Sports Centre – Issue 13

The gender pay gap in sports is not just a gap—it’s a canyon, and in 2025, it remains one of the most glaring injustices in the athletic world. Despite the surge in popularity and undeniable talent of female athletes, the numbers are staggering. Globally, 58% of women athletes earn less than $25,000 annually from their sport, half of Aotearoa median income. Half of professional women athletes surveyed reported zero net income after expenses. In stark contrast, the NBA’s 2025 salary cap stands at $140.5 million per team, while the WNBA’s is a mere $1.5 million

Female football players remain some of the most underpaid athletes in the world, despite the sport’s explosive growth and global popularity. According to FIFA’s 2025 report, the average annual salary for a female professional football player globally is just $10,900, a figure dragged up slightly by a handful of elite clubs where the average is closer to $24,000. Even in the top tier, only a few clubs offer average salaries above $50,000, with the highest reaching $120,000—amounts that pale in comparison to the millions earned by male players at equivalent levels. And this is not due to viewer engagement; Arsenal’s senior women’s team played in their home stadium (Emirates Stadium) 5 times during the 23/24 season and sold out the stadium twice.

This chronic underpayment forces many female athletes to seek second jobs or retire early, stunting the growth of the sport and depriving young fans of role models. The disparity isn’t just a matter of economics; it’s a reflection of how the sports industry still undervalues women’s contributions on and off the field. Until governing bodies, sponsors, and media outlets invest equally in women’s sport, the pay gap will remain a glaring stain on the world’s most popular sport. The time for excuses is over. The sports world must invest in women—not just for fairness, but for the future of the game.