PFA Report Warns Of Crisis In A-League Women Football

Australia’s top women’s football competition, the A-League Women (ALW), is facing serious challenges. A new report by the Professional Footballers Australia (PFA) revealed that the league is losing top players, match attendance is falling, and many players are suffering from mental stress. The PFA called the league a “burning platform,” warning that it is falling far behind international women’s football competitions.

According to the PFA report, the ALW is struggling to keep pace with other women’s football leagues around the world. It found that the league’s quality, pay, and conditions have dropped sharply since the COVID-19 pandemic. Once one of the best-paid women’s sports leagues in Australia, the ALW now has the lowest minimum salary among major women’s sports. The report said players are leaving the league because of poor pay and limited career opportunities.

After the excitement of the 2023 Women’s World Cup, which Australia co-hosted with New Zealand, attendance numbers were expected to rise. However, the opposite happened. The average crowd size at ALW matches fell by 26 percent in the 2024–2025 season, dropping to just 1,559 fans per game. The report said the league failed to build on the momentum and public interest created by the World Cup.

Financial difficulties have become common among ALW players. The PFA report showed that 76 percent of players said they were either “not at all secure” or only “slightly secure” financially. This figure has increased from 66 percent two years ago. The current minimum salary for ALW players is just A$26,500 in 2025 — far lower than women in other Australian sports like cricket (A$74,851), Australian Rules football (A$67,337), and netball (A$45,320).

The report also raised serious concerns about players’ mental well-being. A mental health audit found that 67 percent of players reported sport-related psychological distress, including anxiety and depression. Many players said that having to work second jobs to make ends meet adds pressure and affects their ability to focus on football.

With many senior and experienced players leaving for better opportunities abroad, the league is becoming younger. Players aged 21 and under now make up almost one-third of all playing minutes in the 2024–2025 season. The report said this trend shows that the league is failing to provide long-term career stability for experienced athletes who should be its role models.

The United States has become a major destination for Australian women footballers. Thirteen ALW players have moved to the new USL Super League, while six others joined the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL). These moves are mainly driven by higher salaries and better training facilities abroad. Meanwhile, the ALW is finding it harder to attract foreign talent, with clubs now signing players from lower-division European leagues.

Despite all these challenges, the PFA believes that there is still a big opportunity for the ALW to grow. The report noted that the global women’s football market is expanding fast, with more prize money and stronger international competitions. If the league and club owners take bold action, ALW could become a profitable and professional competition. However, the PFA warned that decision-makers are not showing the urgency or focus needed to seize these opportunities.

The PFA urged league officials to use the upcoming Women’s Asian Cup in March, which Australia will host, as a turning point. The event could bring attention and investment back to women’s football. But the report also warned that without serious improvements, the attention from big tournaments will again fade quickly. It said the league needs a clear vision, better pay, and a stronger product that truly represents progress for women’s sports.

The Australian Professional Leagues, which manages the ALW, and Football Australia, the country’s football federation, have not yet responded to the PFA’s report. Players and fans now hope that the authorities will act soon to protect the future of women’s football in Australia before it loses even more ground to global competitors.