How are you supporting women footballers to overcome challenges, thrive on the pitch and retire successfully?
Women's football is having a moment
In England, growing success and the national team’s win at last year’s UEFA Women's Euro has increased participation and media interest, and audience figures have hit record highs. The team is now a favourite to win the Women’s World Cup tournament this summer.FIFA, meanwhile, reports revenue growth globally from broadcast and sponsorship deals – revenue that can be invested to drive professionalisation and further development in the women’s game. But decades of institutional discrimination against women’s participation in the sport have left a mark that is hard to erase. Barriers remain for women who want to build and sustain professional careers on the pitch and enjoy equally successful careers after they leave it.
Improvements are being made. The FA’s Dual Career Guides, which highlight work and educational opportunities outside the sport, are a positive development, but more work is needed to help mitigate the challenges women in football continue to face today.
Challenges on the pitch
Many challenges still exist, and one of these is the gender pay gap. 2017 research from The Fédération Internationale des Associations de Footballeurs Professionnels (FIFPRO), an organisation which represents professional footballers worldwide, found that 50% of women footballers receive no pay. Of the 50% who do receive a salary, the average monthly salary was just $600 (around £480). Though this research accounts for amateur and professional players, it’s not surprising that nearly 47% of women leave the sport prematurely due to low pay.
Mayi Cruz Blanco, Adecco Group’s Global Managing Director for Sports Practice and Partnerships Programmes, says that many of the women they engage still maintain dual careers and manage multiple jobs alongside football commitments: “it’s quite a sacrifice by the players to do this. Progress has been made at professional level in countries like England and the US, but the pay gap is still evident at these levels, and it gets worse in developing leagues and teams.” Though players with dual careers gain greater exposure to other industries and opportunities outside the sport, which can be useful when they retire from football, they are more likely to lack the resources to fund that transition compared to male footballers.
However, progress is in sight. This year, FIFA announced it intends to increase earnings for footballers competing in the Women’s World Cup 2023. Though women will still not earn as much as their male counterparts, this is a step towards the pay equality FIFA aims to achieve by 2027.
Another challenge facing women is precarious contracts. Working conditions and standards vary hugely across countries, clubs and teams. FIFPRO’s global report found 47% had no contract while the average contract spanned just 12 months. Without a proper contract, women may not have formalised access to a salary, social security, maternity pay or paid leave, or be protected from unfair dismissal, harassment and abuse. Contracts can be even more precarious as an athlete gets older or suffers injury. Organisations like FIFPRO are working to strengthen employment protections for women, but for the majority there remains ‘no standardisation of contracts or real distinction between professional and amateur status.’
Additionally, maternity provision continues to be an issue, and women do not always see football as a viable long-term career. 90% of women say they may leave the sport early, with 47% attributing this to starting a family. Players may need guidance on playing while pregnant and support to ensure neither their health nor performance is compromised. But maternity rights are improving. New regulation took effect in 2021 that protects the rights of women footballers who are pregnant or are mothers, making it easier for new mothers to return to the game and removing barriers for those who want to start a family.
Challenges after the pitch: The value of career transition support
When a player retires, whether by choice or earlier due to injury or other challenges, career transition support can make the process smoother for everyone involved, including the player’s club.
Some players may already know they want to stay connected to the game through coaching, teaching or running an academy, for example, and can lean on mentors, sponsors and their network to help them transition. But if a player wants to leave the sport entirely, it is important they are aware of the transferable skills they possess and how these skills adapt to other industries and job functions.
Women footballers usually have sought-after skills: achievement-orientated, strong analytical capabilities and a team player mindset. Yet Cruz-Blanco says they are often unaware of their strengths and skills, and how these skills align with the needs of employers outside of sport until they work with a transition support coach. If players feel lost, overwhelmed or ill-equipped for the next phase, career transition support can help them build a professional profile and link them to opportunities that align with their goals, skills and interests. Crucially, this support also helps an individual’s mental wellbeing and confidence.
Career transition support is not embedded within league and club systems. By giving women footballers access to it, clubs can go some way to helping rebalance the pay gap, as women will have a framework of support, greater opportunities and motivation. Mobility is not a new concept, but it is an evolving one. Today, mobility is not so much an activity as a mindset that advocates skills building, diversified learning and new experiences over anything else.
In the past, mobility involved moving an employee upwards through promotion. Today, organisations move employees in different directions across the business. Employees may be free to test out a role in another department or engage in short-term projects to build skills and experience without formally switching role. And organisations are not just moving employees into new roles – they are moving them with upgraded skillsets.
3 steps to supporting women footballers with career transition
- Encourage early planning
It is never too early for an athlete to plan for life after professional sport. Instil in players the mindset that retirement from sport is not the end but another beginning. Planning for what comes next early in their football career does not need to distract the player from the game. In fact, it can have a positive impact on performance and longevity on the pitch, as players are more settled and perform better when they have greater certainty over what the future will look like.
- Form a support coalition and secure cross-coalition buy-in
It is not the responsibility of any one individual to champion career transition. The most effective approach is to build a coalition that includes the club’s HR or L&D team, the player development manager, coach, player’s parents (especially for younger players) and the player herself. Secure buy-in from all parties. HR involvement is invaluable, especially if the club engages a career transition support partner.
- Take a holistic, personalised approach
Every player is unique with specific skills, strengths and attributes. A needs and/or attribute assessment can provide insights a career transition coach can use to guide a development programme. By looking at the player’s entire journey, it is easier to understand how career transition support can help them to:- Develop a new identity: Exploring new identities ahead of retirement allows players to settle more quickly in their new career.
- Acquire skills and experience: This helps players build confidence around working in other jobs and industries.
- Expect the unexpected: Career changes are rarely simple or linear, so preparing players for the unexpected reduces the risk of setback.
- Manage mental health challenge: Early career coaching and counselling can help prevent mental health challenges when retirement comes.
LHH, as part of the Adecco Group, is proud to partner with Women in Football and support them in improving women's representation at all levels of the game and support the career development of female footballers.