TORONTO — The Canadian women’s soccer team confirmed Friday it has reached an interim labor agreement with Canada Soccer covering compensation for 2023, including prize money from the ongoing FIFA Women’s World Cup.
But there was no celebration in a social media post announcing the deal, which was reached Monday.
“As the extent of Canada Soccer’s financial constraints have been revealed, we have been forced to choose between compensation and the funding required to hold necessary training camps,” the statement reads.
“We have been forced to choose between receiving a fair share of the rewards from our teams’ successes at the World Cup and our commitment to equal pay and equal treatment with our men’s national team. These are choices we should not have to make.
“We are deeply disappointed to find ourselves without a more complete agreement at this crucial stage in our calendar.”
The interim deal ensures “at minimum” equal pay with the men’s team, the statement said. But there are “many more important items” that still have to be settled, the women said.
“This isn’t over. We and the men’s national team remain committed to finding a long-term solution that provides for fair and equal treatment for our current national teams and investments in the future of Canadian soccer, but for now, our team just wants to focus on soccer.”
In a subsequent social media post, the women said they would make no further comment on the issue until the end of the tournament.
“All focus is on the team’s performance at this time,” it said.
The Canadian women have been without a labor deal since the last one expired at the end of 2021. The men’s team is working on its first formal labor agreement.
The men say Canada Soccer wants to keep approximately 70% of combined World Cup prize money “while simultaneously demanding that we agree to reduce our per game compensation dramatically, by as much as 75%.
“Shockingly, to date, the men’s national team players have not been paid anything for their participation in the 2022 World Cup eight months ago.″
FRIDAY’S GAMES
ENGLAND 1, DENMARK 0: Lauren James scored after six minutes of her first start at the Women’s World Cup as European champion England beat Denmark in Sydney.
James, who was benched to start the opening game against Haiti, provided the decisive moment after being inserted into the lineup by Coach Sarina Wiegman. Collecting the ball outside the area, she curled a right-foot shot beyond the reach of Denmark goalkeeper Lene Christensen.
Denmark substitute Amalie Vangsgaard was close to scoring a dramatic late equalizer, but her header hit the post in the final moments of regulation.
While the win puts England on the verge of advancing from Group D, midfielder Keira Walsh injured her right knee in the first half and had to leave the field on a stretcher.
CHINA 1, HAITI 0: Despite playing with 10 players for more than an hour, China defied the odds to secure a victory over Haiti in Adelaide, Australia.
Forward Wang Shuang scored her first-ever goal at a World Cup in the 74th minute, converting a penalty after teammate Zhang Linyan was fouled in the area.
This victory marks the second time in Women’s World Cup history that a team won with 10 players on the field, with the previous occurrence taking place in 2011.
China kept alive its hopes of advancing to the knockout rounds but needs a better result than Denmark in their final group stage matches on Tuesday. China will stay in Adelaide to play England, while Denmark faces Haiti in Perth, Australia.
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