Football News Update: Euro 2024, Champions League, and Women’s World Cup
In a concerning development for football fans, reports have emerged that Blackburn Rovers, a club playing in the second tier of the women’s pyramid, will be paying their women’s team players only minimum wage on 16-hour-a-week contracts for the upcoming season.
According to a report in the Daily Mail, Blackburn’s women’s team will be constrained by a meager playing budget of just £100,000, resulting in salaries of only £9,000 per player. This news has drawn criticism from high-profile figures in the sport, including England midfielder Georgia Stanway, a product of Blackburn’s youth system, and former Liberal Democrats leader Tim Farron, a Blackburn supporter.
Stanway, who now plays for Bayern Munich, described the situation as “very sad,” while Farron, who is standing for re-election as the MP for Westmorland and Lonsdale, labeled the club a “disgrace” and said they should “hang their heads in shame.”
The revelations come less than a week after another Championship club, Reading, withdrew from the division altogether due to financial concerns, dropping down to the fifth tier of the women’s pyramid.
This development raises concerns about the sustainability and support for women’s football, particularly at the lower levels of the pyramid. As the UEFA Euro 2024 and the FIFA Women’s World Cup loom on the horizon, the football community will be hoping that more clubs can provide adequate resources and support for their women’s teams to ensure the continued growth and development of the sport.
Furthermore, the news comes amidst the ongoing Champions League and the highly anticipated Africa Cup of Nations, where teams are vying for glory on the continental stage. Fans will be keen to see if this issue with Blackburn Rovers will be addressed, as the football world continues to navigate the challenges facing the women’s game.
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