Professional contracts will be introduced to the SSE Airtricity Women's National League for the first time for the 2023 season.
Deals for female players will be subject to the same standard player contract and minimum wage regulations as men’s players in the League of Ireland.
That includes contracts of a minimum of €430 per week full-time and €130 for part-time which were introduced earlier this month.
Clubs retain the rights to have amateur players – which the majority of the league’s players are likely to be – but will risk losing players to other teams.
The terms are slightly altered for teenage players, with full-time players at 19 receiving €380, 18-year olds are entitled to a minimum of €330, while it's €280 for 16 and 17-year-olds. The part-time equivalents are €120, €105 and €90.
Clubs wishing to sign players on professional contracts will now also be subject to domestic training compensation regulations which are in place for the first time a player changes their status from amateur to professional.
This agreement has been reached after the National Leagues Committee approved the introduction of measure and it was ratified by the FAI board.
Shamrock Rovers have joined the Women’s National League and are set to offer terms better than amateur basis to their players.
A working group has been established to monitor implementation and effects of the introduction of professional contracts to the League.
Club licensing criteria will also apply to ensure that the change of status from amateur to professional is regulated and clubs will be subjected to Salary Cost Protocols in order to be compliant with Financial Fair Play regulations.
Any player who moves to another professional club will do so for a transfer fee, while it also allows the introduction of loan players into the WNL from other professional leagues.
League of Ireland Director Mark Scanlon said the FAI will help clubs implement and cope with the new system: "Today’s announcement is hugely important in the development of the women’s game in Ireland and represents a watershed moment for the SSE Airtricity Women’s National League. Though attendances, standards and exposure of the game have increased in recent years, women’s football in Ireland still has a long way to go to achieve the potential we know it has.
"The announcement of professional contracts for SSE Airtricity Women’s National League players will prove to be a significant milestone in the history of the game here and comes at an apt time as our Women’s National Team, which features many of our WNL players, gets ready to compete at the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023.
"Clubs will now be able to provide certainty and a platform for growth for their players as they look to progress on and off the pitch. We look forward to working with all our League of Ireland Clubs to help ease this exciting transition."
FAI chief executive Jonathan Hill believes it shows the organisation is committed to equality in the game: "We have listened closely to the competitive pressures that our clubs have faced and we have now created a pathway to sustainable growth and, most importantly, again committed to a shared and equitable approach to both our men’s and women’s leagues."
