The Women’s FA Cup prize money is always a hot topic – and Chorley Women are the latest club to enter the conversation.
Every year there are debates around the depth of the prize fund compared to the men’s equivalent, and then whether the money on offer is weighted too heavily in favour of the big teams who come in later – and who likely don’t need the cash as much.
Second-tier WSL2 teams enter the competition in the third round, while top-tier WSL teams enter in the fourth round. At that point, the prize money leaps up – a fourth-round win will secure a club £66,000, compared to £27,000 in the third round.
So that makes it particularly interesting that Chorley Women – of the fourth-tier FAWNL Northern Division One – have come up with a unique way to divide their Women’s FA Cup prize money this season.
For winning in the first round, the prize money would be £5,500 – and the players will get all of it into their bonus pot.
For wins in the second, third and fourth round, the prize money will be split 70/30 in the players’ favour.
And in the latter stages of the competition, it will be split 50/50.
Chorley Women chair Jonny Slater explains that it’s one of the ways in which they as an independent club can attract and retain players without a huge budget to spend.
“In our financial forecasts, we’d never forecast FA Cup prize money. We just don’t put it in. So because it’s not forecast, we thought that’s a really nice mechanism to take a low-risk way of rewarding our players financially.
“We just think if players have played in the FA Cup, then they should be remunerated for success they achieve in there as well.”
Chorley Women: ‘It’s extra motivation’
The Chorley Women players have expressed their gratitude to the club.
“The FA Cup is such a huge competition but the prize money has been historically poor,” says captain Meg Searson. “However, over the last few seasons that’s changed and the prize money is slowly reflecting the level of investment the women’s game requires, and I think has earned.
“Although a good cup run is incentive enough knowing the economical value it has for the club and the pride in moving through the rounds, this gesture shows the commitment of Chorley Women FC to the players. It gives us, many of whom work full-time jobs, an extra motivation knowing we will get a significant percentage back of what we’ve worked for – money that can be used for boots, equipment, fuel and nutrition.”
“It’s an amazing gesture by the club to assign such a high percentage of the FA Cup prize money to the players,” adds player Grace Vella. “Being independent, we know how tough it can be financially, so to offer this out to us really does mean a lot.”
The first round proper of the Women’s FA Cup takes place on Sunday, October 26th.
The first round of qualifying is on Sunday, September 7th.
