The Lionesses are into their third consecutive final and will earn a performance-related bonus should they retain their trophy – but how does this fare against the England men’s earnings?
The Lionesses are in the Women’s Euro final once again after defeating Italy 2-1 in the final four. Sarina Wiegman’s side looked beaten as the minutes ticked down, with their opponents leading 1-0 deep into injury time.
However, Michelle Agyemang’s 96th-minute strike breathed life back into the sluggish squad and sent the game into extra time. A foul on Beth Mead in the 119th minute gave England the chance to head straight to the final without a penalty shootout.
Chloe Kelly’s 12-yard strike was saved and then rebounded into the net to confirm the Lionesses’ third consecutive final under Wiegman. Now, the team’s aim is to become the first England side in history to successfully defend a trophy when they take on familiar foes in world champions Spain, a rematch of the 2023 World Cup final.
Ahead of Euro 2025 beginning, UEFA confirmed that they had increased the prize money pool to a record £34million for the 16-team tournament. This is a huge jump compared to Euro 2022 – which England won with a 2-1 victory over Germany – as that stood at just £13.9m.
The Lionesses earned the FA just £1.7m when they lifted their first major honour at the previous Euros, but this year’s champions can earn £4.4m for securing the silverware. All teams at the tournament will receive a base participation fee of £1.5m, regardless of their progression in the competition.
In comparison, the total prize money on offer at Euro 2024, where the England men’s team lost 2-1 to Spain in the final, was an eyewatering £288m, with the Spaniards pocketing £24.5m for lifting the trophy.
All 24 teams at the men’s tournament received around £8m for participating, which is a whopping £6.5m increase from the women’s game. In terms of individual payments, the England men’s and women’s teams receive the same pay per match in line with equal pay protests, earning around £2,000 per match.
Many players tend to donate this fee to charity, but it is not an obligation. The Guardian reports that the Lionesses playing in Sunday’s final will receive a collective bonus of £1.75m if they end up retaining their Euros trophy.
It’s likely they are not focusing so much on their financial gain this weekend, as they gear up for what is set to be a historic final. Speaking post-Italy, boss Wiegman was clear on the task at hand against the Spaniards, and is confident that her team can get the job done.
She said: “We never give up. We say we can win by any means. Against Sweden, with the penalty shootout, we were a bit lucky that they missed. Tonight we were going for that goal but it gave us something, too. This team just keeps going.”
England captain Leah Williamson touched on the struggles the Lionesses have faced throughout the tournament, but is adamant the ‘new England’ will prosper in the end. She said: “I am very proud.
“I think everybody that plays for this team knows how lucky they are to have stepped into a time when we are so successful, but also just being a part of it, how inspirational it is for us, let alone everybody watching.
“It has not been smooth sailing and I feel like things haven’t necessarily gone to plan. We said before we came in and I said I am intrigued to see the level just keeps rising and there are more and more unknowns and you have to be ready for everything.
“And I don’t think it has gone smooth sailing for anybody yet, which is the point. It makes a great tournament and it shows what is going on. We just have to keep rising as well.
“This new England has to find their feet quicker, which is good. We have one more to go. I promise you we will give it everything.”
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