For the first time, FIFA prize money will be paid directly to the Lionesses squad rather than the FA, and England's players have been pushing the association to top up the central payments awarded to every side since 2022.

The issue has presented a high-profile and unwanted distraction in the build-up to their tournament, where they will look to follow up on last summer's Euro 2022 triumph and lift the World Cup for the first time.

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Even manager Sarina Wiegman has become involved, telling Sky Sports she hoped for a "quick solution" after the squad touched down in Australia.

Now, with England's first game against Haiti only four days away, a statement released through captain Millie Bright's Instagram has confirmed the Lionesses have put conversations on hold in order to focus on their campaign, but that dialogue will continue after the World Cup.

The squad wrote: "Last year we presented the FA with concerns relating to our bonus and commercial structures. The hope was that discussions would lead to a solution before the commencement of the 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 in this World Cup with pride, passion and perseverance. Thank you for your support."

An FA spokesperson responded to Sky Sports News: "We are fully focussed on supporting the Lionesses at the World Cup and, as they have said, we will continue discussions after the tournament "

In a strongly-worded statement from the PFA, which has been negotiating alongside the England players themselves, CEO Maheta Molango said: "Although the issues the Lionesses have highlighted are specific to the negotiations with the FA, they join players from a number of countries at the World Cup who are prepared to make a stand when they don't think they are being listened to.

"It's a massive mistake to underestimate the genuine strength of player feeling on these issues. It's no coincidence that this is a particular issue for nations where there is no proper collective bargaining agreement in place between players and governing bodies.

"These longer-term agreements require negotiation and will nearly always involve difficult conversations. But when they are completed they ensure a far higher degree of stability and security.

"They mean that everyone knows where they stand, and that's obviously a massive advantage going into major tournaments when players just want to be focused on football.

"The PFA's view has always been that player rights and conditions should be addressed proactively and viewed as a partnership.

"There will always be consequences when players feel they are having to come back issue by issue to push for parity and progress. It doesn't need to be like this."

Speaking ahead of the tournament, manager Wiegman previously told Sky Sports News she had not spoken to her players about the issue, but wanted to see it solved ahead of Saturday's first game.

"I'm not involved in those discussions, it's something between the players and the FA," she said. "Of course, I just hope it's solved before the tournament starts or in-part, because that's what you want as a coach.

"The players haven't spoken to me about it, we've been focusing on football. That's what I've seen, they're very focused in training sessions and meetings and I don't see any problems. I know that it's something that needs sorting and I really hope there's a quick solution."

England are far from the only team to encounter frustrations ahead of the World Cup.

The Australian Women side published a video on Sunday night expressing their own disappointment that their prize pool would represent only a quarter of what their men's team had earned at the Qatar World Cup last year.

Elsewhere, Jamaica's Reggae Girlz, competing in their second World Cup, have hit out at "sub-par" support from their national federation, which has included friendlies being cancelled due to poor planning as well as missed payments.

Why are the Lionesses so unhappy with the FA?

Sky Sports News' Anton Toloui in Australia:

"This will not be the end of these negotiations. It's the players who have led to this decision coming out that they want to park talks until the World Cup is over, but in Millie Bright's post the key line is that they are 'disappointed a resolution has not been achieved'.

"The players have been in talks with the FA going back to last year. They're unhappy not just about bonus payments but also commercial payments about what they can earn around being England players.

"I want to add a couple of lines from a long and strong statement from PFA chief executive Maheta Molango, who says it's a 'massive mistake to underestimate the genuine strength of player feelings on this issue'.

"He concludes by saying, 'there will always be consequences when players feel like they're having to come back issue by issue to push for parity and progress. It doesn't need to be like this'.

"This is an issue that is causing a little bit of concern among the players. You can see it two ways - we all know the way the players are paid has changed, and for the first time it's from a FIFA prize pot.

"That has gone up - the players will earn £24,000 if they go out in the group stages and it will increase incrementally depending on how they do in the tournament, to £213,000 if they win the World Cup

"But, from their point of view, the players are thinking 'hang on a minute, this is from FIFA, we have done so much for the game here and why isn't any of the money coming directly from the FA?'

"The FA's view is that the prize money is up four times from what it was in 2019, and a pretty good settlement - but the players are also frustrated at not being able to get involved in commercial activity, which they've had to stop since they went into camp.

"They're also a little bit annoyed they wanted this resolved before the World Cup, which hasn't happened. It's a tournament of a lifetime for so many players, but here we are - negotiations going on while the players have been in camp."

Wiegman exclusive: We dream of World Cup win

As Sarina Wiegman sits by the pool in the bright Australian sun, there's only one thing on her mind - winning the World Cup.

"You never know. We came here with a dream and that's what we go for," Wiegman tells Sky Sports with a smile at England's pre-tournament base on the Sunshine Coast.

"England has done well in former tournaments and yes, we want to win every game."

Read more from Anton Toloui's exclusive feature with the England manager here.

When and where is the 2023 Women's World Cup?

This year's tournament will be held in Australia and New Zealand, making it the first-ever co-hosted Women's World Cup.

The tournament starts on July 20, with the final taking place on August 20 in Sydney at the Accor Stadium.

The USA are the defending champions and are looking to become the first team in the competition's history to win the tournament three times in a row.