The devastating data revealed by a women’s football survey

A survey of the international football players’ union FIFPRO to players who participate in World Cup 2023 shows that most do not have enough time to prepare it, or the necessary rest after it, or sufficient compensation, so that one in five has a second job.

260 players from 26 teams of 32 participants in the last World Cup in Australia and New Zealand participated in the sampling, which according to FIFPRO shows the need for improvements in aspects such as the match schedule, medical care and compensation.

53% did not have enough rest time before the World Cup. According to the data made public by the union, 53 percent of the players responded that they did not have enough rest time before their first World Cup match and two-thirds of them thought that they were not at their best physically in beginning of the tournament.due to lack of preparation.

Those surveyed also did not estimate that they had enough time off at the end of the World Cup. 60 percent thought it wasn’t enough and 86 percent said they didn’t have two weeks to rest before rejoining their club. FIFPRO recalled that its guidelines recommend an off-season break of four weeks, with a retraining period of six weeks.

FIFPRO highlighted that despite record television viewing and attendance at World Cup matches, many players still lack adequate financial compensation. One in three earns less than $30,000 a year from his soccer activities and one in five supplements his income with a second job.

The annual salary mentioned by the soccer players includes the income from their participation in the national team and their clubs, but not the minimum 30 percent of the prize money of the World Cup, which guarantees each of them at least at $30,000 (before taxes). For the union, this amount is “an important precedent to establish that players are entitled to receive prize money based on their performance on the field in major tournaments.”

FIFPRO recalled that it also negotiated equal conditions in all areas, from transportation to accommodation and the size of the delegation, and the survey showed that 94% of soccer players traveled in business class to at the World Cup, although that percentage dropped to 80 on the way back.

Gaps to be resolved as soon as possible

FIFPRO’s Director of Policy and Strategic Relations for Women’s Football, Sarah Gregorius, assured that “footballers gave everything to present a brilliant World Cup, but there are still important gaps to be addressed. ” “We hope to address these issues with stakeholders and resolve them as soon as possible,” he added.

10 percent of the players did not undergo a medical examination before the tournament and FIFPRO also expressed concern about the fact that 22 percent did not undergo an electrocardiogram (ECG), tests established in FIFA tournament regulations . 60 percent said they had no mental health support.

Answers to the questionnaire indicate that even though the size of the World Cup delegations has been expanded to 50, some players have expressed concerns about the standard of technical staff in their team and there is a call for an investigation. in the qualification of a federation team. .

Former player and FIFPRO Director of Strategy and Research for Women’s Football, Alex Culvin, insisted that “any figure below 100 percent, in terms of the ECG or the pre-tournament medical examination, is unacceptable .”

“Female footballers must complete these important checks before competing and the rules must be applied and respected in their entirety. They need an environment that supports their holistic well-being, from mental health to competition conditions , so that they have a platform to achieve their full competitiveness,” he added.