Canada’s national women’s team will go on strike over pay equity concerns and a lack of funding they believe compromises their performances as world class athletes.

In a joint-statement by the Canadian Soccer Players’ Association (CSPA), players expressed how “outraged and deeply concerned” they were by funding cuts at the national body.

Canada Soccer had not only cut training camp days but also full camp windows and drastically reduced the number of staff and players permitted to attend, whilst significant youth team activities have also been limited. Decisions that come about as the team face immense uncertainty about compensation.

Christine Sinclair, Canada’s current captain and all-time international top goalscorer with 190 goals, said. “As a team we have decided to take job action.

“From this moment on we will not be participating in any [Canadian Soccer] activities until this is resolved - whether that’s training, whether that’s games.

“That’s very hard to say as an athlete who wants to compete and represent Canada, but enough is enough.”

The two-time CONCACAF Women’s and Olympic Champions were set to face America in next week’s SheBelieves Cup - a vital precursor tournament for this summer’s Women’s World Cup - but if matters aren’t resolved before kick-off, they will not play.

It is clear, the team is tired of having to fight for fair and equal treatment, and for a programme that will help Canada deliver what they are more than capable of achieving - World Cup glory.

The federation’s lack of support threatens to reverse the progress the nation’s women’s team has made over the course of a decade, and according to Canadian international and Portland Thorns forward, Janine Beckie, players are finally “taking action against a federation which has mistreated them for too long.”

The women's team's statement comes just eight months after Canada's men's national team went on strike amid its own dispute with Canada Soccer. In June 2022, men's players released a letter accusing the organisation of "disrespecting" the team in relation to negotiations around prize money for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

Canada Soccer said it would meet the women's team players ahead of next week for further talks, insisting it has a "proven track record" of supporting the women's game.

We've seen in recent years, international federations make changes to ensure their men's and women's teams are not only paid the same, but receive access to the same quality of facilities and resources needed to ensure they can perform at the highest possible level for their countries.

Just this year, Wales joined other nations such as the United States of America, England, Brazil, Australia, Norway and New Zealand in paying their players the same international match fee.

It seems Canada Soccer are jeopardising the future of their national teams' success by treating their players' needs as not only secondary, but as non-existent. We stand with Canada Women in their fight for equity and equality in the game.