A new global report by the world players’ union, FIFPRO, has raised concerns about the sustainability of professional women’s football, revealing that nearly half of surveyed players are considering leaving the game earlier than planned, with financial insecurity and mental health challenges emerging as the leading reasons.

The 2026 FIFPRO Global Employment Report: Working Conditions in Women’s Football, released on Monday, October 12, 2026, draws on surveys and interviews with approximately 800 players worldwide. It represents the most extensive assessment of employment conditions in women’s football since 2017.

According to the report, 49 per cent of players surveyed said they were considering ending their football careers early. Among those contemplating an early exit, 59 per cent identified financial difficulties as a major factor, while 46 per cent cited psychological stress.

The findings highlight a growing contradiction within the women’s game: although investment and revenues have driven significant salary increases in some markets, many players continue to face unstable employment, inadequate welfare provisions and limited long-term financial security.

Rising Salaries, Uneven Progress

FIFPRO’s findings show that the average inflation-adjusted monthly club salary for women footballers has tripled since 2017 to $2,601. However, the median monthly salary stands at just $1,669, indicating that earnings remain unevenly distributed across the sport.

The report attributes much of the salary growth to revenue expansion in certain competitions, including the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) in the United States.

Nevertheless, FIFPRO warns that the benefits of professionalisation remain concentrated in particular countries and competitions, leaving many players without the financial security required to sustain long careers.

Even in Western Europe and Asia/Oceania, regions that include some of the world’s largest football markets, average salaries are not significantly higher than national minimum-wage levels in some areas.

The disparity is particularly pronounced in Eastern Europe, where the average salary in 10 countries remains below the respective national minimum wage.

Dr Alex Culvin, FIFPRO’s Director of Women’s Football, said the rapid development of the sport had not translated into equal benefits for players across the world.

“The professionalization of women’s football is accelerating in some parts of the world and, as our report highlights, revenues are increasing, however, the progress and benefits are not evenly distributed among players across the world,” Culvin said.

She added that players outside the best-resourced clubs continued to experience precarious employment and fragile working conditions.

Mental Health Support Remains Inadequate

Beyond financial concerns, the report identifies mental health as a significant challenge affecting women footballers.

It found that 57 per cent of players surveyed had struggled with their mental health, with half of those experiencing difficulties reporting that their clubs had not provided them with support.

FIFPRO is consequently calling for mandatory psychological support for players, drawing attention to the NWSL model in the United States, where mental health practitioners work alongside staff at clubs and players have access to up to six months of mental health leave.

The union argues that psychological welfare must become an integral part of professional football rather than an optional benefit dependent on a club’s financial resources.

Employment Protection Still Falls Short

The report also exposes significant gaps in basic employment protections across women’s football.

Only 56 per cent of players surveyed have employment contracts, while 47 per cent said their clubs lacked sufficient staff.

Players interviewed for the study also raised concerns about inexperienced or inadequately qualified support personnel, some of whom were reportedly employed on minimum wages.

Long-term financial security is another major concern, with only 13 per cent of players receiving pensions from their clubs.

Although the average length of a playing contract has increased from 12 months in 2017 to 19 months in 2026, FIFPRO says the overall employment landscape remains inconsistent.

The proportion of players represented by agents has also risen considerably, from 14 per cent in 2017 to 41 per cent in the latest report.

Despite these developments, the absence of guaranteed minimum standards continues to leave many players vulnerable to differences in club policies and national regulations.

FIFPRO Calls for Enforceable Minimum Standards

To address the challenges, FIFPRO is urging competition organisers, football governing bodies, clubs and player unions to work together to establish enforceable minimum employment standards.

The proposed protections would cover salaries, facilities, staffing and healthcare, with the union advocating for these provisions to be incorporated into players’ employment contracts at national level.

The report found that only eight of the 30 national women’s football leagues examined have collective agreements between players’ unions and relevant stakeholders covering employment conditions.

Culvin stressed that improving conditions would require sustained cooperation across the game, particularly between competition organisers and player representatives.

She called for greater collaboration to establish standards that protect players and make professional careers more sustainable.

Maternity Protection Offers a Positive Example

The report also highlights maternity protection as an example of how targeted regulation can improve conditions for women footballers.

FIFA introduced maternity regulations in 2021 following work by FIFPRO, establishing protections for players during pregnancy and parental leave.

According to the report, the proportion of players considering leaving football to start a family has fallen significantly, from 47 per cent in 2017 to 19 per cent in 2026.

The development suggests that appropriate employment protections can help players reconcile their professional careers with family responsibilities.

However, FIFPRO maintains that similar progress is needed in other areas of players’ welfare, particularly mental health, financial security and contractual protection.

A Sustainable Future for Women’s Football

The report concludes that professional women’s football still falls short of providing a secure and sustainable career path for players in many parts of the world.

Access to written contracts, pensions, medical coverage and parental leave often depends more on the country in which a player competes and the club she represents than on her sporting ability.

For FIFPRO, the findings underline the need to ensure that the commercial growth of women’s football translates into tangible improvements in players’ working conditions.

As investment continues to expand the global game, the challenge for football authorities and competition organisers will be to establish minimum protections that allow players to earn a decent living, receive adequate healthcare and pursue long-term careers without being forced out by financial hardship or psychological pressure.

The report makes clear that the future success of women’s football will depend not only on increased revenues, stronger competitions and growing audiences, but also on whether the players driving that growth can enjoy secure, healthy and sustainable professional careers.