Norway's male and female players will receive the same amount of pay for representing the country, the Norwegian football association has announced. The amount of money paid to the women's team will almost double from 3.1m krone (£296,845) to 6m krone (£574,540). This includes 550,000 krone (£47,875) paid by male Norwegian players, money they receive for commercial activities. "Thank you for making this step for female athletes," said Norway winger Caroline Graham Hansen.

In a message posted on Instagram, Graham Hansen also posted a picture of the men's football team and said: "This was maybe a small thing for you to do for us, this will maybe not show in your monthly wages, this was maybe an obvious move for you to do. "But this means everything for us, for our team, our sport, and for all the female athletes out there, who do the same work, the same sport as men do, but get paid less. "For you to say that equal pay is how it should be, makes me want to cry. It makes me want to hug you all. "Thank you for making this step for female athletes. For showing equality and for helping us all, making it a bit easier, to chase our dreams. To make them come true! RESPECT #equalgame #equalpay."

Players' union boss Joachim Walltin believes this is the first deal of its kind in world football. "Norway is a country where equal standing is very important for us, so it is good for the country and for the sport," he said. "For the girls, it will certainly make a difference. Some of them are working and studying, as well as playing football, and it's hard to improve then. "The feeling of being really respected is very important for them. The federation can see it as an investment to increase the level of the women's team."

In September, Denmark cancelled a home women's friendly against Netherlands because of a dispute over money with the Danish Football Association (DBU). It led to the men's team offering the women's side £60,000 a year to help cover their costs. "In Denmark they are still negotiating and in the United States things have improved, but we might be the only country where they are treated equally," added Walltin.

Courtesy:BBC