Rank of the highest paid women footballers 2023-24

Kate Sukhanova

from The Tech Report on 2024-04-03 14:15 (#6KTE4)

In the last few years, women's football has been carving out its place in the global world of sports. The earnings of the highest-paid women footballers are a testament to both their skills on the pitch and their popularity off it.

The salary rankings of the amazing athletes, about whom we'll learn more in this guide, offer a fascinating insight into the economic landscape of women's football.

Although we're still far off achieving equitable compensation for the talent and dedication of women's soccer players, compared to the men's, these 15 ladies are instrumental in making it possible. We believe that their earnings can inspire future generations of female athletes, making football a more inclusive and accessible sport.

Let's now take a closer look at the salaries of the 15 highest-paid female footballers in 2023/2024!

15 Highest Paid Women Footballers 2023-24

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The infographic above represents the staggering difference between the wages of the highest-paid male and female soccer players. For example, the highest-paid male soccer player, Cristiano Ronaldo, made $275 million in 2023. That's a staggering 38.7 times more than what the highest-paid female soccer player made in 2023.

For that reason, we believe that it's safe to say that we still have a long way to go when it comes to fair compensation of female footballers' talent. Of course, there are many economic factors affecting it, such as the number of people who attend female soccer games.

These fifteen ladies certainly draw in a crowd and are very popular off the pitch as well - and that's why they're the highest-paid female soccer players in the world. Let's learn more about them.

15-1115. Alyssa Naeher

Earnings, 2023: $1.1 million

Our list is kicked off by the 35-year-old goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher from Connecticut, USA. She plays for the US soccer team Chicago Red Stars, which she joined in 2015 after two seasons with the Boston Breakers.

In addition to her success in Chicago, Naeher was also part of the international US squad in the XV Pan American Games, the 2008 FIFA U-20 World Cup, the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio, and many other international competitions.

In 2023, Naeher is reported to have earned $1.1 million in total, including $800,000 on the field and $300,000 in endorsements. Although it's rare for keepers to have significant endorsement deals, she has a few with brands like Nike and Coca-Cola.

14. Kelley O'Hara

Earnings, 2023: $1.2 million

In fourteenth place, we have the 35-year-old wingback and winger Kelley O'Hara, a Georgia native. She joined NJ/NY Gotham FC in January 2023 after one season with the Washington Spirit.

O'Hara also has an illustrious international career. She represented the US in youth competitions in 2005-2010, the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, and the FIFA Women's World Cups in 2011, 2015, 2019, and 2023.

She reportedly earned $1.2 million in 2023, $700,000 of which was her salary, and $500,000 was the revenue from her endorsement deals. Those include her multi-year deal with Under Armour and Built With Chocolate Milk.

13. Sam Kerr

Earnings, 2023: $1.2 million

The first and only Aussie player on our list is the 30-year-old Chelsea FC striker Sam Kerr. The all-time leading goalscorer of Australia, Kerr, joined Chelsea FC in 2020 after a year with the Chicago Red Stars.

She also represented her home country of Australia in the four consecutive FIFA Women's World Cups in 2011, 2015, 2019, and 2023, as well as the 2020 Summer Olympics (postponed to 2021).

In terms of earnings, Kerr is tied with O'Hara, having earned $1.2 million in 2023. Her earnings on and off the pitch are split equally, with $600,000 stemming from her salary and $600,000 from endorsement contracts. The latter include big deals with LEGO and Nike. The Chelsea FC striker is the highest-paid player in the British WSL today.

12. Chloe Kelly

Statista

Earnings, 2023: $1.2 million

The only British football player on our list is the 26-year-old Londonder Chloe Kelly. The Manchester City FC forward joined the club in 2020 from Everton, initially for two years, but extended her contract for a further three years in 2022.

As one of the Lionesses, Kelly has been representing England in various international competitions since 2014, including the Women's Euro 2022 and 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup.

Like O'Hara and Kerr, Kelly made $1.2 million in 2023. She is the first player on the list for whom the endorsement earnings ($800,000) exceeded her soccer salary ($400,000). She has endorsement deals with brands like Land Rover and Calvin Klein.

11. Ada Hegerberg

Statista

Earnings, 2023: $1.2 million

In eleventh place, we have the Norwegian striker Ada Hegerberg. The 28-year-old Scandinavian superstar scored more goals (59) than any other player in the UEFA Women's Champions League as of 2022.

Hegerberg joined the French club Olympique Lyon in 2014 after a year in Germany with Turbine Potsdam and has been playing for Lyon ever since. She is also on Norway's national squad and played in the 2013 UEFA European Championship and the 2015 World Cup.

She took a five-year protest break from the team and returned in 2022 to represent Norway in the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup.

Hegerberg made $1.2 million in 2023, including $600,000 in salary and $600,000 in endorsement revenues. She has a 10-year deal with Nike and contracts with watchmakers Hublot as well as Mastercard.

10-610. Sofia Huerta

Earnings, 2023: $1.3 million

In the tenth spot, we have the 31-year-old Idaho-born right-back Sofia Huerta. She's been playing for Seattle Reign since 2020, having previously played for Houston Dash and being loaned to Sydney FC.

To date, Huerta is one of the only two players to play for both the US and Mexico national teams. She represented Mexico in several tournaments until 2017 but transferred to the US that year and represented America in the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup, among other competitions.

In 2023, Huerta earned $1.3 million. These earnings can be broken down as follows:

$800,000 in salary
$500,000 in endorsement contracts from Lotto and Siete Foods

9. Rose Lavelle

Earnings, 2023: $1.4 million

Ohio native Rose Lavelle is ninth on our list. The 28-year-old NJ/NY Gotham FC midfielder plays on the same team as Kelley O'Hara (number 14 on our list). She joined the New York team in January of this year, having previously played for Seattle Reign FC with Sofia Huerta for 2 years.

Lavelle represented the US in the 2018 and 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup as well as the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.

Thanks to her salary of $800,000 and endorsement deals worth $600,000, Lavelle made $1.4 million in 2023. Her endorsement deals include contracts with Yuengling, Chipotle, and Nike.

8. Lindsey Horan

Statista

Earnings, 2023: $1.5 million

Next up is the 29-year-old co-captain of the US women's soccer team Lindsey Horan. Ada Hegerberg's teammate at Olympique Lyon started with the French club as a forward and attacking midfielder on a loan from the Portland Thorns but joined OL permanently in 2023 via a three-year contract.

The transfer was one of the most expensive in women's football history, amounting to 258,000.

Colorado-born Horan has been playing for the US national team since 2013, representing the country in various tournaments, and became team co-captain in 2023 - a position she shares with Alex Morgan.

Horan made $1.5 million in 2023, including a salary of $900,000 and endorsement deal revenues of $600,000. Those deals include a contract with Xbox.

7. Sophia Smith

Earnings, 2023: $2 million

The first soccer player on our list to have made $2 million in 2023 is the 23-year-old Portland Thorns forward Sophia Smith. The Colorado-born NWSL MVP of 2022 is the youngest-ever MVP of the league.

Sophia Smith has been with the Oregon team, which she joined straight out of college, since 2020. Smith represented the US in various international competitions for under-17s and under-20s. Her first senior national team appearance was at the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup.

The $2 million Smith made in 2023 consisted of her salary of $800,000 and endorsement deals of $1.2 million from brands including Chipotle and Nike.

6. Julie Ertz

Earnings, 2023: $2 million (retired)

Arizona native Julie Ertz is number six in our ranking. The 31-year-old midfielder and defender joined Angel City FC in 2023 after an 18-month break from competitive soccer, preceded by seven years with the Chicago Red Stars.

Ertz has also been representing the United States since 2013 in competitions, including the 2015 and 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup and the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio. Ertz announced her retirement from soccer in August 2023.

Like Sophia Smith, Ertz earned $2 million in 2023, including her salary of $700,000 and endorsement revenues of $1.3 million. She has deals with Spotify and Subway, among others.

5-1

Like this infographic? Feel free to use it on your website or blog, but please remember to give us credit by linking back to https://techreport.com/statistics/highest-paid-women-footballers5. Crystal Dunn

Earnings, 2023: $2 million

Kicking off our top 5 highest-paid female soccer players is another NY/NJ Gotham City star. The 31-year-old New Yorker Crystal Dunn joined the club as a wingback in 2024.

She previously played for the Portland Thorns for three years. Before Sophia Smith became the youngest-ever MVP in 2022, the honor belonged to Dunn, who won the award in 2015 at the age of 23. She competed in many international tournaments, including representing the US team in the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.

Like Ertz and Smith, Dunn made $2 million in 2023. That included her salary of $700,000 and endorsement deals worth $1.3 million. She works with brands like Nike and Mastercard.

4. Trinity Rodman

Earnings, 2023: $2.3 million

The youngest player on our list is also the youngest drafted NWSL player in history, at the age of 18. The 21-year-old daughter of NBA legend Dennis Rodman, Trinity Rodman, plays as a forward for the Washington Spirit club, which she joined at 18.

She's also on the US national team, having made her first appearance at the 2022 SheBelieves Cup. She also played in the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup.

On the pitch, Rodman made $800,000 in 2023, but her endorsement earnings were almost double that ($1.5 million), amounting to $2.3 million in earnings in total. Rodman endorses Oakley and Adidas, among other brands.

3. Alexia Putellas

Statista

Earnings, 2023: $4 million

2023's highest-paid female European football star is Alexia Putellas. The 30-year-old Spanish midfielder has been playing for Barcelona since 2012 after a brief stint at Levante. She is the club's all-time top scorer.

Putellas also plays for and captains the Spanish national team, which she joined in 2013 after several successes in youth tournaments.

Putellas was ranked the second-most influential athlete in the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup. She earned $4 million in 2023, which breaks down as follows:

$800,000 in salary
$3.2 million in endorsement deal revenues, including deals with Allianz, Nike, and Iberdrola.

2. Megan Rapinoe

Nielsen

Earnings, 2023: $7 million (retired)

Widely regarded as one of the most influential athletes and activists of all time and the first soccer player to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom, 38-year-old Megan Rapinoe is in the second spot of our ranking. Although she retired in the summer of 2023, she nonetheless had a busy year.

Rapinoe joined her last club, Seattle Reign, in 2013 as a midfielder after a year with Lyon. She first joined the US national team all the way back in 2006 and went on to represent it in over a dozen international competitions, including the 2011, 2015, 2019, and 2023 FIFA Women's World Cups and the 2012 and 2020 Summer Olympics in London and Tokyo.

Despite her retirement, Rapinoe made $7 million in 2023, including her soccer salary of $700,000 and $6.3 million in endorsements. The endorsement deals include Nike, Samsung, and Victoria's Secret.

1. Alex Morgan

Statista

Earnings, 2023: $7.1 million

Like in all sports, there are a few truly great athletes in women's soccer. And the top five ladies in this list are some of them, which is why they're so well-compensated. The best-compensated soccer player on this list is the San Diego Wave FC captain and the US team co-captain Alex Morgan.

34-year-old California native Morgan joined the San Diego club in 2022 after one season with the Orlando Pride. She was the youngest player on the US national team in the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup and was also in the squad in the subsequent World Cups, up to and including 2023. Morgan also played for the US. at the 2012, 2016, and 2020 Summer Olympics in London, Rio, and Tokyo.

Named the third-most marketable athlete of 2023 after Lionel Messi and LeBron James, Morgan is a very busy athlete and entrepreneur. In addition to playing soccer and having a solid portfolio of endorsements, she wrote a middle-grade book series and runs her own media company.

In 2023, Morgan's earnings on and off the pitch amounted to $7.1 million - just $100,000 more than Rapinoe's. Her salary of $800,000 only makes up 11% of her total earnings, as the rest comes from endorsements and business ventures. Morgan has deals with Hublot, Michelob Ultra, and Google, to name a few. She was named the most endorsed female athlete in 2022.

What Are the Best-Paying Women's Football Clubs?

Deloitte

As you've seen in this guide, many top-earning women's soccer players play for American clubs, although there are some European ones on the list as well. According to Deloitte, the club with the highest revenue in 2022/2023 was FC Barcelona, followed by Manchester United.

However, these figures only reveal the revenue of the clubs, not the wages budget. Moreover, since the NWSL has a salary cap (currently at $2.75 million), it's difficult to predict which clubs are currently paying their players the most. However, it's great to see that the salaries are on the rise for female footballers.

Who's The Highest-Paid Woman Footballer?

Alex Morgan made the most ($7.1 million) in 2023. However, that was largely possible thanks to her numerous endorsements and other activities off the pitch. In terms of salary, which is $800,000, Morgan isn't the highest-paid woman footballer.

As of January 2024, the highest salary in women's soccer is paid to the Chicago Red Stars striker Mallory Swanson. Her contract with the Chicago club is worth $2 million - more than any other player listed. Before Swanson's deal, the Houston Dash striker Maria Sanchez was the highest-paid woman footballer, with a $1.5 million deal.

Concluding Thoughts

We hope that by the end of this guide, you have a clear picture of who the highest-paid female soccer players are and how they make their money. They are truly exceptional artists, brands, and role models for young girls.

We also hope that by putting this guide together, we were able to demonstrate the disparity between the earnings of male and female footballers. It is our dream and expectation, that by the time we put together the rank of the highest-paid woman footballers 2024/2025, the disparity will reduce significantly.

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