The Irish Football Association (FAI) has announced that women will receive the same amount as men when playing on the country’s senior national football teams.

Members of the men’s team were previously paid $ 3,000 per game, while members of the women’s team were paid $ 600 per game.

The FAI said the men’s team had agreed to reduce their rights to international matches and that the money was part of new payments to the women’s team.

Women’s team captain Katie McCabe said the move was a big step towards equality in Irish sports and thanked the men’s team for approving it.

Back in 2017, the women’s team made headlines because they were not paid for their games. Players were told to share uniforms with Irish minor teams and to change matches in airport toilets.

At the time, the team required a gym membership and more uniforms for about $ 350 per game, with additional payments for victory or draw. Although the players threatened not to play a game against Slovakia, they were able to reach an agreement with the FAI and the game went ahead.

Ireland is not the first country to offer equal pay for men’s and women’s football teams. It joins England, Brazil, Norway, Australia and New Zealand, who have switched for the past four years.