Highest Paid Female Footballer – Top Ten Women Earning Big In Football

While the male highest-paid football player is mostly talked about in the football world, their female counterparts are also making waves, though there’s a bit of disparity.

Despite the significant growth of women’s football in recent years, the financial aspect of the sport still pales in comparison to men’s football. While men’s football attracts larger sums through TV rights deals, the number of spectators, and_ merchandise sales, women’s soccer is gradually gaining more attention and_ financial support.

According to Forbes, Cristiano Ronaldo was the highest-paid football player in the world in 2023, earning an extravagant annual salary of over €200 million at Al-Nassr.

Sportxparte reports that the Saudi Pro League has injected substantial funds into the sport, enticing some of Europe’s top players to move to Saudi Arabia due to the exorbitant wages offered.

Alexia Putellas

In contrast, the women’s game falls short in terms of financial rewards. However, the highest-earning female players still earn a considerably higher amount than the average worker.

According to the 2023 report by’ Statista, Ronaldo’s annual earnings exceed €200m, whereas the top-earning female footballer, Alex Morgan, earns a salary of $0.8m per year.

Despite this, Morgan also generates an additional $6.3m in off-field revenue, bringing her total annual income to $7.1m – a figure that remains significantly lower than that of her male counterpart.

Alexia Putellas, a two-time Ballon d’Or recipient, has become the second highest-paid player in women’s football after Megan Rapinoe retired from the sport in 2023.

Trinity Rodman holds the third position with an annual salary of $2.3 million, followed by’ Crystal Dunn from Gotham FC in fourth place, earning $2 million per year. Sophia Smith also earns $2 million annually, while Lindsey Horan, Rose Lavelle, and_ Sofia Huerta secure the sixth, seventh, and_ eighth spots, respectively.

Ada Hegerberg, the inaugural winner of the Ballon d’Or Feminin in 2018, ranks as the ninth highest-paid female football player globally, earning a reported $1.2 million per year. Manchester City’s Chloe Kelly also earns $1.2 million annually, completing the top 10.

Why the Difference? Sponsorships and’ Television Deals

The disparity in wages between genders in football can be attributed to revenue. The male-dominated football industry garners a substantial amount of money from sponsorships, broadcasting rights, and_ ticket sales.

Consequently, this financial advantage enables clubs to allocate larger budgets, thereby enticing the most talented male players with exorbitant salaries.

Trinity Rodman

Closing the Gap: Progress on the Pitch and’ in the Bank

While the gap remains wide, there are positive signs. Women’s football viewership is on the rise, attracting more sponsorships and_ investment. Additionally, some clubs are offering higher wages to their female players, recognizing their growing value.

Below Is a Table showing the Highest-paid Female Footballers in 2024: [Source: FootballTransfers]

Previous Highest Earning Female Soccer Players List: – [Source: 888Sports]

• Carli Lloyd – $518,000
• Sam Kerr – $500,000
• Alex Morgan – $450,000
• Megan Rapinoe – $447,000
• Julie Ertz – $430,000
• Ada Hegerberg – $425,000
• Marta – $400,000
• Amandine Henry – $394,500
• Wendie Renard – $392,000Christine Sinclair – $380,000