10 highest-paid female footballers that you need to know

10 highest-paid female footballers that you need to know

The highest-paid female footballers are Aitana Bonmatí, Alexia Putellas, and Sam Kerr. Bonmatí leads with an estimated annual salary of over $1.1 million, with several other top earners benefiting from recent record-breaking contracts and transfer fees.

Aitana Bonmati, Alexia Putellas, and Sam Kerr
Aitana Bonmati (L), Alexia Putellas (C) and Sam Kerr (R) are some of the highest-paid female footballers. Photo: Aitor Alcalde, Angel Martinez, Ali Painter (modified by author)
Source: Getty Images

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Key takeaways

  • Aitana Bonmatí of FC Barcelona is currently the highest-paid female footballer, with an annual salary exceeding $1.1 million.
  • Alexia Putellas, also from Barcelona, earns around $800,000 annually.
  • Sam Kerr, the Chelsea and Australian national team striker, is another top earner, with a contract that reportedly pays over $600,000 per season.
  • Most of the highest salaries come from European clubs in Spain, England, France, and Germany.

Highest-paid female footballers

We strive to provide our readers with accurate and useful information through our rankings and lists. In creating this list of the highest-paid female footballers, we used data from reliable sources such as ESPN, Forbes, Spotrac, and BBC Sport.

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NameClubAnnual salary
Trinity RodmanWashington Spirit$281,000 (€237,000)
Wendie RenardLyon$422,000 (€357,000)
MartaOrlando Pride $456,000 (€386,000)
Ada HegerbergLyon$497,000 (€420,000)
Racheal Kundananji Bay FC$500,000 (€422,500)
Barbra BandaOrlando Pride$525,000 (€443,546)
Keira WalshChelsea€457,000 ($540,500)
Sam Kerr Chelsea$635,000 (€538,000)
Alexia PutellasFC Barcelona $800,000 (€700,000)
Aitana Bonmatí FC Barcelona Femení$1.1 million (€1 million)

1. Aitana Bonmatí – $1.1 million (€1 million)

Aitana Bonmati in Basel, Switzerland.
Aitana Bonmati at St. Jakob-Park on 27 July 2025 in Basel, Switzerland. Photo: Daniela Porcelli
Source: Getty Images
  • Full name: Aitana Bonmatí i Conca
  • Date of birth: 18 January 1998
  • Age: 27 years old (as of 2025)
  • Place of birth: Sant Pere de Ribes, Spain
  • Current team: FC Barcelona Femení

Aitana Bonmatí is a Spanish midfielder who plays for FC Barcelona Femení in Liga F and the Spanish national team. She is widely considered one of the best players in women's football. Aitana Bonmatí's estimated annual salary is around $1.1 million, making her the highest-paid female footballer in the world, according to ESPN.

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The football player signed a contract extension with FC Barcelona in September 2024, keeping her at the club until 2028. Her endorsements with brands like Adidas, Alpro, and Bimbo contribute to her overall earnings.

2. Alexia Putellas – $800,000 (€700,000)

Alexia Putellas at Estadi Johan Cruyff in Barcelona, Spain.
Alexia Putellas at Estadi Johan Cruyff on 14 November 2023 in Barcelona, Spain. Photo: Eric Alonso
Source: Getty Images
  • Full name: Alèxia Putellas i Segura
  • Date of birth: 4 February 1994
  • Age: 31 years old (as of 2025)
  • Place of birth: Mollet del Vallès, Spain
  • Current team: FC Barcelona Femení

Alexia Putellas is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for FC Barcelona and captains the Spain women's national football team. Putellas is considered one of the best female footballers in the world, having won the Ballon d'Or Féminin in 2021 and 2022, becoming the first woman to win the football award in consecutive years.

Putellas’ annual salary is reported to be around $800,000 (€700,000). She signed a new two-year deal with Barcelona in May 2024, keeping her at the club until at least 2026, with an option for an additional season.

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3. Sam Kerr – $635,000 (€538,000)

Sam Kerr at Villa Park in Birmingham, England.
Sam Kerr at Villa Park on 14 September 2025 in Birmingham, England. Photo: Jack Thomas
Source: Getty Images
  • Full name: Samantha May Kerr
  • Date of birth: 10 September 1993
  • Age: 32 years old (as of 2025)
  • Place of birth: East Fremantle, Australia
  • Current team: Chelsea

Sam Kerr is a striker for Chelsea FC and the captain of the Australian women's national football team. Her estimated annual salary from her Chelsea contract is around $635,000 (€538,000) per season. In addition to her club salary, Kerr also earns significantly from endorsement deals.

She is one of the highest-paid female soccer players in the world, with her total income, including endorsements, reportedly reaching $3.3 million in 2023. The football player has a long-term partnership with Nike, which is reportedly worth $1 million annually.

4. Keira Walsh – €457,000 ($540,500)

Keira Walsh in London, England.
Keira Walsh at Stamford Bridge on 5 September 2025 in London, England. Photo: Catherine Ivill
Source: Getty Images
  • Full name: Keira Fae Walsh
  • Date of birth: 8 April 1997
  • Age: 28 years old (as of 2025)
  • Place of birth: England, United Kingdom]
  • Current team: Chelsea

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Keira Walsh is an English midfielder who plays for Chelsea in the Women's Super League and for the England women's national team. She is widely considered one of the best midfielders in the world. Keira Walsh's estimated annual salary from her Chelsea contract is approximately €457,000 ($540,500).

She previously played for Blackburn Rovers, Manchester City, and Barcelona. In 2022, she joined Barcelona for a then-world record fee for a female footballer. In January 2025, she transferred to Chelsea from Barcelona.

5. Barbra Banda – $525,000 (€443,546)

Barbra Banda of Zambia at Eden Park in Auckland New Zealand.
Barbra Banda of Zambia at Eden Park on 26 July 2023 in Auckland/Tāmaki Makaurau, New Zealand. Photo: Jan Kruger
Source: Getty Images
  • Full name: Barbra Banda
  • Date of birth: 20 March 2000
  • Age: 25 years old (as of 2025)
  • Place of birth: Lusaka, Zambia
  • Current team: Orlando Pride

Barbra Banda is widely considered one of the top women's players in the world. As documented by ESPN, she signed a four-year contract with the Orlando Pride in March 2024, valued at approximately $2.1 million, including bonuses. This contract includes an average annual salary of $525,000 (€443,546).

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Barbra Banda's contract made her one of the highest-paid players in the NWSL. Before joining Orlando Pride, she played in Europe with Spanish club DUX Logroño and later played for Shanghai Shengli.

6. Racheal Kundananji – $500,000 (€422,500)

Racheal Kundananji in Auckland/Tāmaki Makaurau, New Zealand.
Racheal Kundananji at Eden Park on 26 July 2023 in Auckland/Tāmaki Makaurau, New Zealand. Photo: Hannah Peters
Source: Getty Images
  • Full name: Racheal Kundananji
  • Date of birth: 3 June 2000
  • Age: 25 years old (as of 2025)
  • Place of birth: Zambia
  • Current team: Bay FC

Racheal Kundananji, the Zambian forward for Bay FC, has an estimated average annual salary of $500,000 (€422,500) from her club contract, according to Spotrac. This is part of a 4-year, $2,000,000 contract she signed with the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) expansion team Bay FC in February 2024, which includes an option for a fifth year.

Kundananji started her career with Indeni Roses in Zambia, then played for BIIK Kazygurt in Kazakhstan and SD Eibar and Madrid CFF in Spain before joining Bay FC in 2024. She has also played in the UEFA Women's Champions League. In 2024, she was named the COSAFA Women's Player of the Year.

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7. Ada Hegerberg – $497,000 (€420,000)

Ada Hegerberg in Lyon, France.
Ada Hegerberg at Groupama Stadium on 11 September 2024 in Lyon, France. Photo: Florencia Tan Jun
Source: Getty Images
  • Full name: Ada Martine Stolsmo Hegerberg
  • Date of birth: 10 July 1995
  • Age: 30 years old (as of 2025)
  • Place of birth: Sunndalsøra, Norway
  • Current team: Lyon

Ada Hegerberg is a Norwegian professional footballer who plays as a striker for Lyon in the French Première Ligue and captains the Norway women's national team. She is widely regarded as one of the best footballers in the world, winning the first-ever Women’s Ballon d’Or in 2018.

As per Forbes, her estimated annual salary from her club contract is €420,000 ($497,000), making her one of the highest-paid female footballers in the world. She has been instrumental in Lyon's numerous Champions League victories and holds the record for most goals in the UEFA Women's Champions League.

8. Marta – $456,000 (€386,000)

Marta of Brazil in Brisbane, Australia.
Marta of Brazil during the official FIFA Women's World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023 portrait session on 19 July 2023 in Brisbane, Australia. Photo: Justin Setterfield
Source: Getty Images
  • Full name: Marta Vieira da Silva
  • Date of birth: 19 February 1986
  • Age: 39 years old (as of 2025)
  • Place of birth: Dois Riachos, State of Alagoas, Brazil
  • Current team: Orlando Pride

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Marta is a Brazilian professional footballer, currently playing as a forward for the Orlando Pride in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). Marta is one of the highest-paid female footballers in the Premier League, reportedly earning an annual salary of approximately $456,000 (€386,000) from her contract with the Orlando Pride.

The Brazilian football player has won the FIFA World Player of the Year award a record six times, five consecutively from 2006-2010, and again in 2018.

9. Wendie Renard – $422,000 (€357,000)

Wendie Renard in Lyon, France.
Wendie Renard at OL Stadium on 26 March 2025 in Lyon, France. Photo: Catherine Steenkeste
Source: Getty Images
  • Full name: Wendie Thérèse Renard
  • Date of birth: 20 July 1990
  • Age: 35 years old (as of 2025)
  • Place of birth: Schœlcher, Martinique
  • Current team: Lyon

Wendie Renard is widely considered one of the most successful players in women's football and one of the best defenders of her generation. She currently plays as a centre-back for Lyon in the Première Ligue and captains the France women's national team.

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Renard earns around $422,000 (€357,000) annually from her Lyon contract. She has represented France at the FIFA Women's World Cup, UEFA European Women's Championship, and Olympic Games. She has captained her country since 2013. Throughout her career, she has won a record 18 French league titles and eight European Cups with Lyon.

10. Trinity Rodman – $281,000 (€237,000)

Trinity Rodman at CPKC Stadium on 13 September 2025 in Kansas City, Missouri.
Trinity Rodman at CPKC Stadium on 13 September 2025 in Kansas City, Missouri. Photo: Jay Biggerstaff
Source: Getty Images
  • Full name: Trinity Rain Moyer-Rodman
  • Date of birth: 20 May 2002
  • Age: 23 years old (as of 2025)
  • Place of birth: Newport Beach, California, United States
  • Current team: Washington Spirit

Trinity Rodman plays as a forward for the Washington Spirit and the United States national team. As per Spotrac, in February 2022, she signed a four-year contract with the Washington Spirit worth $1.124 million, which includes an average annual salary of $281,000 (€237,000). This made her the highest-paid player in NWSL history at the time.

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Trinity was drafted second overall by the Washington Spirit in 2021 at just 18 years old, making her the youngest drafted player in NWSL history at the time. She is the daughter of former NBA player Dennis Rodman.

Who is the most paid female footballer?

As of 2025, the highest-paid female footballer is Aitana Bonmatí, who earns an estimated annual salary of $1.1 million playing for FC Barcelona.

How much do Arsenal ladies get paid?

According to a BBC analysis in 2022, the average salary for a Women's Super League player was £47,000 per year, but some players reportedly earned as little as £20,000 annually.

Who is the most expensive women's footballer in the world?

The most expensive women's footballer in the world, in terms of transfer fees, is Grace Geyoro. As per ESPN, she transferred from Paris Saint-Germain to London City Lionesses for $1.9 million in 2025.

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Who is the highest-paid African female footballer?

Barbra Banda is the highest-paid African female footballer, with an estimated average annual salary of $525,000 playing for the Orlando Pride.

The highest-paid female footballers, such as Aitana Bonmatí, Alexia Putellas, and Sam Kerr, earn substantial salaries in the range of hundreds of thousands to over a million US dollars annually. This growth in earnings shows the rising recognition, investment, and global popularity of women’s football.

Legit.ng recently published an article about the highest-paid college athletes. College athletes are making a good fortune from their personal brand. They earn through signing autographs, endorsements, and personal appearances.

Top athletes like Arch Manning, Carson Beck, and Jeremiah Smith have NIL valuations in the millions, showing just how valuable college players have become both on and off the field. Explore the list of the highest-paid college athletes in 2025 in this article.

Proofreading by Kola Muhammed, copy editor at Legit.ng.

Source: Legit.ng

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Night Mongina (Lifestyle writer) Night Mongina is an article writer with an experience of more than three years. She has been working as a writer in Legit.ng since August 2021. She won the Writer of the Year Award on Legit in 2023. Night worked with (KNA) Kenya News Agency as a freelance writer (2016-2017). She graduated with a Diploma in Health Records and Information from Kisii University in 2018. In 2023, Night finished the AFP course on Digital Investigation Techniques. In March 2024, she completed the Google News Initiative course. Email: nightmongina@gmail.com