Canada Soccer inks an interim funding agreement with women’s national team players

Canada Soccer has just announced that they have reached an agreement with the players on the Canadian Women’s National Team for interim funding as they continue to negotiate a collective bargaining agreement. 

‘Canada Soccer has announced that a deal in principle has been reached with the Women’s National Team Players on an interim funding agreement, for 2022 (sic),’ the statement read. 

‘The terms of the interim agreement mirror a similar deal with the Men’s National Team Players that includes per-game incentives and results-based compensation.’

The statement continued with a message from Canada Soccer general secretary Earl Cochrane, who said, ‘This is about respect, this is about dignity, and this is about equalizing the competitive environment in a world that is fundamentally unequal.’

Cochrane continued: ‘We have been consistent and public about the need to have fairness and equal pay be pillars of any new agreements with our players, and we are delivering on that today. 

‘While this is an important step forward, and it signals progress, there is still more work to do to ensure both of our national programs are given the necessary resources and supports to prepare and compete.’

The statement then read:’ A new overarching collective bargaining agreement with both of our National Teams is still being negotiated. 

‘Therefore, the interim funding agreement with the Women’s National Team Players is subject to change on the basis of details included in the final collective bargaining agreement.

‘With the principle terms of agreement now in place between Canada Soccer and the Women’s National Team Players, final details of the Interim Funding Agreement are being finalised by their respective legal counsel.’