Senior players in the Women's Super League (WSL) will be guaranteed a minimum annual salary of £40,000 under new financial rules introduced this season. The salary floor varies by age and division, with players aged 23 and over in the top flight receiving at least £40,000.
The bottom salary bracket for young players in the second-tier WSL2 is set above the national living wage, ensuring all players in the top two divisions are fully professional for the first time. Last season, several Championship clubs paid less than the minimum wage, forcing many players to take second and third jobs.
The senior player salary floor exceeds the minimum wage in the US National Women's Soccer League (NWSL), which is $48,500 (£36,100) this year, reinforcing the WSL's status as a leading women's league. The NWSL has committed to raising its minimum salary to $82,500 by 2030.
English clubs are increasingly competing with American counterparts for top talent, with four signings exceeding €1m (£870,000) this year. Chelsea broke the world record to sign US defender Naomi Girma for £900,000 in February, then signed Alyssa Thompson for about £1.1m in March. Arsenal signed Canada's Olivia Smith for £1m in July, and London City Lionesses paid £1.4m for Grace Geyoro last month.
Unlike the NWSL, the WSL has not introduced a salary cap, but the minimum standards are accompanied by stricter financial controls. From this season, clubs can spend up to 80% of their women's team's revenue plus a capped owner contribution, up from 40% of the parent club's revenue. The additional funding cap is set at £4m, allowing owners without men's club revenue streams to invest without creating a free-for-all.
London City took advantage of the owner funding mechanism after promotion to the WSL, signing 16 players this summer with backing from Michele Kang, who also owns French champions OL Lyonnes.
