The Lionesses head to Australia and New Zealand on Wednesday; their World Cup campaign begins against Haiti on July 22; players are 'frustrated' with FA after talks regarding performance-related bonuses broke down; FA’s commercial partners may step in with more money
Monday 3 July 2023 16:59, UK
England’s women may yet be paid some additional bonuses if they perform well at the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, Sky Sports News has been told.
On the eve of the team flying out for the tournament on Wednesday a row has broken out, with the players "disappointed" with the bonuses they will be paid by the FA if they progress through the competition.
Whilst no more talks are planned between the governing body and the players' representatives, it's understood the FA's commercial partners may yet step in with more money to reward performances, as has happened with both male and female England squads of the past.
FIFA has changed the rules for this World Cup to try to ensure that all the players at the tournament, whatever country they are from, will earn the same as their opponents who reach the same stage of the competition.
That means bonuses are set for each round, with all players receiving £24,000 if they get knocked out in the group stages, and £213,000 if they go on to win the World Cup.
In the past, because prize money has been paid directly to individual associations, it's been down to that nation's discretion to decide how much the players will be paid from the prize fund. That is no longer the case.
As a result, for the first time, the English FA stands to lose money on this World Cup however the team performs because of the costs associated with hotels, flights, equipment and other support staff.
The players, however, feel aggrieved the FA is not prepared to fund additional bonuses itself, rather than allowing FIFA to foot the bill.
The women stand to earn, on average, 60 per cent more for their appearance at this World Cup compared with that of four years ago. Rewards for failing to progress beyond the group stages are 300 per cent higher this time compared with 2019, and 700 per cent higher than in 2015.
The men's team have traditionally donated their win bonuses to charity when away on England duty.
But those same players earn much more from their domestic contracts and commercial endorsements than the women do, so it could be argued they can much more easily afford to be generous with their England bonuses.
A draw is better than a defeat and England will fly off to the World Cup having not lost their final proper warm-up game for the first time. But the goalless draw with Portugal on Saturday means there are still questions to answer for the European champions.
A behind-closed-doors fixture with Canada in Australia will provide a final chance to fine tune before England's campaign gets under way in three weeks' time.
But from selection issues to concerns over the form of this side, the 0-0 at Stadium MK means there will be plenty of debate before that group stage opener with Haiti.
This year's tournament will be held in Australia and New Zealand making it the first-ever co-hosted Women's World Cup.
The tournament starts on July 20 with the final taking place on August 20 in Sydney at the Accor Stadium.
The USA are the defending champions and are looking to become the first team in the competition's history to win the tournament three times in a row.
