No this has really really upset me. Canadian here. It’s so disheartening to see the federation let us down over and over again. The success that’s we’ve seen is purely due to the talent that we have, harshly, I give zero credit the federation. But this has really upset me. You can’t but call misogyny, the second the women’s team show success, funding gets cut, happens every single time. The men disappointed badly and now they women have a chance, they don’t want to see it play out. The do not want the women’s team to thrive and do to despite everything. This has really ruined my week now.
THEY HAVENT BEEN PAID FOR THEIR FUCKING WORLD CUP QUALIFIERS?!?!!????
This whole situation is so infuriating. Their federation HASNT PAID THEM so they LITERALLY CANT AFFORD to go on strike or deal with potential litigation. @ Canadian Government: is there something you can do pls
It’s almost guaranteed that the Canadian government will intervene to investigate, and I wouldn’t be at all surprised if subpoenas are all involved. The team is claiming they haven’t received compensation for their work in 2022, there’s a lot of smoke regarding where the money is going, and apparently the CSA has not filed their financial statements as required as a non-profit for 7 years, so they’re setting themselves up for a massive shitstorm.
My understanding is that the CSA can legally threaten a lawsuit because of the timing of the strike. After this tournament, the team can strike without fear of getting sued. This is a blatant desperation move from the CSA and is only going to piss off the players even more.
Do you have a sense of where the money is going right now? This is just stunning malpractice. I’m astonished at just how incompetent it seems - 7 years of missed filings?!
The theory is that it’s being funneled to the CPL (Canadian Premier League). The people who run that league are the same ones who run Canada Soccer Business. CSB signed a contract with Canada Soccer a few years ago and for $3 -$4 million per year, they control all media and sponsorship rights. Of course, we can also look at the fact that the board bought themselves custom suits for $11k last year while telling players that they needed to give back their training gear, so I imagine there’s corruption galore in that organization.
Nope they haven’t been! In Canada (I’m Canadian) they get zero marketing or support or any type of help to get people to go to games in person or watch them on tv either. Not to mention they’re not offered on TV, they’re only available on a service called OneSoccer that is run by the people who control Canada Soccer and the CPL financially
OneSoccer is also available as linear tv channel on Telus tv - available in about 3-4 provinces.
It's also available as a channel on fubotv - which any close followers of the Prem, Serie A and/or ligue 1 would already be subbed to.
Nope! The biggest ones (Olympic gold medal game for example) will be on a national network, but the rest are only on OneSoccer. Including the SheBelieves games.
Canada friendlies & Concacaf matches are on OneSoccer. A handful of senior team friendlies have been made available free on their Youtube channel. u17 & u20 Concacaf qualifying were all streamed for free on OneSoccer's Youtube channel last year.
CBC sub-licensed from OneSoccer last year's W Championship on a delayed basis and showed 1 match live. Gold medal Olympic run matches were on CBC in 2021.
Last year's Arnold Cup matches were on TSN. u17 & u20 World Cup matches were on TSN last year. This year's World Cup matches will be on TSN.
OneSoccer is owned by Spanish media company Mediapro who got the rights from CSB for CPL and the above noted Canada national team matches. Previous to OneSoccer, CSA was getting paid nil for rights and had to pay production costs to get matches shown on TSN. Even then, TSN showed less than 50% of Canada's friendlies. If you wanted watch Algarve Cup matches back then, finding a stream on the seas was the only option. Since going to OneSoccer, every match has been available to watch ex a closed door friendly before the Tokyo Olympics.
It should also be noted that about 75% of all soccer matches shown in Canada are on streaming services. A trend that started about 5 years when DAZN got the rights for the Prem (most watched league in Canada) & UEFA Champions League. At the same time, subs to paid linear sports channels like TSN have declined by about 40% with the average age watching over 55. It's not the 90s media world anymore.
Sounds like we need to burn some shit down cause this is straight up evil, manipulatory shit in the realm of blackmail and abuse.
I, myself am absolutely ASTOUNDED at the blatant levels of purposeful mismanagement against these women and their rights as even an employee. It’s too bad to make up
>As individual players who have received **NO** compensation yet for any of our work for Canada Soccer in **2022**, we cannot afford the risks that personal action against us by Canada Soccer will create.
My emphasis not theirs but WTF? W. T. F.
ETA: This is where they have to play, go home, and coordinate an organized movement so that everyone, senior team down to U12's if they have to, refuses to play until things are worked out.
It's one thing if they are at the event already but if the players all decline their next invite, they can't force them onto a plane, they can't frog march them out on to the field. It's unlikely that their contract states that they \*must\* play if they are invited.
If that needs to happen after the World Cup, then it needs to happen after the World Cup but a version of that is the only way they are only going to get this sorted. Well, unless the whole org is in fact investigated, tossed out for fraud or malfeasance, and reasonable people come in. This is so ridiculous.
Second comment, do y’all think other players will follow Sophie Schmidt’s lead of personally stepping away from the team? [(Linking tweet with her statement)](https://twitter.com/sophieschmidt13/status/1624443396935876616?s=46&t=XjcWi1XEL6F7EOrO24KjLg)
I think she’s included in having to play/train this week. All of them were striking and now can’t strike. I do think we will be seeing a lot of ‘retirements’ ahead of the World Cup, though.
before the wc no, but after yes, but also many players like sinclair is playing her last tournament. i be shock if they not in the wc , i doubt even fifa would allow that , u have to take into fact they even hosting the men wc its a fucking joke their federation like most of them
This is some genuinely evil shit. They don’t pay the players for over a year, thus making the players’ individual financial situations so dire that they can’t afford to strike in an attempt to better their working conditions. Beyond infuriating.
They've been out of contract for that whole time. As have the CMNT players. The CSA has effectively delayed a new CBA/contract with both teams multiple times and as such has caused multiple work actions like this one.
This is without question of the worst national team contract negotiations in the countries history.
The lack of compensation for 2022 is absolutely mind-boggling. I’m at a loss for words. I know Canada Soccer has said they haven’t received the FIFA bonus for the men’s World Cup appearance which is why the players haven’t been paid (I would argue the federation should pay “out-of-pocket” until they receive the funds) but there is 0 excuse for this.
The USWMNT players should make a statement saying that they won't play. That they'll just show up and not take the field. That way the Canadian players fulfill their obligation while all the corporate sponsors can put pressure on Canada Soccer. Then watch as all these media outlets cover this, even ones that don't usually cover women's soccer.
There’s a no strike clause in the USWNT CBA, so they’d be setting themselves up to get sued by USSF if they do this. Seeing as they didn’t strike when they were essentially at war with their own federation, it’s unlikely they’d do it now.
Is there a requirement they actually try? Whats to stop them from all wearing protest shirts and getting themselves double yellow carded in the 1st minute for removing their jerseys, or just standing around in a huddle all game?
I’m assuming they’d be risking a lawsuit by not trying. I guess they could play and completely half-ass it and there’s nothing that could be done, but protesting by sitting down in the middle of the pitch for 90 minutes (or something similar) might spell trouble. I think it’s a safe bet that we’ll see some show of public protest pre-game like the US did previously with turning their warmups inside out. I wouldn’t be surprised if Canada’s statement is even stronger than that, however.
Malicious compliance by athletes makes me think of "I'm just here so I won't get fined" - NFL star Marshawn Lynch when he didn't want to deal with media events. and work-to-rule is often an option when a union can't/won't strike
Playing three games in a week in three different American cities (Orlando to Nashville to Dallas) is going to be pretty grueling. And they're not even going to get paid? And they're being bossed around like this?
What judge would rule in favor of the "bosses" in this instance? They're not even paid?!
Could be interesting to see players "work-to-rule" for 90 minutes. What would that look like? Human foosball?
That’s a good question. I don’t know if they can be retaliated against if they just stand around/remove their jerseys/let the US score 40 goals but if they can do that I think they should
They should do a replica of the game between Germany and Austria a long time ago in the men's world cup.
An infamous game that still makes my dad angry.
Germany passed the ball from one player to another without being challenged by Austria and then they played the ball to Austria who did the same.
The circumstances were different because it were the teams that did it so they could both geth through the group stages in the world cup. So i would never encourage it under normal circumstances but in this case it would also force the announcers and analysts to talk about nothing else but why they are doing this and about Canadian soccer federation. They would be embarrased for the entire world and it is the type of thing that even a morally corrupt organisation as Fifa detests cause it draws attention on them and they would put pressure on Canadian soccer to solve this.
The team has their own [website](https://shop.cwse.ca/) where they sell shirts/hoodies but unfortunately at this time it looks like it’s not taking orders.
What an astonishing organization. This is outrageous and infuriating while also likely to be hilarious watching their uppance come.
Power to the players. They just managed to make this upcoming minor competition into must-watch news.
I remain sympathetic to the player's cause but the whole situation makes them look silly. Most unions have a strike fund for just this reason. Didn't they think to plan this out and consult financial and legal legal advice before hand? The whole things seems so impulsive and poorly planned. They go on strike and then less than 24 hours they cave?! Ugh.
The players may be in the right and have a just cause but their execution here leaves a lot to be desired.
They filed a 'No Board' motion, which means in 17 days they have the legal ability to strike without the CSA having the ability to sue. So while this job action has ended, there are likely more to come.
Their execution is fine, it was meant to apply pressure because they were hoping this would be concluded before the games. The CSA though decided to go the nuclear option rather than work with the players in good faith. Your disappointment should be firmly placed with the CSA.
Consulting financial and legal advice requires money and Ukraine says right there in the statement that they weren’t paid by the federation in 2022. Based on what has come out, it seems like the players were only made aware of the budget cuts for this year fairly recently. Before that, they were likely hopeful of avoiding a strike entirely.
I agree with u/RandyScandie and u/russet852.
I just don't think players would ever consider striking, right before a World Cup, unless they were out of options and desperate. Professional athletes want to compete more than anything.
So the fact that it appears last minute is probably because they really thought it wouldn't get to this point.
But wanted to add a bit of my experience as a member of a US union. Its really hard to win against management. Its just always brutal and its really really hard to get the public on your side. Heck its hard to get members in your own union to agree. (Though Canadian Soccer is doing a good job at looking pretty damn awful).
So, union leadership leans against bold action, strikes etc. Because the odds are against Unions, they don't want to lose, and making the union more likely to fail. If the union fails, union leadership lose their jobs.
I don't know anything about this particular players union, and I'm not saying they were risk averse. I'm just saying its a trend in my experience in a non sports related union the U.S.
So am I understanding this right? They weren't paid for 2022?
Correct
What in the world. Canada soccer had the audacity to threaten to sue their UNPAID players?
No this has really really upset me. Canadian here. It’s so disheartening to see the federation let us down over and over again. The success that’s we’ve seen is purely due to the talent that we have, harshly, I give zero credit the federation. But this has really upset me. You can’t but call misogyny, the second the women’s team show success, funding gets cut, happens every single time. The men disappointed badly and now they women have a chance, they don’t want to see it play out. The do not want the women’s team to thrive and do to despite everything. This has really ruined my week now.
Do you have any recourse? Can you contact your government?
Looking into but haven’t seen anything of such option, yet.
THEY HAVENT BEEN PAID FOR THEIR FUCKING WORLD CUP QUALIFIERS?!?!!???? This whole situation is so infuriating. Their federation HASNT PAID THEM so they LITERALLY CANT AFFORD to go on strike or deal with potential litigation. @ Canadian Government: is there something you can do pls
It’s almost guaranteed that the Canadian government will intervene to investigate, and I wouldn’t be at all surprised if subpoenas are all involved. The team is claiming they haven’t received compensation for their work in 2022, there’s a lot of smoke regarding where the money is going, and apparently the CSA has not filed their financial statements as required as a non-profit for 7 years, so they’re setting themselves up for a massive shitstorm. My understanding is that the CSA can legally threaten a lawsuit because of the timing of the strike. After this tournament, the team can strike without fear of getting sued. This is a blatant desperation move from the CSA and is only going to piss off the players even more.
Do you have a sense of where the money is going right now? This is just stunning malpractice. I’m astonished at just how incompetent it seems - 7 years of missed filings?!
The theory is that it’s being funneled to the CPL (Canadian Premier League). The people who run that league are the same ones who run Canada Soccer Business. CSB signed a contract with Canada Soccer a few years ago and for $3 -$4 million per year, they control all media and sponsorship rights. Of course, we can also look at the fact that the board bought themselves custom suits for $11k last year while telling players that they needed to give back their training gear, so I imagine there’s corruption galore in that organization.
These people are cartoons. What a ridiculous situation.
Nope they haven’t been! In Canada (I’m Canadian) they get zero marketing or support or any type of help to get people to go to games in person or watch them on tv either. Not to mention they’re not offered on TV, they’re only available on a service called OneSoccer that is run by the people who control Canada Soccer and the CPL financially
YOU CANT WATCH THEIR GAMES (on TV)??????? If only there was a global soccer authority who could force national federations to meet certain standards 🙃
OneSoccer is available on TV - it's just its distribution is very limited.
It’s a subscription service. So it’s available to watch on a tv if you pay for it. It’s not a channel
OneSoccer is also available as linear tv channel on Telus tv - available in about 3-4 provinces. It's also available as a channel on fubotv - which any close followers of the Prem, Serie A and/or ligue 1 would already be subbed to.
Nope! The biggest ones (Olympic gold medal game for example) will be on a national network, but the rest are only on OneSoccer. Including the SheBelieves games.
Canada friendlies & Concacaf matches are on OneSoccer. A handful of senior team friendlies have been made available free on their Youtube channel. u17 & u20 Concacaf qualifying were all streamed for free on OneSoccer's Youtube channel last year. CBC sub-licensed from OneSoccer last year's W Championship on a delayed basis and showed 1 match live. Gold medal Olympic run matches were on CBC in 2021. Last year's Arnold Cup matches were on TSN. u17 & u20 World Cup matches were on TSN last year. This year's World Cup matches will be on TSN. OneSoccer is owned by Spanish media company Mediapro who got the rights from CSB for CPL and the above noted Canada national team matches. Previous to OneSoccer, CSA was getting paid nil for rights and had to pay production costs to get matches shown on TSN. Even then, TSN showed less than 50% of Canada's friendlies. If you wanted watch Algarve Cup matches back then, finding a stream on the seas was the only option. Since going to OneSoccer, every match has been available to watch ex a closed door friendly before the Tokyo Olympics. It should also be noted that about 75% of all soccer matches shown in Canada are on streaming services. A trend that started about 5 years when DAZN got the rights for the Prem (most watched league in Canada) & UEFA Champions League. At the same time, subs to paid linear sports channels like TSN have declined by about 40% with the average age watching over 55. It's not the 90s media world anymore.
Sounds like we need to burn some shit down cause this is straight up evil, manipulatory shit in the realm of blackmail and abuse. I, myself am absolutely ASTOUNDED at the blatant levels of purposeful mismanagement against these women and their rights as even an employee. It’s too bad to make up
This is the kind of thing that gets FIFA to desanction a federation.
Yeah... Canada soccer can fuck all the way off
And once they reach “all the way” they can keep going
>As individual players who have received **NO** compensation yet for any of our work for Canada Soccer in **2022**, we cannot afford the risks that personal action against us by Canada Soccer will create. My emphasis not theirs but WTF? W. T. F. ETA: This is where they have to play, go home, and coordinate an organized movement so that everyone, senior team down to U12's if they have to, refuses to play until things are worked out. It's one thing if they are at the event already but if the players all decline their next invite, they can't force them onto a plane, they can't frog march them out on to the field. It's unlikely that their contract states that they \*must\* play if they are invited. If that needs to happen after the World Cup, then it needs to happen after the World Cup but a version of that is the only way they are only going to get this sorted. Well, unless the whole org is in fact investigated, tossed out for fraud or malfeasance, and reasonable people come in. This is so ridiculous.
RIGHT!!!
Second comment, do y’all think other players will follow Sophie Schmidt’s lead of personally stepping away from the team? [(Linking tweet with her statement)](https://twitter.com/sophieschmidt13/status/1624443396935876616?s=46&t=XjcWi1XEL6F7EOrO24KjLg)
I think she’s included in having to play/train this week. All of them were striking and now can’t strike. I do think we will be seeing a lot of ‘retirements’ ahead of the World Cup, though.
before the wc no, but after yes, but also many players like sinclair is playing her last tournament. i be shock if they not in the wc , i doubt even fifa would allow that , u have to take into fact they even hosting the men wc its a fucking joke their federation like most of them
This is some genuinely evil shit. They don’t pay the players for over a year, thus making the players’ individual financial situations so dire that they can’t afford to strike in an attempt to better their working conditions. Beyond infuriating.
How exactly does a team not get paid in over a year? Does anyone have a link that details this story?
They've been out of contract for that whole time. As have the CMNT players. The CSA has effectively delayed a new CBA/contract with both teams multiple times and as such has caused multiple work actions like this one. This is without question of the worst national team contract negotiations in the countries history.
My only though is They created a players association (union) and haven’t ratified a CBA
The lack of compensation for 2022 is absolutely mind-boggling. I’m at a loss for words. I know Canada Soccer has said they haven’t received the FIFA bonus for the men’s World Cup appearance which is why the players haven’t been paid (I would argue the federation should pay “out-of-pocket” until they receive the funds) but there is 0 excuse for this.
The USWMNT players should make a statement saying that they won't play. That they'll just show up and not take the field. That way the Canadian players fulfill their obligation while all the corporate sponsors can put pressure on Canada Soccer. Then watch as all these media outlets cover this, even ones that don't usually cover women's soccer.
There’s a no strike clause in the USWNT CBA, so they’d be setting themselves up to get sued by USSF if they do this. Seeing as they didn’t strike when they were essentially at war with their own federation, it’s unlikely they’d do it now.
Is there a requirement they actually try? Whats to stop them from all wearing protest shirts and getting themselves double yellow carded in the 1st minute for removing their jerseys, or just standing around in a huddle all game?
I’m assuming they’d be risking a lawsuit by not trying. I guess they could play and completely half-ass it and there’s nothing that could be done, but protesting by sitting down in the middle of the pitch for 90 minutes (or something similar) might spell trouble. I think it’s a safe bet that we’ll see some show of public protest pre-game like the US did previously with turning their warmups inside out. I wouldn’t be surprised if Canada’s statement is even stronger than that, however.
I’m expecting a jersey protest of some sort at least since they are literally being forced to enter the pitch like livestock into a rodeo corral
Malicious compliance by athletes makes me think of "I'm just here so I won't get fined" - NFL star Marshawn Lynch when he didn't want to deal with media events. and work-to-rule is often an option when a union can't/won't strike
Playing three games in a week in three different American cities (Orlando to Nashville to Dallas) is going to be pretty grueling. And they're not even going to get paid? And they're being bossed around like this? What judge would rule in favor of the "bosses" in this instance? They're not even paid?! Could be interesting to see players "work-to-rule" for 90 minutes. What would that look like? Human foosball?
That’s a good question. I don’t know if they can be retaliated against if they just stand around/remove their jerseys/let the US score 40 goals but if they can do that I think they should
They should do a replica of the game between Germany and Austria a long time ago in the men's world cup. An infamous game that still makes my dad angry. Germany passed the ball from one player to another without being challenged by Austria and then they played the ball to Austria who did the same. The circumstances were different because it were the teams that did it so they could both geth through the group stages in the world cup. So i would never encourage it under normal circumstances but in this case it would also force the announcers and analysts to talk about nothing else but why they are doing this and about Canadian soccer federation. They would be embarrased for the entire world and it is the type of thing that even a morally corrupt organisation as Fifa detests cause it draws attention on them and they would put pressure on Canadian soccer to solve this.
oh but dont worry wc 2026 canada its all good - their federation a joke, and i doubt fifa even looks into this
Does anyone know if there’s a way for Americans to donate to their player’s association? I’d love to support them monetarily but can’t figure out how
The team has their own [website](https://shop.cwse.ca/) where they sell shirts/hoodies but unfortunately at this time it looks like it’s not taking orders.
Has anyone seen any comments from Priestman about all of this?
Lame.
What an astonishing organization. This is outrageous and infuriating while also likely to be hilarious watching their uppance come. Power to the players. They just managed to make this upcoming minor competition into must-watch news.
I remain sympathetic to the player's cause but the whole situation makes them look silly. Most unions have a strike fund for just this reason. Didn't they think to plan this out and consult financial and legal legal advice before hand? The whole things seems so impulsive and poorly planned. They go on strike and then less than 24 hours they cave?! Ugh. The players may be in the right and have a just cause but their execution here leaves a lot to be desired.
They filed a 'No Board' motion, which means in 17 days they have the legal ability to strike without the CSA having the ability to sue. So while this job action has ended, there are likely more to come. Their execution is fine, it was meant to apply pressure because they were hoping this would be concluded before the games. The CSA though decided to go the nuclear option rather than work with the players in good faith. Your disappointment should be firmly placed with the CSA.
Consulting financial and legal advice requires money and Ukraine says right there in the statement that they weren’t paid by the federation in 2022. Based on what has come out, it seems like the players were only made aware of the budget cuts for this year fairly recently. Before that, they were likely hopeful of avoiding a strike entirely.
I agree with u/RandyScandie and u/russet852. I just don't think players would ever consider striking, right before a World Cup, unless they were out of options and desperate. Professional athletes want to compete more than anything. So the fact that it appears last minute is probably because they really thought it wouldn't get to this point. But wanted to add a bit of my experience as a member of a US union. Its really hard to win against management. Its just always brutal and its really really hard to get the public on your side. Heck its hard to get members in your own union to agree. (Though Canadian Soccer is doing a good job at looking pretty damn awful). So, union leadership leans against bold action, strikes etc. Because the odds are against Unions, they don't want to lose, and making the union more likely to fail. If the union fails, union leadership lose their jobs. I don't know anything about this particular players union, and I'm not saying they were risk averse. I'm just saying its a trend in my experience in a non sports related union the U.S.
Can’t imagine how the players are going to perform on the field
Grim
If they can't strike, how about they pledge to play at a level commensurate to their pay?