Since football was postponed in mid-March in England, there were several concerns and issues surrounding women’s game, reports Goal.com.
FIFPro released a report in April to deal with the implications the coronavirus pandemic would have for women’s football. The two words ‘existential threat’ were the ones that jumped off the page quickly.
With all that going around the world, few questions are stuck in everyone’s mind.
- Could clubs survive prolonged suspension?
- Will those who are affiliated to the men’s teams see funding cuts? 3. How are clubs going to deal with the fact that contracts for most players end in late May?
- How does such a prolonged break affect the game’s growing interest?
AFC Fylde recently announced the dismantling of their women’s team, who have been playing under the club’s name in the third tier since 2016.
The announcement comes only one month after the club released a statement saying: “Please be in no doubt that AFC Fylde is completely committed to its women’s squad and will ensure that it remains a part of the community.”
Reading recently became the first team to furlough a group of women into Women’s Super League elite. Also, the number of semi-professional teams in the game has gone down the same road – with some even exceeding the salaries.
Additional assistance can be received from business grants and, with additional match-day expenses such as lodging, minibusses, petrol, catering and more on standby, it leaves some clubs in much stronger positions than one would originally expect – particularly with many women’s clubs working very carefully as it is.
“When football returns the problem should be the same. While the men’s Premier League’s return would be the beginning of a television bonanza, the Women’s Super League and Championship won’t. Players will be back on their full-time wages, however, furloughing will stop and restore those match-day costs. It’s a fork in the road when football gets to restart,” Charlie Dobres tells Goal.
