Some 188 players agreed to go on strike over wages and working hours, with clubs saying they cannot afford their demands. Women's football has grown in Spain since its debut at the 2015 World Cup.
Image: picture-alliance/J. Gonzalez
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Female footballers in Spain have gone on strike following a breakdown in talks with the league's clubs over working hours and minimum wages.
Of the around 200 members of the AFE players association who met in Madrid for talks on Tuesday, 93% backed the strike. If their demands are not met, the female footballers will stop playing in November — a move that would mark the first time ever female footballers strike in Spain.
Some 16 first-division women's clubs are operating in Spain, but only a few are considered professional. Among the most successful clubs are Barcelona and Atletico Madrid.
Women's football in Spain has grown dramatically since the 2015 World Cup, when the country made its first appearance in the tournament, and with it calls for more investment domestically have steadily increased.
The proposed strike comes as players and the clubs have been working for over a year on what could be the league's first collective agreement.
At issue are working hours. The clubs have imposed a limit of 20 working hours per week, while players have insisted on 40 and say they are ready to agree to at least 30.
"We feel that we are full time football players," Athletic Bilbao captain Ainhoa Tirapu told AP.
"Some clubs have had players with contracts of 12 hours per week," Tirapu added.
Players also want the minimum wage to be raised from the current annual amount of €16,000 ($17,800) to €20,000. Additionally, they seek protection of benefits for players in the event of pregnancy.
The clubs have argued they can't afford the changes the players propose.
In two weeks, the players are set to meet with the Spanish Football Federation to further discuss the matter.
"It's not only about the money, it's about our rights," Tirapu said. "We hope to reach an agreement at some point, but we need this drastic measure because it's the right moment for women's soccer. This is not being done for ourselves, it's being done for our future players."
AFE president David Aganzo told Spanish newspaper EL Pais that in terms of women's football in Spain, "everyone talks about positive things," but what is needed is to actually improve the situation of female footballers and that they "are recognized for what they do."
The impending strike in Spain is the latest fight for wages in women's football and it comes on the heels of the US Women's National Team high-profile lawsuit against their federation over wage discrimination.
US women's soccer team celebrates World Cup victory in New York
The victorious US women's soccer team have basked in a ticker tape parade in New York. Co-captain Megan Rapinoe led the festivities, saying the team would continue to fight for social justice issues.
Image: picture-alliance/newscom/J. Angelillo
'Women's rights icons now'
To chants of "equal pay," the US women's soccer team paraded the World Cup trophy through New York's financial district. In a fever pitch of global interest, the team beat The Netherlands 2-0 in the final. "The level of interest and excitement is much higher from four years," said Jessica Lappin, president of the parade's organizers. "That's partly because they're women's rights icons now."
Image: picture-alliance/newscom/J. Angelillo
Taking the lead
In a fiery speech at the parade, celebrated co-captain Megan Rapinoe described her squad as a mixture of all sorts of characters. But Rapinoe, an outspoken gay activist who has called for greater equality for women, urged supporters to engage their communities at a deeper level. "We have to be better, love more and hate less," Rapinoe said. "This is everyone's responsibility."
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/C. Ruttle
Up four the fight
Player of the tournament Megan Rapinoe holds aloft the trophy as teammates celebrate the fourth World Cup triumph by the US women's team. New York Mayor Bill de Blasio presented the ceremonial keys to the city to the players, and stars Rapinoe, Alex Morgan and Carli Lloyd thanked the country for supporting the team.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/R. Drew
Fighting for equality
Despite their successful performance over the past decades, women do not earn the same on international duty as the US men's team. In March, the women's team sued the US Federation for equal pay. "They play the same game that men soccer players play. They play it better, with better results," said New York Governor Andrew Cuomo. "If there's any economic rationale, the men should get paid less."
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/C. Ruttle
'No' to the White House
Even before US President Donald Trump extended an invite to the team, Rapinoe had said she would decline. In an interview on Tuesday, she said she didn't believe anyone else would accept. "I would say that your message is excluding people," she said when asked if she had a message for Trump. "Maybe America is great for a few people right now, but it's not great for enough Americans in this world."
Image: picture-alliance/newscom/J. Angelillo
Down the hatch
Megan Rapinoe pours champagne as the United States Women's Soccer team ride up the Canyon Of Heroes at a Ticker Tape Parade in New York City. Team USA started celebrating the back-to-back World Cup victories on Sunday. In 2015, they beat Japan in the final, whom they had lost to four years earlier.
