Women's EURO 2022: How England success could boost earnings of stars including Millie Bright and Ellie Roebuck

Their success at finally ending the nation’s 56-year wait for a major trophy has boosted interest in the women’s game and could lead to an increase in salaries and sponsorship deals for the top Women's Super League players, according to a football finances expert.

But Dr Dan Plumley, a senior lecturer in sport finance at Sheffield Hallam University, says the top earners in the women’s game are still likely to trail their male counterparts in the Premier League for some time.

He said: “There’s been growth in salaries over the last three or four years since the WSL turned fully professional in 2018/19.

“I think you’re likely to see more growth over the next five to 10 years, given the success of the national team and what that success will do for the wider game.

“Individual players who have been involved in England’s success will be able to stretch their earnings even further through personal endorsements.”

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Dr Plumley added that it was hard to say how much England's players currently earn or what their potential wages could be given the increased interest in the women’s game.

But the Telegraph Sport earlier this year reported that some WSL players were taking home as little as £20,000 in annual wages, according to the results of a player survey, while the top earners were on around £250,000 a year – roughly half of what Manchester United’s Cristiano Ronaldo is reportedly paid each week.

That means, for example, that England and Manchester City star Alex Greenwood is likely to earn considerably less than her partner Jack O’Connell, who plays in the second tier for Sheffield United and, according to the spotrac website, takes home £10,000 a week.

England players Millie Bright, Ellie Roebuck and Beth England all began their careers in South Yorkshire, having honed their skills as part of Sheffield United’s academy.

Bright, who starred in defence for England during the tournament, started out playing for the Killamarsh Dynamos before progressing to Doncaster Rovers Belles and later Chelsea.

Manchester City goalkeepeer Ellie Roebuck was born in Beighton, Sheffield, and her prowess between the sticks kept the pressure on the Lionesses’ first-choice keeper Mary Earps.

Chelsea forward Beth England was born in Barnsley and previously represented Doncaster Rovers Belles and Liverpool. In 2019/20, she was named Barclays FA WSL Player of the Season but such is the quality of the national team she remained on the bench during the final against Germany.

Dr Plumley said Barclays paid around £10 million to sponsor the WSL, while the broadcasting deal signed with Sky and the BBC was understood to be worth around £7m a season, which pales in comparison to the approximately £10bn over three seasons secured in broadcasting rights for the Premier League.

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But he said it was wrong to fixate on comparing the money in the men’s and women’s games, and it was important for the women’s game to capitalise on England’s success in a ‘sustainable’ manner.

“We need to find a way to get those fans who’ve enjoyed women’s football for the first time during this tournament down to WSL games, and we need to keep it affordable for them to do so,” he said.

“We have to look at making the clubs sustainable financially in the long-term to benefit the game as a whole.”

Dr Plumley told how clubs like Sheffield United Women were well placed to capitalise on hosting Women’s EURO 2022 matches, including the England-Sweden semi-final, at Bramall Lane.

“They’re now reaping the benefits linked to this tournament after sticking their necks out a few years ago when other clubs and regions didn’t want to do that,” he said.

He added that it was now a case of ‘leveraging’ the success of the national team and getting ‘bums on seats’ and ‘eyes in front of screens’ for women's league matches.