Women's football is on course to become a billion-dollar industry, but many professional players are still earning low wages, working on insecure contracts and experiencing rising psychological stress. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing BBC News.

That is according to the findings of a new global survey of more than 800 footballers by the players' union Fifpro.

Players were asked why they might leave football early. The report stated 59% cited financial reasons, while psychological stress was another factor identified by 46%.

Alex Culvin, head of women's football at Fifpro, said there was no single explanation for the increase. She pointed to growing public exposure, financial insecurity and inadequate support systems as possible contributing factors.

"Players are now very visible," she said.

"Players are not only expected to be visible, but are obligated to be visible because of the low income to subsidise the lack of solid income they receive."

While awareness of mental health issues has improved, Culvin explained many players felt they were being left to cope alone.

"Players also reported, whilst having a higher psychological stress, that they didn't have the support they needed in a mental health sense, either at the club or internationally," she said.

In total, the report shows 57% of women who responded to the survey struggled with their mental health and half of them were not provided with support by their clubs.

The report states that global revenue in the women's game is expected to rise from about $581m (£439m) in 2024 to over $1bn (£756m) in 2027.

It also highlights emerging psychological pressures facing professional women's footballers.

In an increasingly digital world, players are more accessible than ever through social media, bringing them closer to fans but also exposing them to online harassment and abuse.

The Fifpro survey suggested that although salaries, visibility and investment have risen significantly since 2017, much of the professional game still operates in precarious conditions.

For Culvin, the sport's commercial growth is not yet being matched by safeguards for the players driving it.

"The economic case for women's football has been made," she said.

"I think the institutional regulatory and policy case needs to catch up quickly to protect and enhance our women's players and enable them to perform maximally."

One of the report's most striking findings is how players view their own professional status.

Under Fifa's definition, a professional player has a written contract and is paid more than the expenses incurred playing.

In the survey, 62% of players described themselves as professional, 27% selected semi-professional and 12% chose amateur.

All players in the survey were playing for clubs in the top tier of their country, yet only 78% reported having a written contract and 82% said they were paid by their club.

However, just 57% said that payment was enough to cover the costs of playing football.

"Players who are professional but don't see or feel themselves as professional are not receiving the full benefits of being an employee," Culvin said.

The report also highlights the limits of salary growth. Although mean average monthly earnings have tripled since 2017 to $2,601 (£1,970), the median salary is just $1,669 (£1,250).

Average monthly pay varies considerably by region, from $6,450 (£4,886) in North America and $3,982 (£3,016) in central/Western Europe, to $878 (£664) in Eastern Europe and just $480 (£363) in Africa.

While salaries have risen sharply in leagues such as those in the USA and Mexico, average pay in 10 Eastern European countries remains below the national minimum wage.

Even in regions such as Western Europe and Asia/Oceania that span some bigger football markets, average pay is not significantly higher than national minimum wage levels.