FFA withdraws Westfield Matildas from matches against USA

Football Federation Australia (FFA) has today withdrawn the Westfield Matildas from two matches this month against FIFA Women’s World Cup winners the USA.

The matches were scheduled for 17 and 20 September. The decision was taken following discussions with the United States Soccer Federation (USSF).

Today, Professional Footballers Australia (PFA) rejected an offer that would have seen the Matildas undertake the US tour and receive an immediate payment under an interim agreement with increased pay rates.

In addition, the PFA informed FFA that even if a long-term Matildas agreement was reached today, the players would not go to the USA unless a $30 million four-year CBA covering the Socceroos and A-League was also agreed today.

FFA CEO David Gallop said that the Matildas interests have been taken hostage by the PFA in the stand-off over the interests of male professional players.

“Sadly, the Matildas will not be playing the USA because FFA and the A-League clubs can’t meet the PFA’s unaffordable demands in relation to the level of the salary cap for A-League players,” said Gallop

“This is a competition in which the clubs lost a collective $17 million last season. 

“What we have today is an extraordinary situation in which the two male playing groups in the Socceroos and A-League continue to be paid by FFA and A-League clubs, but the female players aren't being paid. This could have been fixed today if the PFA had accepted the interim deal.

“The Matildas alone are the ones being directly affected as a result of the whole of game CBA talks not being resolved.”

Negotiations for a whole of game Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), covering Socceroos, Matildas and Hyundai A-League players will continue later this month.