Financial Struggles and Mental Health Push Female Footballers to Consider Early Retirement
A staggering number of female footballers are thinking about stepping away from the game sooner than expected. According to a new Fifpro report, financial difficulties and mental health concerns top the list of reasons for this troubling trend.
The 2026 Fifpro global employment report, named "Working Conditions in Women’s Football," is the most comprehensive look at the state of the women's game in the last decade, having surveyed 800 players. The results are eye-opening: 49% of those surveyed are contemplating an early exit from football.
Among those players, a significant 59% pointed to their financial situation as a driving force behind their decision, while 46% mentioned psychological stress as a contributing factor. Alex Culvin, Fifpro’s director of women’s football, emphasized the industry's progress but noted, "For 95% [of players], there is a hell of a long way to go."
While the average monthly wages in women's football have tripled since 2017, climbing to $2,601 (£1,966), the median salary remains much lower at $1,669 (£1,261). This disparity underscores the uneven growth within the sport.
In ten Eastern European nations examined, average salaries fall below the national minimum wage. Even in more lucrative markets like Western Europe and Asia/Oceania, pay levels are often not significantly higher than minimum wage standards.
The report also reveals that only 56% of players have employment contracts, and just 13% receive club pensions. Alarmingly, 47% of players reported that their clubs lack adequate support staff.
Contract lengths have improved, increasing from an average of 12 months in 2017 to 19 months today, and the number of players with agents has risen dramatically from 14% to 41%. But Culvin highlights a recurring issue: "There is a recurring theme of precarity and fragile conditions."
Mental health is a pressing concern as well, with 57% of players admitting they have faced mental health struggles. Shockingly, half of these players reported that their clubs failed to provide necessary support.
Fifpro is advocating for enforceable minimum standards regarding wages, facilities, staffing, and healthcare to be included in employment agreements at the national level. Currently, only eight out of 30 analyzed national women’s leagues have collective agreements with players through their unions. They are also pushing for mandatory psychological support for players.
On a brighter note, one area of improvement has been maternity protection. Since FIFA introduced global minimum maternity standards in 2021, the percentage of players considering leaving football to start a family has dropped from 47% to 19%. This reflects some positive strides in addressing the needs of female athletes.
