This data comes from the newly released 2024 edition of the FIFA Women’s Football Benchmarking Report, which collects data about the experiences of female players from 86 leagues and 669 clubs around the world.

In Australia, the minimum wage in the A-League Women competition is $25,750 for senior players and $12,800 for scholarship players.

The PFA has been calling for improvements to the A-League Women competition including full-time professionalism and improvements to match presentation and club environments.

Matildas star Michelle Heyman in action for Canberra United. Source: AAP / Lukas Coch

The FIFA report, released on Monday, sorts leagues into three tiers, ranging from Tier 1 for leagues at the highest level of professionalisation to Tier 3 for leagues at earlier stages in the process.

The proportion was lower in the other tiers, with 1 in 2 players in Tier 2 leagues and 1 in 5 players in Tier 3 leagues gaining their main source of income from football.

FIFA also highlighted the increase in the record for outbound transfer fees for A-League Women players.

The undisclosed transfer fee for the move of Sharn Freier (right) from Brisbane Roar to Vfl Wolfsburg in Germany broke the club’s record. Source: AAP / Rob Prezioso

“A-League Women has made great progress, but it can be so much bigger if we act now to professionalise the players, leverage the Women’s Asian Cup on home soil (in 2026), and repatriate the golden generation of Matildas before they finish their careers,” Busch said.

“Australian football failed to capitalise on the Women’s World Cup to build a lasting legacy for the professional game — we cannot afford to make the same mistake again.”