If you follow Women’s Super League football, one question always comes up: how much do Women’s Super League players earn?
When you ask how much do Women’s Super League players earn, the short answer is: it depends on the contract and the club. In 2025, salaries in the WSL are still far below what you see in the men’s English Premier League (EPL) game, but they are steadily rising as the league grows.
WSL salaries are not made public. Clubs and the FA do not release player contracts, so most reported numbers are based on media estimates and may also include endorsements. According to BBC analysis, the average WSL salary 2025 is around £47,000 per year for female soccer players. However, at smaller female soccer clubs or for new WSL players, salaries typically drop to £27,000 per year or lower. At the top end, some star female WSL players, such as Sam Kerr, are earning up to £500,000 or more per season, plus bonuses.
However, these figures can be misleading, as a few top-earning female soccer stars skew the average. At the same time, many female soccer players take home far less than the headline number suggests.
How a Typical WSL Contract Looks
A professional WSL contract usually runs for one to three years. Most WSL female soccer players earn a set base wage, along with additional benefits such as medical coverage and training support. WSL contracts may also include performance bonuses for scoring goals, assists, or team results.
For the majority of Women’s Super League footballers, such as Beth Mead, Lucy Bronze, and Katie Zelem, the pay is enough to live on, but doesn’t come close to the riches of the men’s game.
Average Pay Ranges Across WSL Clubs
Not every Women’s Super League club pays the same. At the lower end, smaller WSL teams such as newly promoted London Lionesses pay around £20,000–£27,000 a year, while bigger clubs like Chelsea, Arsenal, and Manchester City often pay £40,000–£60,000 for regular squad players. This may sound low when compared to the salaries of female soccer players in the USA, where top-tier players in the NWSL and the USWNT often earn higher base pay plus national team bonuses.
The difference in the WSL pay gap reflects club budgets, sponsorships, and success on the pitch. So, when you ask how much does a WSL player earns? The answer shifts based on the badge on her shirt.
The Lowest Wages in the Women’s Super League and Entry-Level Contracts
If you’re still wondering how much do women’s Super League players earn, the truth is that not every female soccer player signs a big-money deal. The lowest wages in the Women’s Super League start at around £20,000 a year. This figure is typically associated with smaller clubs that have tighter budgets. While this pay technically counts as full-time, it leaves many young girls’ soccer players needing second jobs, especially when living costs are high in cities like London or Manchester.
Reports from 2024–2025 indicate that some players still earn between £18,000 and £22,000, which is significantly below the average WSL salary for 2025. At this level, a female footballer might only cover rent, food, and travel.
Unlike their male counterparts, who earn millions, entry-level contracts in the WSL remain modest, and many players highlight the need for better minimum standards.
Part-time vs Full-time WSL Earnings Explained
Starting from the 2025–26 season, every player in the Women’s Super League (WSL) and WSL 2 will earn a full-time salary for the first time. This big step comes with new minimum salary requirements created with the help of the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA). The goal is to make sure all female soccer players in England earn a fair wage, focus fully on football, and no longer need second jobs to support themselves. It’s a huge move for women’s football in England, helping players train better, stay healthy, and grow their careers.
In past seasons, many women’s footballers had part-time contracts, balancing football with school or other jobs. Now, that gap is closing. Every player across both leagues will earn enough to focus fully on football — with professional training, medical support, and stronger welfare systems in place.
This marks a key step in making the women’s game more professional, fair, and sustainable for the future.
Beyond WSL Wages — Bonuses and Benefits
While base salaries give a snapshot of how much WSL players earn, the total value of a contract often includes bonuses and benefits that can make a big difference, especially for those not earning at the very top. These extras are designed to reward performance, support players off the pitch, and make WSL contracts more competitive.
Performance and signing bonuses
Most professional WSL contracts include performance-based bonuses. Players can earn extra for scoring goals, assisting teammates, keeping clean sheets, or helping the team reach league and cup milestones. Signing-on bonuses are also common for players joining bigger clubs or moving from abroad. For example, top stars like Chloe Kelly might negotiate a lump sum when they sign a new deal, which can supplement their base salary by tens of thousands of pounds.
Extra support like housing, travel, and medical cover
Because salaries at smaller clubs remain modest, many WSL teams provide additional benefits. These include:
- Housing support: Many female footballers, such as Melvine Malard and Alanna Kennedy, relocate to cities or even countries to join WSL clubs. Housing support means the WSL club helps them find and pay for a safe, comfortable place to live. This makes the move easier and allows them to settle quickly before the season begins.
- Travel expenses: Women’s Super League clubs often cover transportation costs for players attending training sessions, home and away matches, or international duties. This ensures female players don’t spend their own money on travel and focus fully on football.
- Medical and fitness care: Every player gets full access to medical teams, physiotherapists, and rehab experts. This support helps them recover more quickly from injuries, stay in shape, and perform at their best throughout the season.
These extras help ensure that Women’s Super League (WSL) players, especially those on entry-level or mid-tier salaries, can live professionally without financial stress, allowing them to focus on training and performance.
Women’s Super League (WSL) Sponsorship and Extra Earnings
For female soccer players in the Women’s Super League, club salaries are just one part of their income. Many women footballers, such as Sam Kerr and Leah Williamson, increase their earnings through sponsorships, endorsements, and media deals, which can sometimes match or exceed their base salary. These opportunities are significant for female footballers who are not at the very top of the wage scale.
How endorsements boost income for leading WSL players
Top female soccer players, such as Sam Kerr, benefit from deals with brands like Nike and Adidas. For instance, Kerr has her own Nike Mercurial Superfly 10 Elite “Sam Kerr” Soccer Cleats, which are designed to her specifications and celebrate her 11-year journey as a professional footballer.
These endorsements provide extra income and increase her global profile. Even mid-level female footballers can secure smaller sponsorships, which supplement their club pay and help cover living or travel expenses. For many women footballers, sponsorships are a crucial way to maximize earnings in a sport where average salaries are still modest.
Broadcast rights and their impact on WSL pay
The growth of WSL broadcast deals also indirectly benefits female footballers. Revenue from television rights allows top clubs to offer higher wages and improved benefits. While not every women’s soccer player receives direct income from broadcasts, the increased league revenue supports better training facilities, medical support, and overall contract quality. For female footballers, this means stronger financial stability and a professional environment that helps them perform at their best.
Highest Paid WSL Players and Top WSL Clubs
Now, if you ask How Much Do Women’s Super League Players Earn, the top end looks very different from the entry-level. While some girls’ soccer players start at around £20,000 a year, stars at big clubs bring in six-figure deals.
Examples of star players like Sam Kerr and Beth Mead
One of the most talked-about contracts in women’s football is Sam Kerr’s salary. The Chelsea striker reportedly earns more than £500,000 per year, making her the highest-paid player in the WSL in 2025 and one of the top-earning female footballers in the world. When you break it down, Sam Kerr’s monthly salary sits between £30,000 and £35,000, highlighting just how far her deal exceeds the WSL average.
Arsenal’s Beth Mead is another big name, earning over £150,000 annually after her Golden Boot-winning season at the Euros boosted her market value. Other top female soccer players, such as Lauren James (Chelsea) and Ella Toone (Manchester United), also sign strong contracts. However, the exact salary figures are not confirmed and often include sponsorship income.
Which Women’s Super League (WSL) clubs pay the biggest wages
Big WSL clubs like Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester United, and Manchester City pay the highest wages in the Women’s Super League. These teams generate more revenue from ticket sales, sponsorships, and participation in the Champions League. As a result, they offer players contracts comparable to those of the highest-paid female soccer players. Smaller Women’s Super League clubs, on the other hand, often can’t pay more than £50,000 a year to their players.
Conclusion
The Women’s Super League (WSL) is growing fast, but still when you ask, how do much Women’s Super League players earn? The answer is, the WSL pay is still uneven. Stars like Sam Kerr earn six-figure salaries, while many female soccer players make much less. Still, things are improving. Bonuses, benefits, and brand deals help more WSL players build stable careers. Over time, expected wage growth and better Women’s Super League contracts will make the league stronger and help retain top women’s footballers in the game.
Learning how do much Women’s Super League players earn shows both how far the female sport has come and the work that remains to be done to make it fair, professional, and supportive for every female soccer player.
