Players on the Canadian women's soccer team have told Canada Soccer they want the issue of remuneration at the World Cup settled before they board the plane to Australia.
There is not much time. The Canadian women are scheduled to report to a pre-tournament camp in Australia's Gold Coast on June 28.
"We're not at a point where we're not getting on a plane, but time's coming where we want it done so as players we're not having to deal with it while we're trying to prepare," said Canada captain Christine Sinclair.
Canada Soccer and its men's and women's teams have been embroiled in a labour dispute for more than a year.
"Obviously there has been a lot of changeover at the CSA (Canada Soccer) in recent months," Sinclair told The Canadian Press. "We knew this was going to be a fight. We knew it was going to take some time.
"But us as a women's team have flat out told the CSA that we need a deal in place for at least the World Cup and this year before we head down there. So obviously we're getting close. I think it will happen. Will it be a long-term deal? No. But something will be done before the World Cup starts."
Seventh-ranked Canada opens July 21 against No. 40 Nigeria in Melbourne before facing No. 22 Ireland on July 26 and No. 10 Australia back in Melbourne on July 31.
“Our conversations are ongoing and we share the desire to get this resolved as soon as possible,” interim Canada Soccer general secretary Jason deVos said in a statement given to The Canadian Press.
The women, who formed the Canadian Soccer Players' Association in 2016, have been without a labour deal since the last one expired at the end of 2021.
They struck an agreement in principle with Canada Soccer on compensation for 2022, but say other issues have yet to be resolved.
The men, who organized last summer as the Canada Men's National Soccer Team Players Association, are working on their first formal labour agreement.
Both teams have taken job action. The men boycotted a planned friendly in Vancouver against Panama in June 2022 over their dissatisfaction with the progress of the labour talks.
Earlier this year the Canadian women threatened to down tools at the SheBelieves Cup in the U.S., but reluctantly returned to the field after Canada Soccer threatened legal action.
Men's coach John Herdman challenged Canada Soccer at the recent CONCACAF Nations League finals to "get real" when it comes to funding his side, saying rival teams are getting longer camps and more matches.
"I don't know all the details on the men's side of things but we're fighting the same fight," said Sinclair. "I think us as players, we fear that we as national teams could get left behind when you see the support that other federations are putting into their teams, putting into their youth programming, putting into professional leagues,
"If we want to remain relevant, yes, some things are going to have to change."
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 21,2023
Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press
