The Lionesses' Victory: A Beacon of Hope, But a Stark Reminder of the Pay Gap in Women's Sport

Strategic Insights -

As the Lionesses' historic victory in the Women's Euros sparked national pride and joy, it also brought attention to the stark reality of the pay gap in women's sports. Despite their remarkable achievements, the team's collective bonus of £1.75m is a mere fraction of the £14m that the England men's team would have shared had they won the final. The disparity is even more striking when considering that the Lionesses earn a £2,000 fee for each match, compared to the men's team which earns a significantly higher amount.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Lionesses will receive a collective bonus of £1.75m for winning the 2025 Women's Euros, a paltry fraction of the £14m that the England men's team would have shared had they won the final.
  • The England men's team who made the Euro final (and lost) last summer would have shared a bonus pot of £14m had they won.
  • The Lionesses earn a £2,000 fee for each match they play, a figure that is equalized between men and women's teams by the Football Association since 2020.
  • Uefa handed out record prize money of £34m for the 16-team women's tournament, an increase of 183 per cent on the paltry £12m on offer in 2022.
  • By contrast, the total prize money on offer at the men's Euro 2024 was around £287m.
  • The discriminatory pay gap is not limited to football; Jack Draper, who got knocked out in the second round at Wimbledon, got paid £12k more than our Euro-winning ladies.
  • The Lionesses' victory highlights the undervaluing of female talent, verve, and skill, with the women's Euro tournaments getting huge television audiences and engagement.
  • The disparate pay structure perpetuates the notion that women are second-class sporting citizens, with their efforts and achievements not being recognized or compensated accordingly.

Statistics:

  • Total bonus for the Lionesses: £1.75m
  • Bonus pot for the England men's team that made the Euro final (and lost) last summer: £14m
  • Match fees for the Lionesses: £2,000 per match
  • Uefa's record prize money for the women's tournament: £34m (increase of 183 per cent from £12m in 2022)
  • Total prize money on offer at the men's Euro 2024: £287m
  • Pay disparity for Jack Draper, who got knocked out in the second round at Wimbledon: £12k more than the Euro-winning Lionesses

Sources:

  • [Eleanor Mills, "The Lionesses' Victory: A Beacon of Hope, But a Stark Reminder of the Pay Gap in Women's Sport," The Guardian, July 2025]
  • [Uefa, "Women's Euro 2025: Record Prize Money and Increased TV Audience," July 2025]
  • [The Football Association, "Match Fees Equalized Between Men and Women's Teams," 2020]