FFA and PFA agree to terms on new CBA for Socceroos and Matildas

While the A-League remains in limbo due to players and clubs not agreeing on CBA terms, the Socceroos and Matildas have no such problems.

The Socceroos are celebrating a new CBA. Picture: Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images

Football Federation Australia and Professional Footballers Australia have defied a COVID-19-affected economy to agree to a Collective Bargaining Agreement for the Socceroos and the Matildas.

While most clubs have reportedly only paid 50 per cent of players’ salaries for this month due to A-League CBA negotiations having stalled, Australia’s national teams have had a CBA locked in until the end of the 2023 Women’s World Cup.

The terms of the CBA include the Socceroos and the Matildas continuing to receive an equal share of the revenues generated by Australia’s national teams.

Matildas players will also continue to receive a monthly wage.

https://twitter.com/FFA/status/1306088275489169415

Such co-operation is lacking between A-League clubs and players.

It has been reported that only three A-League clubs – Brisbane Roar, Melbourne Victory and Central Coast Mariners – have paid players in full for this month,

It’s understood the PFA will give the rest of the clubs two weeks to pay their players the rest of the money owed to them before taking action.

“As per the players’ individual and legally-binding club contracts, the clubs are required to pay the players’ full entitlements and any reduction would be a breach of their contract,” a PFA spokesperson said.

Meanwhile, PFA co-chief executive officer Kathryn Gill said: “Preserving a world-leading CBA during a challenging period for the industry was of critical importance to the players as we seek to work in partnership with FFA to rebuild the sport in the wake of COVID-19.

“The national team CBA model was designed with the flexibility to allow individual entitlements to be redirected, meaning we could find a solution that dignifies the Matildas as professional footballers and ensures an equal distribution of revenues to the players, whilst maintaining the high-performance environment.

“Importantly, this outcome can help our sport build the foundations for a once in a generation opportunity; hosting the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023.”

FFA chief executive James Johnson said the agreement would “support the financial health of the game more broadly”.

“We have worked collaboratively and with strong principles with the PFA and the national team players to carefully consider the challenges we are confronting and developing a future proof agreement which takes into account the environmental challenges that we are confronting globally at present,” Johnson said.

“With this CBA now finalised, we look forward to working with the players and PFA to develop plans to recover from the pandemic.

“The strong schedules of activities both teams are set to experience in 2021 and beyond will assist in the regeneration of long-term national team revenues, which will not only benefit our elite players but many other areas of the sport.”

Originally published as FFA and PFA agree to terms on new CBA for Socceroos and Matildas