Players in Spain's women's soccer league to strike for better pay and conditions

MADRID (AP) — Players in the Spanish women’s league are going to strike for better pay and conditions during first two rounds of the upcoming season, Spain’s main players’ union said Friday.

The announcement comes amid a crisis in Spanish soccer caused by the forced kiss of a Spain women’s player by the head of its soccer federation at the Women’s World Cup final.

The AFE union said in a statement that the strike seeks “fair and just treatment for the players” including a reduction in the salary gap with men players of La Liga. The minimum salary for men in the first division is 182,000 euros ($197,000) but for women, just 16,000 euros ($17,400).

The strike was called after negotiations for a new collective bargaining deal broke down with Liga F, the revamped women’s league that started last season.

The strike will impact games to be played on Sept. 8-10 and Sept. 15-17.

AFE said it had the backing of other unions, including FUTPRO, which is representing Spain forward Jenni Hermoso after she was forcibly kissed by Spanish soccer federation president Luis Rubiales during the Women’s World Cup awards ceremony on Aug. 20.

Spain’s women’s players reached their first collective bargaining agreement in 2020.

Liga F, which represents the clubs, said that it is holding a meeting with the players’ unions on Monday.

Spain’s women’s soccer has experienced a spectacular rise in recent years. Besides winning the World Cup, Barcelona has won two of the past three Women’s Champions League titles.

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