San Lorenzo’s women have already shown they can compete at the highest level in Argentina! The Santitas won the 2024 Torneo Clausura to become Argentine champions. Their success has continued since then, with the team finishing runners-up in the 2026 Apertura and once again fighting near the top of the current Clausura. After three straight wins in early September, San Lorenzo were second with 14 points before drawing 1-1 with Banfield, leaving them third on 15 points. Yet while the Santitas continue to produce strong results on the pitch, the players say their situation away from it has become increasingly difficult.

The squad made those concerns public on September 21, releasing a statement about what they described as the difficult conditions they have been dealing with for months. The players said they had already tried to address the problems internally, but claimed their concerns had gone unanswered.

Medical care is at the heart of their concerns. The squad said it has been more than a year since they had health coverage. According to the players, those who suffer injuries or need medical tests and treatment have had to rely on public hospitals or pay the costs themselves. They also claimed that there is no doctor present at training, despite repeatedly asking the club to provide one. 

The complaint is particularly notable because San Lorenzo previously had a medical arrangement for its women’s team. In 2022, the club announced an agreement with Hospital Italiano that included medical coverage for its female players. But medical care was not the only issue raised in the statement.

The players also said they are still waiting for money they were promised. In their statement, the players said, “Only a part of the bonuses corresponding to last year (2025) have been paid; nor have those of this first semester (2026) been paid” (Translated from the original Spanish using Google Translate). They added that many players use those bonuses to cover their everyday expenses.

The squad also raised an issue with their 2026 contracts, saying the salary adjustments linked to Argentina’s consumer price index, or the corresponding AFA percentage, had not been applied to most players. They said this had affected their salaries as inflation continued to rise. One incident in particular showed how the problems have affected the team on matchday.

For their September 11 away game against Banfield, the players said San Lorenzo did not provide a team bus. Instead, they said they had to use ride-sharing cars and private vehicles to get to the match. Despite the situation, they took the field and came away with a 1-1 draw. The squad also raised concerns about something as basic as training clothing. The players said they had received only one set of training gear, which has become worn from regular use.

For the Santitas, the complaints have been building for some time. The players said they sent a letter to club president Marcelo Culotta in August, raising the same concerns. According to their statement, they have still not received a response. “We haven’t received any response. We feel forgotten despite our effort and high level of professionalism,” the players said.

Their final message made clear that they want the club to address the issues rather than simply acknowledge them. “We must be heard and have our concerns addressed, along with the corresponding obligations, as we wish to work and compete in dignified conditions,” the players said. But these concerns did not begin with the latest statement. The women’s team had already gone public with similar complaints a year earlier.

San Lorenzo women’s 2025 dispute brought old problems into the spotlight

The situation reached a breaking point in July 2025, when the San Lorenzo women were due to travel to Mendoza for preseason. The players decided not to make the trip, saying the club had failed to resolve several problems affecting their day-to-day conditions. Their decision soon led to a detailed statement explaining what had been happening behind the scenes.

Medical care and training facilities were the main problems. Conditions where some players were staying also came under scrutiny. They reported repeated cuts to electricity and water, along with humidity and leaks, while also raising concerns about food and the lack of a proper kitchen. They said there were occasions when there was nothing available for breakfast and they had to pay for it themselves. Those issues then became part of a wider dispute over the planned preseason trip.

According to the players, the Mendoza trip was ultimately called off because the club had not arranged food and insurance in time. What happened next was a direct clash between the players’ account and the club’s version of events. San Lorenzo rejected that version of events. The club said the preseason had been properly organized, including the destination, accommodation and training facilities. It also said it had already spent more than 15 million Argentine pesos on the trip.

The club also pushed back against the broader complaints. San Lorenzo said the women’s team was among the better-paid squads in the league and that player and staff salaries were up to date. It also maintained that the team was receiving food, hydration, accommodation and medical coverage. With both sides offering very different accounts, the dispute became one of the most public controversies surrounding the women’s team that year.