Nike bonus heaps pressure on FA to reward Lioness heroes if they win the World Cup

The FA will earn a million pound bonus from kit supplier Nike if the England lionesses make history by winning the World Cup, which would increase the pressure on them to make a more generous offer to the players.

Their deal with Nike reportedly includes a provision for significant bonus payments based on tournament performance and increased shirt sales, which will be worth around £1 million if Sarina Wiegman’s side beat Spain in Sunday’s final in Sydney.

The 12-year deal with Nike that began in 2016 was the first in which the sportswear manufacturer committed to supplying a bespoke women’s kit for the Lionesses, as they had previously been forced to play in men’s kit.

The FA has already committed to pass a percentage of their commercial bonuses on to the players, but have not yet reached a final agreement.

Wiegman’s team failed to agree a bonus schedule with the FA before the tournament and released a scathing statement just days before their opening game against Haiti saying the matter would be reviewed after the game.

FIFA has significantly increased prize money for this World Cup, with each player on the winning team receiving £206,000, but the England players are also pushing for higher performance-related bonuses from the FA.

The PFA is also involved in the negotiations on behalf of the players. The FA declined to comment on any bonuses they owe from Nike or other sponsors, saying all their contracts are confidential.

Harry Kane will be asked to take regular German lessons once established at Bayern Munich as part of the club’s efforts to help the England captain fully integrate into Thomas Tuchel’s squad.

The club employs a German teacher as a full-time employee who provides language lessons at their training ground in Sabener Strasse for any new signings who need it.

Kane has yet to start lessons but has already endeared himself to the Bavarians by referring to the club by their German nickname ‘FC Bayern’ rather than their global Bayern Munich brand at his unveiling last week.

Saudi Arabia has not given up hope of winning the right to host the 2030 World Cup, as their football association showed this week by signing a memorandum of understanding with the Oceania Football Association.

While the MOU does not contain a formal agreement that Oceania members will support a Saudi bid, the OFC is an important bloc within the FIFA electorate as they have 11 votes, one more than the South American confederation COMNEBOL.

A joint bid from Spain, Portugal and Morocco is seen as the favorite within FIFA to win the 2030 bid, but Saudi Arabia’s proposed bid with Greece also has significant support.

Saudi’s backup plan is to bid for the 2034 World Cup, but they would prefer to host the tournament four years early because it would coincide with the culmination of the Public Investment Fund’s Vision 2030, the government’s long-term plan to transform and to diversify. the country’s economy away from oil production.

Broadcasters TNT Sports and Sky Sports had to absorb all the extra costs resulting from the two delayed kick-offs in the Premier League last weekend.

Both Arsenal v Nottingham Forest and Brentford v Tottenham started late in the opening weekend of the season due to ticket sales and water supply issues at the Emirates and Gtech Community Stadiums respectively, but despite the inconvenience there is no provision in the contracts for compensating broadcasters.

Sheffield United’s players have agreed a series of lucrative survival bonuses with the club that will be worth several hundred thousand pounds per player if they defy the bookmakers’ odds by staying this season.

United’s bonus scheme is one of the most generous in the country, with members of Paul Heckingbottom’s promotion-winning side from last season sharing a prize pool of around £8 million, which is more than many Premier League clubs pay for trophies and qualification for the Champions League.

Last season’s promotion bonuses will be paid out along with players’ salaries in September, as is customary at Bramall Lane. Contrary to previous posts in Mail sportsthere has been no delay in the agreed payment schedule.