The Danish men's national team has taken an important step towards fairer and more equal football by signing an agreement with the Danish Football Association (DBU) before the start of the European Championship in Germany. The agreement essentially centers on structuring a framework that will create equal working conditions for the women's team.

With the contribution of Spillerforeningen, the country's players' union, the men's team has opted for an approach that doesn't involve a reduction in their own conditions but instead seeks to raise the conditions of Danish players overall. The plan, based on a four-year agreement starting after Euro 2024, includes the refusal of male players to have their salaries increased and ensures equal basic pay for women and men participating in the national team.

The agreement also stipulates a 50 percent increase in insurance coverage for the women's team and a 40 percent increase for the men's under-21 team, both financed by a 15 percent reduction in insurance for the men's team. Additionally, the players, together with the DBU, will jointly create a clubhouse for all the national teams and establish a development fund. This fund will be supported jointly by the men's team and the DBU, with each contributing one million Danish kroner (around 134,000 euros) every time there is a qualification for a World or European Championship, to improve the teams' working conditions.

"An extraordinary step to help improve conditions for women's national teams"

"The men's team chose not to demand any changes to their conditions in the new agreement," explained Spillerforeningen director Michael Sahl Hansen. He added, "This is an extraordinary step to help improve the conditions of the women's national teams. Instead of seeking better conditions for themselves, the players focused on supporting the women's team."

Sahl Hansen revealed to FIFPro that he had no problems reaching this agreement with the men's team players. "When we presented the plan to the negotiating team, which included Andreas Christensen, Thomas Delaney, Christian Eriksen, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, Simon Kjaer, and Kasper Schmeichel, everyone was very happy. That's what they wanted: to show that they're taking responsibility. They liked the idea of giving other national teams better opportunities and conditions," he emphasized.

He added that, in principle, it shouldn't be the players who take responsibility for financing measures such as the development fund, insurance, or a "house" for the players. However, the men's team has shown extraordinary commitment to the development of Danish football.

The players on the women's team also reacted positively to the agreement: "They're pleased that the men's players are helping them, but they agree that the money shouldn't come from the men's team, but from the DBU. They are looking forward to the negotiations with the football association, which should start after the summer of this year."