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The Guardian
6 days ago
- Health
- The Guardian
WSL in advanced talks over historic deal for all players in top two tiers to join PFA
The Women's Super League is in advanced discussions with the Professional Footballers' Association over providing a funding deal that would enable all players in the top two divisions to join the union for the first time. Under the existing arrangements the PFA does not receive any financial backing for the women's game, with players in the WSL 2 – previously the Championship – unable to use its services, leaving many without access to healthcare and medical insurance despite being paid pro rata salaries far below the national minimum wage. Talks between WSL Football and the PFA are understood to have accelerated after Blackburn's decision this month to withdraw from WSL 2 – as first revealed by the Guardian – which has left their players feeling anxious and angry. The Guardian has been told many of them were paid as little as £11,000 a year by Blackburn as they were employed on part-time contracts with the PFA stepping in to provide financial assistance despite not having any formal obligation to do so. The PFA has approximately 250 female members, with some of the funding the union receives from the Premier League, English Football League and Football Association diverted to provide them with some basic services. Players in the WSL 2 have been ineligible to join the PFA, however, as the union lacks the resources to support them. WSL Football, the company responsible for running the top two tiers of the women's game, is understood to have reached an agreement in principle with the PFA to provide a funding package that is expected to be signed in the next few weeks. Both parties are confident that all WSL 2 players will be PFA members by the start of next season, the first in which all clubs in the top two divisions will be fully professional. The Premier League pays around £25m a year to fund the PFA, which has more than 5,000 male members, and the WSL deal will be far smaller. However, as well as expanding the membership the PFA will use the money to offer female-specific services for the first time, particularly in areas such as rehabilitation, strength and conditioning, and medical research. Funding comprehensive union representation for players in both tiers was one of the key recommendations of the Raising the Bar Review, the government-commissioned independent review of women's football chaired by Karen Carney, which was published in 2023. The Carney Review also called for an improvement in the minimum standards criteria demanded by the WSL of all clubs in the top two divisions, including increased training time, the introduction of a minimum salary and the provision of a 'gold standard' in physical and mental health services to all players. WSL Football has moved to implement these higher minimum standards from next season, although the increased costs involved have proved too much for some clubs, with Blackburn deciding to withdraw from WSL 2. While a source at one WSL 2 club said the new standards 'are not particularly onerous', and most clubs at that level budget for losses of between £750,000 and £1m each year. Blackburn's owner, Venkys London Ltd, decided the cost was too high 12 months after Reading also withdrew from the second tier on financial grounds. Wolves also angered their players by not formally applying for promotion from the third tier. Sign up to Moving the Goalposts No topic is too small or too big for us to cover as we deliver a twice-weekly roundup of the wonderful world of women's football after newsletter promotion Blackburn's departure leaves the WSL one club short for next season at the moment but the National League North side Burnley announced last week that they will be going fully professional next season and that they have applied to replace their Lancashire neighbours. Another option would be for the bottom club, Sheffield United, to be spared relegation despite winning only one Championship match last season. The club committed to staying full-time with fully professional players after relegation and plan to play all their home games at Bramall Lane regardless of which division they are in. While WSL Football will make recommendations the final decision rests with the FA Board, which in the past has opted to give clubs reprieves from relegation. Lewes were given the option to stay in the second tier following Reading's late withdrawal last summer, but had already released players and gone part-time following relegation so the Championship was reduced to 11 clubs. WSL Football and the PFA declined to comment.
The Guardian
20-05-2025
- Business
- The Guardian
Blackburn forced to withdraw from WSL 2 on ‘sad day for women's football'
Blackburn Rovers have confirmed their withdrawal from the WSL 2 and will re-enter at least two tiers below, with the owners unwilling to provide the funding to meet the division's new minimum licence requirement. Players and staff were told on Tuesday afternoon of the decision. The Guardian revealed last week that the club were considering dropping out of the second tier and that the players had been left anxious, angry and feeling as if they were in a state of limbo awaiting a formal decision. It is understood that WSL Football, the governing body of the WSL and WSL 2, is working with the Professional Footballers' Association and Sporting Chance to support players and staff. In a statement posted on the club's website, Rovers said the decision had come after a 'comprehensive review of the evolving demands placed on second-tier clubs, which have become unsustainable under our current model'. The intention is still for the WSL 2 to operate with 12 teams next season, although any club joining the league will be required to meet the minimum standards. They are viewed as vital to the further professionalisation of the game as they protect the welfare of all participants and maintain competition integrity. Nikki Doucet, the WSL Football chief executive, said: 'This is a sad day for women's football and our hearts go out to the players, staff and fans at Blackburn Rovers FC Women affected by this decision to withdraw from the Women's Super League 2. We have been working with the club all season to prevent this outcome and we are disappointed it has come to this.' Operating on what was understood to be a comparatively low playing budget, Rovers finished 10th last season, second from bottom, in the women's second tier this term, five points clear of danger. The minimum requirements to take part in the renamed division (it was called the Championship in 2024-25) are being increased this summer in a bid to raise minimum standards for the players involved, with WSL 2 sides expected to essentially operate full‑time, professional teams. The list of criteria is believed to include requirements for clubs to commit to appointing a head of women's football, marketing manager, head coach, assistant coach, physiotherapist or sports therapist, doctor, a strength and conditioning coach, a goalkeeping coach and several people in specific safeguarding and player-welfare roles within one month of the new season kicking off. WSL Football said in a statement: 'In line with recommendations for the long-term future of women's football, every club is asked to comply with the minimum standards as part of their membership of the leagues and a compliance and development review is carried out as standard ahead of each season and monitored throughout.' Sign up to Moving the Goalposts No topic is too small or too big for us to cover as we deliver a twice-weekly roundup of the wonderful world of women's football after newsletter promotion Rovers said: 'The growing financial and operational constraints tied to Tier 2 status, including the requirement to move to a fully-professional model, have reached a point where they can no longer be sustained under the club's current financial framework. 'Key factors influencing this decision include the significant rise in minimum criteria set by the league, including extended contact hours for players and the requirement for a full-time professional contract model, an increase in staffing levels, leading to further escalating wage costs, and a greater strain on training ground and stadium facilities.' The club partly blamed the lack of a 'noticeable upturn in home attendances', despite playing all their league games at Ewood Park last season, and the lack of matchday commercial revenues and sponsorship as a result. Where Blackburn Rovers re-enter the pyramid is yet to be determined. An FA spokesperson said: 'We are in ongoing discussions with Blackburn regarding what level of the women's football pyramid they can enter for next season, and a decision will be confirmed in due course.'
Telegraph
08-05-2025
- Health
- Telegraph
Andy Burnham and football legends challenge Labour on dementia crisis
Andy Burnham has called for compensation for victims of football's dementia crisis. The Labour Mayor of Greater Manchester wants the Government to back an amendment to the Football Governance Bill and establish a compensation scheme for former players with dementia. Mr Burnham accused the Football Association (FA) and the Professional Footballers' Association (PFA) of showing inadequate leadership on the issue. Ex-players with neurodegenerative diseases and their families have received only very limited financial help from the football industry. The amendment is currently being drafted by campaigners and Chris Evans, the Labour MP for Caerphilly, is seeking to build a groundswell of support in his party. Last year, Chris Nicholl, the former Aston Villa defender, died on the same weekend as Stan Bowles, the Queens Park Rangers legend. Both men had suffered from dementia for several years. Mr Burnham told The Telegraph: 'They gave everything to the game and it's not been there for them, and obviously the union specifically falls within that issue. The scale of it has shocked me, to be honest. 'We shouldn't be looking to the Government, we should be looking to the game, it should have shown leadership, but it hasn't unfortunately.' The Telegraph launched its Tackle Football's Dementia Crisis campaign in 2016, prompting a major study that found former professionals were five times more likely to die of Alzheimer's than the general population. Mr Burnham moderated a recent event in Parliament that was attended by England legends Sir Geoff Hurst and Kevin Keegan and which heard testimony from affected families. Asked about the changes he wanted to see, Mr Burnham said: 'The Bill needs to put all of the right prods in place to make sure football gets its house in order. 'It is for the game to sort out but when it comes to something like dementia, this Bill has to create that back power, to say if you don't, someone else can require it. 'At the moment the cost is fully falling on public services. To the extent that families are getting any support, it's more likely to be the NHS or councils and often then it won't be what they fully need, because we know how overstretched services are. ' Mr Burnham said that while football should be 'like a family', it had failed to behave as such and needed to be held to higher standards. He added: 'The game is often not there, and the leadership has often not been there, and therefore the national game needs to be held to higher standards. 'And that's what the Football Governance Bill, I think, will in the end do. It's still about saying 'football, heal thyself', that's still the message, but it just will mean in future there is power behind it. 'We love football, we love everything about it – just so often it falls short when it comes to issues like this.' A bespoke compensation scheme is also being backed by Steve Rotheram, the Labour Mayor of Liverpool who has joined forces with Mr Burnham to campaign on the issue. Mr Rotheram has spoken about his mother's experiences with dementia, while Mr Burnham's father is currently living with a form of the disease. Calling on football bosses to cover the cost of a support scheme, Mr Rotheram declared it was time for the sport to 'put its house in order' and deliver real change on the issue. 'Labour is the party of social justice or it's nothing, and this is about ensuring that justice is done,' he said. '[People] might think it's about very rich footballers whose families have sort of hit a bit of a hard time, because these people are going through this terrible period.' Mr Rotherham added: 'It's not very rich footballers… This is having a detrimental impact on their families, many of whom have to sell the house, the medals and everything, the family jewels, to provide care to their loved ones.' Mr Rotheram compared former players with dementia and their families to people who receive compensation payments for industrial illnesses such as asbestos. 'We're not saying that everybody will need support,' he said. 'What we're saying is that for many people, this is their last opportunity to try and get the support that they need to give them some quality of life.' An FA spokesman said: 'We continue to take a leading role in reviewing and improving the safety of our game. This includes investing in and supporting multiple projects in order to gain a greater understanding of this area through objective, robust and thorough research.' The spokesman added: 'We have already taken many proactive steps to review and address potential risk factors which may be associated with football whilst ongoing research continues in this area including liaising with the international governing bodies.' In 2023, the Football Brain Health Fund (FBHF) was set up with the backing of the Premier League and the PFA. The fund provides financial support to former players and their families affected by dementia and other neurodegenerative diseases on a case-by-case basis. The PFA was contacted for comment.
