Women’s Super League players are making 50 times less money than their male counterparts, according to findings from Telegraph Sport. 

The investigation, which involved consultation with agents, players and coaches from across the 12 WSL clubs, found that salaries range from as little as £20,000 per year to as much as £250,000, plus bonuses. 

Birmingham City and Tottenham Hotspur were found to be spending the least on employee wages, with Birmingham’s coming to less than £19,000. Both clubs’ average salary was also found to have fallen below the national average wage. 

The Telegraph claim sources have stressed that salaries at the club have improved, but regardless, they remain the league’s lowest spenders. 

Indeed, former Birmingham manager Carla Ward resigned last year over concerns surrounding poor wages, lack of treatment for injured players, minimal access to training facilities and the club’s refusal to cover away travel costs. 

That being said, Ward, who now manages Birmingham’s West Midlands rivals Aston Villa, has emphasised that it’s important women’s teams do not get ahead of themselves when it comes to player salaries. 

Many staff and players want wages to increase in line with the growth of women’s football in recent years, especially with the WSL’s recent broadcasting deal with Sky and the BBC. 

Yet, Ward believes teams could develop problems if they decide to increase pay too quickly.

“If we go too high on wages too soon, it could sink teams and that’s where we’ve got to be really, really careful that we don’t go too big too soon,” she told The Telegraph. 

“That’s because the crowds aren’t quite there yet [and] the commercial revenue is not there yet.

“We’re getting there but we have to also take steps rather than trying to run before we can walk –– let’s be realistic and protect the women’s game rather than destroy it.” 

While data was not available for every club, Manchester City and Arsenal were found to be spending the most on wages, with both paying employees an average of more than £60,000. 

Chelsea were found to have the highest expenditure (£5,487,000), and are also likely to be in the same category for wages. 

This is understandable, given these three sides are regarded as the WSL’s leading teams at present and have some of the best players in the world. 

Nonetheless, these wages pale in comparison to the likes of France’s top women’s division. Some of Lyon’s players are reportedly earning as much as €500,000 (£411,000), which explains why some of England’s top stars, including Lucy Bronze and Nikita Parris, have previously played for the French giants. 

When compared to the men’s game, the disparity in money remains staggering. Some male players will earn more in a week, than the majority of women will do in an entire year. Both Cristiano Ronaldo and Kevin De Bruyne are said to earn £385,000 a week. 

And considering the WSL is currently the only avenue for women’s players to turn professional in the UK, some of these ludicrously low wages are pricing many out from playing the game. 

Women’s football as a whole may have grown astronomically in recent years, but while times are improving, there is still a long way to go on the road to equality.