December 16 – A new law in Italy, removing the current salary cap, will allow women players at Serie A Femminile clubs to be paid as full time professionals.

Currently players in Serie A Femminile earn €60 per week and a match bonus of €77.

The budget committee of the Senato della Repubblica has removed the current salary cap and allocated €11 million over the next three years to the tip tier Italian clubs, allowing them to make the transition from being semi-professional.

The new law will come into force for the 2020 season.

The 12-team Serie A Femminile currently pays a 22-game season with the top two clubs qualifying for UEFA’s Women’s Champions League. The bottom two clubs are relegated to Serie B.

First played in 1968, the champions for the last two seasons have been Juventus. AC Milan, Inter Milan, Roma, Fiorentina and Sassulo all have teams in the top tier.

Katia Serra, spokesperson for the Italian Players’ Association (AIC), told L Football: “We are very happy. Now the alibi that professionalism is too expensive no longer works.

“The €11 million allocated are a sufficient fund for the necessary economic coverage. This is only a first step, fundamental to building professionalism together with the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) and all the federations interested in finally giving equal treatment to women athletes.”

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