'We are disappointed' - England's Lionesses pause bonus discussions to 'fully' focus on 2023 Women's World Cup

• England won't be paid World Cup bonuses by FA
• Dispute has gone on for several weeks
• Lionesses to pause discussions as tournament looms

WHAT HAPPENED? It was revealed in July that England will not be paid any bonuses by the Football Association (FA) for their participation in the upcoming tournament and discussions have been ongoing since about the situation, with senior figure Lucy Bronze admitting recently that it has all been "frustrating".

On Tuesday, England captain Millie Bright shared a statement on Twitter which was re-tweeted by her team-mates, one which announced that the team has decided to "pause" discussions with the FA in order to focus "fully" on the World Cup.

WHAT THEY SAID: "Last year we presented the FA with concerns relating to our bonus and commercial structures," the post read. "The hope was that discussions would lead to a solution before the commencement of our World Cup. We are disappointed that a resolution has still not been achieved. We view the successful conclusion of these discussions, through player input and a transparent long term plan, as key for the growth of women's football in England.

"With our opening game on the horizon, we Lionesses have decided to pause discussions, with full intentions of revisiting them following the tournament. We collectively feel a strong sense of responsibility to grow the game. And while our focus now switches fully to the tournament ahead, we believe every tackle, pass, and goal, will contribute to the work we are committed to doing off the pitch. We look forward to playing for our country this World Cup, with pride, passion, and perseverance."

The statement, signed off with "thank you for your support, your Lionesses", and featured signatures from each member of the team at the bottom of it.

THE BIGGER PICTURE: England are one of several nations to have disputes with their federation in the build-up to this tournament. Olympic champions Canada have lamented the lack of support from the governing body, Spain have 12 players missing who have withdrawn from selection, Jamaica have started a GoFundMe page to address issues with their preparation and Nigeria were reportedly threatening to boycott their opening game.

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WHAT NEXT? England's first Women's World Cup game will take place on July 22, when the Lionesses face group stage opponents Haiti.