Denmark men’s national team refuse a pay rise to ensure the women are paid better

Image credit: Stefan Constantin 22 / Shutterstock.com

Denmark’s national men’s team have turned down a pay rise for the next four years in exchange for better pay and conditions for the Denmark women’s team.

Set to begin following the completion of EURO 2024, his historic agreement signed between the Denmark players’ union and the Danish football governing association (DBU), sees the women’s team guaranteed the same base pay as the men when representing the national team.

The DBU had previously expressed a desire to create equal pay for the men’s and women’s teams. They had insisted, however, that this money come from the men’s team, a decision that both the women’s and men’s teams were uncomfortable with.

“We didn’t want to talk with the DBU if the only way to give the women more money, would be by deducting it from the men’s team. That’s not how you create equality,” Spillerforeningen Director Michael Sahl Hansen said in a statement.

The male players worked with the players union, known as Spillerforeningen, to explore an alternate path to equality instead. Their goal was not to lower the conditions of the men’s team to align with that of the women’s, but rather to raise the pay and conditions of the women’s team to the level of the men’s. To achieve this goal, the men chose not to demand any change in their pay and conditions in their new agreement, with the money instead being used to support women’s and youth teams.

“It’s an extraordinary step to help improve the conditions of the women’s national teams. So, instead of looking for better conditions for themselves, the players thought about supporting the women’s team,” Sahl Hansen added.

The agreement also marks a 50% increase in insurance coverage for the women’s team – a welcome move, considering the dramatic increase in injuries in women’s football. This increase has been funded by a decrease in men’s insurance coverage.

Other measures announced in the deal also include the creation of a development fund and a clubhouse that all Danish national teams can use. These will be jointly funded by the men’s team and the footballing association and will help safeguard the future of Danish football.

Sahl Hansen outlined that the male players needed no convincing and that they were very happy with the presented plan. The women’s team is also pleased with the support from their male counterparts but believe that the money should come from the football association, rather than the men’s side.

This move is particularly significant for Denmark as their women’s team have faced a long battle for equality. At the 1971 World Cup, the former DBU Chair refused to admit the women’s team into the association, remarking that women’s football was just a fad and that it could not be taken seriously. After finishing second place in the coveted European Championship in 2017, the Denmark women’s team went on strike due to poor pay conditions. During this time it was revealed that the average salary for women’s national team players was around A$2,771 (1,880 Euros) a month. At this time, the average monthly salary in Denmark was above A$7369 (5,000 Euros).

By prioritising equality, the men’s team has made an extraordinary commitment to a fairer future for Danish football.

Source: FIFPRO, the global union for football players.

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Two NPL VIC clubs receive funding boost from State Budget

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Image credit: Football Victoria

Following the announcement of the 2026 Victoria State Budget, Avondale FC and Hume City FC will both receive major backing for facility upgrades.

 

Valuable support for future projects

Avondale and Hume City now have immensely valuable financial support for infrastructure and facility upgrade projects.

Avondale will see an injection of $500,000 for lighting developments at its home ground, Avenger Park. Meanwhile, Hume City FC, will receive $250,000 to further improve its home ground, Nasiol Stadium, which opened in 2009.

Both clubs expressed their delight at the funding from the State Labor Government, and what the backing may bring to club facilities and overall development going forward.

“We are incredibly grateful to the Victorian Government and Sheena Watt for their support through this $500,000 lighting upgrade investment, which will have a lasting impact on our players, families and the wider Avondale community,” said Avondale Club President, Stephen Strano.

“We have hundreds of players across all age groups utilising these facilities each week, and these improvements will help create an even strong environment for excellence, participation, and community engagement,” outlined Hume City President, Ersan Gülüm.

As a result of these respective investments, both NPL VIC outfits appear set for incredibly opportunities to modernise, develop and strengthen their club infrastructure.

 

Lighting the path to a brighter future

The investments will see features such as lighting upgrades improve facility access for men’s and women’s teams, and LED scoreboards become part of a more modern matchday experiences going forward.

For both clubs, however, lighting upgrades are about more than keeping a pitch open late at night. Improved lighting is a means to a more accessible and supportive future in which both the men’s and women’s teams can utliise local facilities, and matchdays can take place in the excitement of playing ‘under the lights’.

And as Football Victoria CEO, Dan Birrell, highlighted, the improvements made to club facilities are benchmarks for the wider Victorian football community.

“Both Avondale and Hume City are pillars in the Victorian football landscape,” Birrell stated via press release.

“Professional level facilities like Avenger Park and Nasiol Stadium are critical for the development of Victorian football and Football Victoria welcomes the news that they will continue to improve thanks to the support of the Victorian State Government.”

 

More must follow

While the investments from the State Government come as welcome updates for these two clubs, there is still plenty more to be done to evenly develop facilities and infrastructure across Victoria’s football landscape.

Indeed, Avondale FC and Hume City FC are two fantastic community clubs who will no doubt put the funding towards impactful improvements.

But there are plenty more who still need external backing to build infrastructure not just for now, but for future seasons to come.

Football Community Supports Ange Goutzioulis Following MND Diagnosis

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Image Credit: One Nil Media

At just 52 years old, former National Soccer League player Ange Goutzioulis stood in front of a packed room at the Chisholm United launch night in Oakleigh and spoke about something no one ever expects to hear: a diagnosis of Motor Neuron Disease.

But rather than retreat into silence, Goutzioulis chose to speak openly. He spoke not just about the disease itself, but about the reality of living with it, the uncertainty ahead and why awareness matters more than ever.

 

Early stages

For years, football was part of Goutzioulis’ identity. Coaching, movement and routine were all things that once felt natural. Then slowly, something changed.

“I couldn’t even stand properly… I was losing my balance,” he explained.

At first, the signs were confusing rather than alarming. A couple of falls. Difficulty moving. Hospital visits and tests.

“They said, ‘You haven’t got cancer, you haven’t got MS and you haven’t got MND,’” he recalled.

But the symptoms continued worsening. Eventually, further neurological testing revealed the diagnosis: Motor Neuron Disease (MND).

The confirmation came quickly.

“They called it after two or three minutes… they saw the machines and basically said, ‘Yeah, you’ve got MND.’”

The shock was immediate.

So too was the reality.

 

Understanding Motor Neuron Disease

Motor Neuron Disease is a progressive neurological condition that attacks the nerves controlling movement, gradually taking away the ability to walk, speak, swallow and eventually breathe.

There is currently no cure.

For many Australians, awareness of MND remains limited until it touches someone close to them. Goutzioulis now finds himself confronting not only the physical decline, but the emotional weight of understanding what lies ahead.

“There’s no way to stop it… it’s going to kill me,” he said honestly.

Even breakthrough treatments tomorrow, he acknowledged, may come too late for him personally.

Yet despite the enormity of that reality, his focus has already shifted beyond himself.

 

Fighting for awareness while fighting the disease

What stood out throughout the evening was not despair, but resilience.

Goutzioulis spoke candidly about refusing to surrender mentally to the disease. Against medical advice centred around conserving energy and managing fatigue, he continues trying to stay active.

“I keep walking,” he said.

“I’ve got a theory in life that if you work out and keep moving, maybe [your] muscles won’t waste away as quick.”

Whether medically proven or not, the mentality reflects something deeper: a refusal to let MND define every remaining moment.

There was also optimism in the small victories.

Doctors believe he may have already been living with the disease for three years — longer than expected given his current condition.

“That’s a positive,” he said. “So, I’ll take it day by day.”

Image Credit: One Nil Media

Football’s power beyond the pitch

The event itself quickly transformed from a club launch into something more profound: a reminder of football’s ability to rally around people during their hardest moments.

As speakers addressed the room, one message became clear — Goutzioulis is not facing this battle alone.

“There’s probably 100 people here,” said Bill Kosmopoulos, who was hosting the discussion,

“I guarantee there’s 100 people cheering for you, 100 people that would do anything to find a solution for MND.”

In community football, conversations are usually dominated by results, signings, tactics and ambition. But nights like this reveal another side of the game entirely.

Connection.

Humanity.

Support.

By speaking publicly, Goutzioulis gave a deeply confronting disease a human face. Not statistics. Not headlines. A person. A father. A football figure. Someone trying to process what it means to slowly lose control of their own body while still showing up for the people around them.

That vulnerability is precisely why awareness matters.

Because awareness drives conversation.

Conversation drives funding.

And funding drives research that could one day change outcomes for future families facing the same diagnosis.

Image Credit: One Nil Media

“We’re behind you”

As the night closed, the room rose behind him.

Showing admiration for someone willing to confront unimaginable news publicly in the hope it helps others understand the devastating reality of MND.

“On behalf of everyone… thank you so much mate,” one speaker told him.

“We’re behind you.”

Support and raising awareness for the disease is what matters.

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