Women's billion-dollar boom leaves players behind, says Fifpro

Players from Real Madrid and Barcelona joined strike action in Spain’s Liga F in 2023, bringing renewed attention to pay and working conditions in women’s football.

Players joined union-backed action

The walkout involved players from two of Spain’s most prominent clubs. Unions were seeking improved pay and conditions, making the dispute a collective effort to address the employment terms available to players in the women’s competition.

A wider debate over women’s football

The action came amid discussion about the financial growth of women’s football and whether players are benefiting from that expansion. Fifpro said the sport’s billion-dollar boom was leaving players behind, underscoring the gap between the game’s broader commercial momentum and the conditions faced by some athletes.

The involvement of Real Madrid and Barcelona players gave the dispute visibility beyond individual clubs. It also showed that concerns over pay and workplace conditions had become significant enough to prompt coordinated strike action in Liga F.

Why the dispute matters

The 2023 strike highlighted the importance of negotiations between players, unions and competition stakeholders. While the available information does not establish the outcome of the action, the episode placed player welfare and compensation at the centre of the conversation around women’s football.

For Liga F, the dispute marked a public test of how the competition responds to demands for better conditions as attention and investment in the women’s game continue to grow.