MELBOURNE :Australia's top women's soccer league is falling behind global peers as it loses talent, attracts smaller match-day crowds and pays stagnating wages, a report has found.

Players union Professional Footballers Australia (PFA) likened the 11-team A-League Women (ALW) to a "burning platform" in its review of the 2024-2025 season published on Wednesday, which said more players reported "psychological distress" while juggling jobs outside their sport.

"The league is falling behind women's football leagues abroad and other women's competitions in Australia, leading to an alarming talent drain," the report said in its executive summary.

"Our minimum salary has gone from one of the highest among Australian women’s leagues pre-COVID to by far the lowest.

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