Players in the All Whites and Football Ferns will earn equal pay and prize money thanks to a groundbreaking new deal.
New Zealand Football has signed a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) with the New Zealand Professional Footballers' Association (NZPFA).
The two teams will become the first leading national sports organisation to agree on equity and parity for their senior men's and women's national teams.
Along with equal pay, both men and women can now expect equal prize money, equal rights for image use and upgraded business class travel.
For New Zealand Football boss Andy Martin, it marks a significant day for the sport here, and he's excited about what the national teams can achieve under the new agreement.
"We are pleased to have the Collective Bargaining Agreement confirmed and with parity for both the All Whites and the Football Ferns," Martin says.
"The Football Ferns, who are ranked inside the top 20 in the world, are the flagship of women's football in New Zealand. They are role models for the 30,000 female players throughout our country.
"It is important to recognise their contribution and form a revised agreement alongside the PFA."
"This has been a positive negotiation, and I would like to thank the PFA for the manner in which these discussions have taken place. We come out of these discussions well-aligned and excited about what our national teams can achieve in the next three years under this CBA."
The CBA announcement comes on the back of some significant news for women's football in this country with the recent launch of the Kate Sheppard Cup and the expansion of the Women's National League to two rounds from the upcoming season.
"It is an exciting time for football in this country," Martin says.
"Today's announcement signifies that we as an organisation are committed to parity for the men's and women's game and are committed to continue the growth in all areas of our sport."
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