Madrid, 15 September 2023 (dpa/MIA) - Players of the Spanish top tier women's division have ended their strike for better wages after reaching an agreement with the league, the Liga F and the player's union AFE said on Thursday.

An agreement has been reached for a €21,500 ($22,544) minimum annual salary for this season, €22,500 for 2024-25 and €23,500 for 2025-26. Those amounts can increase by €2,000, €2,500 and €4,500 respectively, based on profits from commercial income.

Previously, players received a minimum salary of €16,000. The stars of the top clubs Barcelona and Real Madrid, however, are among the top earners in Europe with six-figure annual salaries.

The union stressed, however, that the deal was only a "first step." It's now a matter of moving forward on issues such as maternity leave, measures against sexual abuse, expense allowances and other demands.

The players went on strike at the start of the season last weekend after the league had initially offered a minimum annual salary of €20,000 for the 2023-24 period, while the AFE had demanded at least €23,000.

This was not the first strike in Spanish women's football. In 2019-20, the players went on strike to get the unions and clubs to sign a collective agreement for the first time in February 2020, including a minimum wage and maternity protection. 

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