Equal pay: Australian women's football team will earn the same as male players

The deal is 'a commitment that is blind to gender', a players' union says

Australia's top women's football players will earn the same as the top men's football players after an historic deal.

The Matildas, who currently rank eighth in the world, will earn equal pay and entitlements to the men's team, the Socceroos, who come in 44th.

The Matildas and Socceroos will also share an equal split of all commercial revenues like advertising.

Both teams will get a 40% cut of the prize money offered at matches, but the men are still likely to make more money because prize money is usually greater.

The four-year deal, called the Collective Bargaining Agreement, was struck Wednesday between governing body Football Federation Australia (FFA) and the players' union, Professional Footballers Australia (PFA).

What's happening elsewhere?

US football player Megan Rapinoe has spoken out about the gender pay gap

The issue of a gender pay gap - that's the difference in average earnings between men and women - was talked about a lot during the Women's World Cup.

In America, the US women's team have taken legal action against the US Soccer Federation over pay and conditions.

They say they have been treated differently to the men's national team and that they're not being paid as much so are asking to be paid equally. They also say they've haven't been allowed the same working rights because of their gender.

Australia now joins New Zealand and Norway in placing male and female players on the same pay scale.