Australia Passes Law To Pay Male And Female Footballers Equally

Australian female football team

Women footballers playing for Australia's national team will earn the same as their male counterparts under a deal unveiled Wednesday and hailed as landmark for gender equality in sport.

Under a new centralised contract system announced by Football Federation Australia (FFA), Matildas stars such as Sam Kerr and Ellie Carpenter will be paid an equal amount as big-name Socceroos like Aaron Mooy and Mat Ryan.

They will also be afforded business class flights to international fixtures and tournaments, like the men.

The breakthrough will be a big boost for America's women footballers, who have filed an equal pay lawsuit against the US Soccer Federation due to be heard in May next year.