This article is more than 3 years old

This article is more than 3 years old

The W-League will take a giant stride towards professionalism in its 10th season with $10,000 minimum playing contracts. A new deal hatched by Football Federation Australia and the players union, Professional Footballers Australia, announced on Monday will more than double average wages for female players.

“This is the start of a new era for professional female footballers in Australia,” FFA chief executive David Gallop said. “W-League players deserve this pay rise. They have been trailblazers for women’s sport in Australia.”

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Hopes are high that with raised wages and the improving fortunes of the Matildas, standards in the league will be as high as ever. The new CBA and base wage means the average pay for a W-League player will be $15,500, rising to $17,400 next season.

The salary cap has been doubled to $300,000 to allow for added wages and to encourage sides to bring in international talent. Matildas stars like Sam Kerr or Katrina Gorry are likely to earn six-figure amounts through local and overseas club deals and Matildas payments.

Scholarship players are exempt from the $10,000 minimum contracts, but in all, the nine clubs will increase payments from less than half a million dollars in 2016-17 to $1.62m this season.

The season, which begins on 27 October with a grand final rematch between Melbourne City and Perth Glory, will also see a bump in exposure. There is no free-to-air broadcaster but Fox Sports will screen 24 regular season matches and the three-game final series.

- W-League (from 2017/18)

Minimum salary: $10,000

Average salary: $15,500

Top salaries: $130,000+ (combined W-League, overseas clubs and Matildas)

Salary cap: $300,000

Minimum league spend: $1.62m

Private health insurance not covered AFLW (from 2018) Minimum salary: $9,276

Priority signings and top draft picks: $12,486

Marquee players: $27,946

Total player payment pool: $2.4m

Private health insurance not covered Super Netball (from 2017)

Minimum part-time salary: $27,375

Average salary: $67,500

Total player payment pool: $5.4m

Private health insurance covered Cricket (from 2017/18)

Minimum salary for domestic (WNCL/WBBL) players: $36,000

Average domestic wage: $46,000

Minimum salary for international players: $72,000

Average international wage: $94,000

Top salaries: $200,000-$300,000 (combined domestic, international payments)

Total player payment pool: $55.2m (over five years)

Private health insurance covered

PFA has also won improvement to minimum medical standards, a maternity policy and an agreement with head office to improve non-playing employment arrangements for players.

PFA chief John Didulica said the deal was “foundational”. “Hand in hand with the club owners and the FFA, it will build a platform to grow the players’ collective hope of building a professional career as a footballer,” he said.

Through the 14-week season, matches will be played in Bunbury, Cromer and Miranda in the hope of attracting new audiences, with 25 double-headers scheduled alongside A-League matches.

FFA has also cleared space on the calendar for a finals series that doesn’t clash with the men’s league. The semi-finals on Sunday 11 February and grand final on 18 February are standalone dates.