Denmark’s women’s national team calls off strike

The Danish women's national team on Friday called off a strike over a wage dispute with the Danish Football Association (DBU) that saw a World Cup qualifier against Sweden cancelled, putting the team's 2019 bid at risk.

Published: 20 October 2017 17:09 CEST

Denmark’s women’s national team calls off strike

Denmark's women's national team training earlier this week. Photo: Liselotte Sabroe/Scanpix

The match against Sweden was to have been played in the southwestern Swedish city of Gothenburg later Friday, but was cancelled on Wednesday.

DBU and the players' union issued a joint statement Friday saying that the two parties had “reached a temporary agreement that ensures the staging of an important match”, another qualifier, against Croatia, on Tuesday.

The Danish team, which finished second in the European championships, is at odds with the association over wages.

According to the players' union, the women want the association to make them a “reasonable financial offer” and have called for a collective wage agreement to be signed.

The players receive about 14,000 kroner (1,880 euros) on average per month. The wages of their male counterparts have not been disclosed.

According to DBU, the team risked being penalised by UEFA and/or FIFA and being barred from qualifying for the 2019 World Cup in France.

DBU official Kim Hallberg hailed the agreement, saying: “There's been too much conflict lately and it's hurt the women's team.

“Now we focus totally on football.”

The issue of wage equality between male and female players has been raised in an increasing number of football associations around the world.

In early October, Norway's women's team won a groundbreaking victory by obtaining the same wages as their male counterparts.

The Swedish women's team are also going through similar negotiations.