The England winger Toni Duggan will become the first player in the Women’s Super League to make use of ground-breaking maternity leave.
Duggan, 31, announced in September that she was pregnant with her first child. The Everton midfielder has 79 caps; the last was in 2020.
Legislation introduced at the start of the 2022-23 season after an agreement between the FA and the Professional Footballers’ Association, means players such as Duggan on maternity leave will be paid 100 per cent of their weekly wage and any other remuneration and benefits for the first 14 weeks. Previously clubs could give maternity leave but it was not compulsory.
“It was definitely a move that they needed to do,” Duggan said. “I find it crazy that it’s only
