Liga F: Spain's women's professional league begins after referee strike resolved

Atletico Madrid and Real Sociedad will play their opening Liga F matches on Saturday after being forced to call off their first-round game because the refereeing team did not participate

The delayed first round of matches in Liga F, Spain's new women's professional league, will take place this weekend after a dispute involving referees was resolved.

Eight matches were called off last weekend after a strike by officials.

Women referees had been asking for professional status and payment in line with officials in the men's La Liga.

Liga F organisers said in a statement that their new proposal had been accepted by an arbitration group.

Referee pay will rise from 300 euros (£260) to 1,666 euros (£1,446) per match, with assistant referees receiving the same amount - up from 166 euros (£144) - and fourth officials seeing their pay increase from 84 euros (£73) to 250 euros (£217).

The statement said it had turned down a request from the Spanish Football Federation and female referees to pay officials 21,000 euros (£18,226) per match, adding that the proposal would have accounted for 70% of the broadcasting income generated by the competition.

Organisers said they wanted the league to be "sustainable over time" and thanked clubs, players, coaches and fans for their "unity and firmness".

The resolution means England internationals Keira Walsh and Lucy Bronze could make their debuts for Barcelona when the champions host UDG Tenerife on Saturday.

Barcelona had been scheduled to launch their campaign at Levante Las Planas last Sunday, but players across the round of games walked on to the pitch without any officials before the matches were officially postponed.

The referees and assistant referees had said they could not officiate "under the present working and economic conditions" and wanted "minimum working conditions" comparable to the men's competition.