Both England and Brazil’s football federations have announced equal pay for the country’s national men and women’s teams. 

The two countries join the likes of Australia, Norway and New Zealand in offering equal pay for its national football players, regardless of whether they’re male or female.

England’s Football Association (FA) said it has been paying men and women equally since the start of the year, while Brazil’s players have reportedly been paid the same rate since March.

An FA spokesperson told Sky Sports News, ‘The FA pays its women’s players exactly the same as their male counterparts for representing England, both in terms of match fees and match bonuses. This parity has been in place since January 2020.’

The latest move from Brazil’s footballing federation will see equality between the women’s team, whether it be Marta, Formiga and Leticia Santos, and the men’s team, with players like Neymar, Gabriel Jesus and Roberto Firmino.

The decision will see teams in future World Cup tournaments earn the same money, as well as those representing the country at the Olympics.

Rogerio Caboclo, president of Brazil’s football association, the Confederação Brasileira de Futebol (CBF), said in a statement: 

The CBF has equalled the prize money and allowances between men’s and women’s football, which means the women players will earn the same as the men. It will be proportionally the same as what FIFA proposes for women, that is to say, there will be no more gender difference in remuneration between men and women.

As reported by Metro, Pia Sundhage, the Swedish head coach of the Brazil women’s team, added, ‘This is historic. Being a part of this is very special, I’m very grateful.’

Earlier this year, a federal judge dismissed the US national women’s football team’s equal pay lawsuit, which alleged they’re underpaid compared to the men’s team.

The World Cup winners’ bid for $66m (£52.8m) in damages under the Equal Pay Act was rejected by Judge R. Gary Klausner, who said the players haven’t ‘demonstrated a triable issue’ that they’re paid less than their male peers.

While they plan to appeal the decision, the trial will still go ahead in their suit for damages under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, accusing the USSF of ‘denying them at least equal playing, training, and travel conditions; equal promotion of their games; equal support and development for their games; and other terms and conditions of employment equal’ to the men’s team.

As reported by ESPN, the players’ spokesperson Molly Levinson said in an earlier statement, ‘We will not give up our hard work for equal pay. We are confident in our case and steadfast in our commitment to ensuring that girls and women who play this sport will not be valued as lesser just because of their gender.’

There’s been no further update on the US team’s fight for equal pay.

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