you leave, not what you do on the pitch.”

Australia’s professional leagues, the A-Leagues governing body, have acknowledged the unequal playing conditions and are calling for more funding from the federal government to improve conditions for women, including extending the season.

“We can’t do this alone. The responsibility for funding the development of women’s football should not fall on 12 individual (private) owners,” said Danny Townsend, CEO of the Australian Professional Leagues.

“Because at the moment there’s a lot of euphoria around women’s football, and the professional game here in Australia isn’t making a cent.”

The other big pay gap

The prize money for the women’s World Cup is $110 million ($171 million), compared to $440 million for the men’s, a discrepancy the Matildas and the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) decried at the start of the tournament.

“The women will earn a quarter of what the men earned for the World Cup in Qatar. This is pure gender discrimination,” PFA chairman Francis Awaritefe said.

Some are also calling for an increase in World Cup “club benefits” – payments made by FIFA to clubs that help develop stars.

Club benefits increased from $0 at the 2016 Women’s World Cup to $11.5 million for this year’s tournament.

The club’s profits from the 2022 Men’s World Cup amounted to US$209 million.

Data table: Professional footballers Australia

“We would like to see this club benefits program grow,” Townsend said.

“This will allow us to continue to reinvest that money to get us closer to that 52-week contract for our talented athletes.”

Moya Dodd says systemic inequalities must be addressed before the game can see real change.

“We were able to observe many data points that show the differences between what men and women get out of football,” she said.

“My biggest concern is actually the systemic inequalities that exist within the system that could produce these kinds of unequal outcomes.”

As the Matildas and administrators work to retain the women’s game’s new fan base, A-League players are preparing for the season that begins in October.

Sarah Langman is looking forward to her first season with the Mariners, but she’s nervous about juggling work and football.

“It’s a privilege to do what you love and get paid for it. But I think if we were paid a little more, even as much as men… it would be a weight off my shoulders,” she said.

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