How much England Women could earn in bonuses and sponsorship if they win the Euro final
England Women have reached the Euro 2022 final at Wembley, with only Germany standing between the Lionesses and a historic triumph.
Sarina Wiegman’s players have become household names during their glittering run to the final, with a 4-0 semi-final demolition of Sweden one of a string of memorable displays.
But with the financial rewards of women’s football still lagging far behind the men’s game, how do the prize money, bonuses and sponsorship deals linked to England’s Euro 2022 triumphs compare?
How much can England earn if they win the European Championship?
If the Lionesses triumph against Germany at Wembley, every player will reportedly be paid a pre-agreed £55,000 win bonus by the Football Association.
England internationals are believed to receive a match fee of around £2,000 per game, meaning any player who featured in all six matches at Euro 2022 could expect to earn around £67,000 from the tournament.
These match fees are the same for both the men’s and women’s teams, the FA confirmed in September 2020.
A spokesperson said: “The FA pay their women players exactly the same as their male counterparts to represent England, both in terms of match fees and match bonuses. This parity has existed since January 2020.”
But while Uefa doubled the total tournament prize money at the women’s European Championship to €16m (£13.4m), this represents a fraction of the sum on offer for the men’s tournament last year.
At Euro 2020, the total prize pool was €371 million, with eventual winners Italy earning up to €34 million alone.
Furthermore, it was reported during last year’s tournament that England’s men, defeated on penalties in the final in heartbreaking fashion, were in line to earn individual bonuses of around £460,000 if they had won.
How will the euro affect sponsorship deals?
Global brands such as Nike, Adidas and Pepsi will be on standby to offer multi-year deals to the standout Lionesses, “worth millions, not thousands” after the tournament, according to sports marketing experts.
However, winning will not be the only factor that will have a “major impact” on the sums they are offered.
Experts say players’ performances off the field will help determine the size of the fees they’ll be able to command, from the size of their social media following to how vocal they are about community issues.
Star players such as Alessia Russo and Beth Mead will have their pick of commercial deals and other lucrative opportunities regardless of Sunday’s outcome, industry figures believe.
Sports drink brands, car manufacturers and food companies will be among those looking to strike brand ambassador deals with the Lionesses.
But the players will also field offers from esports and gaming companies, and broadcasters eager to get England’s athletes to promote their products and showcase their sports coverage.
“Women’s football has hit a fever pitch and a win for England on Sunday will put the rising stars of the women’s game firmly in the sponsorship spotlight,” said Rakesh Dhall, head of media and partnerships at digital creative agency 20ten, which works with clients such as McLaren’s F1.
“We will see a big push from brands to invest in women’s football…[and] to select specific players as brand ambassadors to front campaigns and channel new marketing initiatives.”
Even if England suffer a defeat at the hands of Germany, the players will have significant earning potential, according to Liam Hopkins, head of sports marketing at advertising agency Leo Burnett.
“Regardless of the result on Sunday, the Lionesses will have the opportunity to earn significant revenue on the back of the competition as they have so heroically captured the hearts and minds of the nation,” Hopkins said.