Northern Ireland follow England, Republic of Ireland, Wales and Scotland in agreeing an equal pay deal for their men's and women's national teams; it is another significant step for women's football in Northern Ireland after women were allowed to be registered as professionals in February
Friday 29 September 2023 17:05, UK
Northern Ireland will offer equal pay to players featuring in international matches for the senior women's and men's teams with immediate effect.
The new deal - which follows similar arrangements for the other home nations - comes after talks with PFA NI, the Professional Footballers Association in Northern Ireland, and is another significant step for the women's game in Northern Ireland.
In January 2022, the Irish FA introduced a full-time set-up for the women's senior team after they qualified for Euro 2022, while in February this year regulations were changed to allow women to register as professional players in Northern Ireland for the first time.
The Irish FA director of women's football Angela Platt said: "Equality is the cornerstone of everything we do at the Irish FA. This is a transformative moment for football in this country and demonstrates that we are continuing to invest in the women's and girls' game."
Euro 2022 was the first major tournament for Northern Ireland's women, and IFA chief executive Patrick Nelson said they deserve to be on an equal footing with the senior men's squad.
"We have seen this special team capture the imaginations of fans across Northern Ireland and unearth a whole new set of fans," Nelson said.
"Our job as a governing body is to keep that momentum going and this agreement demonstrates our dedication to doing that.
"Commitments to equality only have meaning if they are acted upon. Thank you for Angela for leading us to this historic settlement."
Under new manager Tanya Oxtoby, Northern Ireland began their UEFA Women's Nations League campaign with a 3-0 defeat at the hands of the Republic of Ireland and a 1-0 win over Albania this month.
The move brings Northern Ireland into line with a number of other associations in giving equal pay to men and women playing for the senior international teams.
The Football Association has paid England women the same appearance money as their male counterparts since January 2020. The Republic of Ireland agreed a similar deal in 2021, while Wales announced a move to equal pay in January this year.
Earlier this month, players from the Scotland women's team withdrew legal action against the Scottish Football Association over equal pay and treatment claims after securing an agreement.
