Canadian women's soccer team says more work needed to achieve labour peace

The Canadian women's soccer team says despite the recently announced interim funding agreement with Canada Soccer, there is still 'a lot of work to be done' to achieve labour peace.

The Canadian women's soccer team says despite the recently announced interim funding agreement with Canada Soccer, there is still "a lot of work to be done" to achieve labour peace.

In a statement released late Friday, the women say the agreement in principle "does not solve the deeper issues around pay equity and equalization of supports and resources across the national teams" that caused the women to take job action before last month's SheBelieves Cup.

Canada Soccer says the funding agreement announced Thursday mirrors the interim deal with the men's team for appearance fees and results-based bonuses. The governing body called it "a bridge deal to get us to a collectively bargained agreement."

The women, who briefly downed tools prior before the SheBelieves Cup opener in Orlando, say while they have told Canada Soccer they will play in the April FIFA window, their participation is contingent on "meaningful progress being made with respect to a number of bargaining issues."

"Proper funding for the women's national team program for 2023 and for the youth national program are at the very top of the list (of demands) right now," the women said in the statement.

Sixth-ranked Canada is due to play No. 5 France on April 11 in Le Mans in the penultimate FIFA window before the World Cup, which kicks off July 20 in Australia and New Zealand.

The women want the same backing and preparation in advance of their tournment as the men got before the World Cup in Qatar last year. Their concerns include being provided the same travel and staff, among other things.