CSPA clarifies statement on women’s interim deal with Canada Soccer

The Canadian Soccer Players’ Association has cleared the air on the interim deal the senior women’s team struck with Canada Soccer in July.

In a statement released Wednesday, the CSPA said that the compensation the women will receive as part of the deal for 2023 “is significantly more” than the players’ base compensation in 2021 and is “not zero.”

As part of the agreement, Canada Soccer also committed “to fill all available remaining FIFA windows for 2023 for the Women’s National Team.”

In addition, separate compensation will be given to those who competed at the recent Women’s World Cup, which will be above the minimum required by FIFA for a group-stage exit.

The CSPA released a statement on July 28 that said players had to choose between compensation and funding for training camps due to Canada Soccer’s financial constraints.

The CPSA clarified Wednesday that the choice to fund training camps does not mean players do not get any compensation at all.

The July statement also said the team had to pick between equal pay to the men’s team and getting a “fair share” of the rewards from its successes at the World Cup, while adding it “at minimum” received the equal pay with the men.

“Canada Soccer is pleased that the Canadian Soccer Players’ Association (CSPA) have released a clarification to their recent public statement made during the FIFA Women’s World Cup,” a Canada Soccer spokesman said Wednesday in response.

“We look forward to continue working collaboratively with the CSPA, and in the weeks and months ahead, we will continue to work towards a more long-term sustainable collective bargaining agreement.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 23, 2023.