Almost all of the players called up to the Spanish women’s national team for its September training camp agreed Wednesday to end their strike after reaching an agreement with their national federation.

More than seven hours of meetings between the players and the Spanish football federation (RFEF) ended with the RFEF saying it would make “immediate and profound” structural changes. Those meetings ended around 5 a.m. local time in Spain.

Of the 23 players selected for the September roster, 21 of them had signed a statement last week demanding action from the federation before they would return to the team. But they still received national team call-ups, and if they refused, they could have faced fines of up to €30,000 and a ban of their federation license for up to 15 years, among other possible sanctions, though officials later said they would not have imposed any sanctions.

While most of the players agreed to play for the national team in the upcoming Nations League matches after the meetings with RFEF, two — Mapi León and Patri Guijarro — decided to leave training camp. Both players were part of “Las 15,” the group of players who refused to play for the national team starting last October and missed the 2023 World Cup.

“They are working on changes. It’s a different situation for us,” Guijarro said. “It’s tough, it’s difficult. Being here, after the way everything has happened, mentally we were not ready to stay. That’s the explanation.”

While the dispute between the players and their federation stretches back to before the World Cup, Spain’s World Cup win on Aug. 20 deepened the divide. Luis Rubiales resigned as RFEF president as a result of the backlash against his forced kiss of star player Jenni Hermoso at the World Cup final, and controversial head coach Jorge Vilda has been fired. Yet those changes “are not enough for the players to feel safe, where women are respected, where there is support for women’s football and where we can maximize our potential,” players said in a statement Friday.

Victor Francos, president of Spain’s national sports council, helped mediate the meetings.

“A joint commission will be created between RFEF, CSD and players to follow up on the agreements, which will be signed tomorrow,” Francos told reporters. “The players have expressed their concern about the need for profound changes in the RFEF, which has committed to making these changes immediately.”

Amanda Gutierrez, president of global players union FUTPRO, said that the meetings are a start of a “long road” for the players and the federation.

“The players see it as a rapprochement of positions. It is the beginning of a long road ahead of us,” Gutierrez told reporters. “Once again, they have shown themselves to be coherent and the vast majority have decided to stay for the sake of this agreement.”

One of the first measures taken is to remove “female” from the women’s national team’s official brand. From this point forward, both the men’s and women’s teams will be known as the “Spanish national football team.”

“Beyond it being a symbolic step, we want it to be a change of concept, and the recognition that football is football, no matter who plays it,” RFEF president Pedro Rocha said.

Spain is set to make its debut in the Nations League against Sweden on Friday, with another match set for Sept. 26 against Switzerland.

Even after Spain’s players refused to return to their national team, World Cup stars including Alexia Putellas and Aitana Bonmatí received call-ups Monday for upcoming Nations League matches.

Of the 23 players selected to the roster, 15 were present at the 2023 World Cup and 21 signed a statement just last week demanding that the Spanish football federation (RFEF) make further changes before they return. Per Spanish newspaper El Periódico, the players found out about their call-ups through the televised roster announcement.

If the 21 players refuse to play for the national team, they could face serious consequences. In Spain, the rejection of a national team call-up is punishable by a financial fine of up to €30,000, by a ban of up to 15 years, as well as other possible sanctions.

In the aftermath of Spain’s World Cup win, the national team and federation have been embroiled in controversy. Luis Rubiales resigned as RFEF president as a result of the backlash against his forced kiss of star player Jenni Hermoso at the World Cup final, and controversial head coach Jorge Vilda has been fired. But those changes “are not enough for the players to feel safe, where women are respected, where there is support for women’s football and where we can maximize our potential,” they said in a statement Friday.

The dispute between the players and their federation stretches back to before the World Cup. In October 2022, 15 players refused to play for the national team, and they were left off subsequent rosters, including the World Cup team. Several of “Las 15” were included on the most recent roster, including Mapi Léon and Patri Guijarro.

“The players of the Spanish team have, at all times, been open to dialogue, seeking to convey clear and well-argued reasons that we believe are necessary to be able to carry out our work at the highest level with the respect we deserve,” the players wrote last week. “The specified changes to the RFEF are based on zero tolerance for those people who, from a position within the RFEF, have had, incited, hidden or applauded attitudes that go against the dignity of women.”

The players have called for more systemic changes in addition to the departures of Jorge Vilda and Luis Rubiales.

“We firmly believe that strong changes are required in leadership positions in the RFEF and specifically, in the area of women’s football,” the players wrote. “We want to end this statement by expressing that the players of the Spanish team are professionals, and what fills us most with pride is wearing the shirt of our national team and leading our country to the highest positions.”

Hours before Monday’s roster announcement, the Spanish federation released a statement, urging players to join them in structural change. According to Spanish outlet Relevo, national team players had not responded to RFEF’s ultimatum ahead of the announcement because they felt as though their previous statement was “clear and firm.”

“The Federation itself is aware of the need to make structural changes and has recently begun to materialize them,” the RFEF said. “Therefore, players are urged to join this change led by the Federation, understanding that the transformations that must continue must be solid and fair.”

Notably, Hermoso was not one of the 23 players selected, with head coach Montse Tomé saying Monday that the team respects her stance and stand behind her “in everything.”

“The first thing to say is that we are with Jenni in everything,” she said. “We have believed that the best way to protect her in this call is like this. We count on Jenni.”

Spanish players came out in force in support of teammate Jenni Hermoso after national federation president Luis Rubiales refused to resign Friday in a defiant speech.

Rubiales has come under fire for his unsolicited kiss of Hermoso during Spain’s World Cup celebration on Aug. 20. While reports indicated he would resign, instead he doubled down, saying he would “fight to the end.” The Spanish government later started the legal proceedings necessary to suspend Rubiales.

After the speech, Hermoso’s World Cup teammates spoke out in condemnation of Rubiales and in solidarity with Hermoso. So did prominent members of “Las 15,” the group of Spanish players who protested against the national team environment ahead of the tournament.

Two-time reigning Ballon d’Or winner Alexia Putellas called Rubiales’ refusal to step down from his post “unacceptable.”

“This is unacceptable. It’s over,” Alexia Putellas wrote in Spanish. “With you partner @Jennihermoso.”

Spain’s Irene Paredes also expressed her support for Hermoso, writing in Spanish: “Everyone saw what happened. The victim is you. I’m with you friend.”

Aitana Bonmatí, who won the tournament’s Golden Ball, wrote in Spanish: “There are limits that cannot be crossed and we cannot tolerate this. We are with you mate.”

Olga Carmona, who scored the game-winning goal, chimed in as well, posting a photo of herself and Hermoso embracing each other after the World Cup win.

Patri Guijarro, Mapi León and Clàudia Pina, all of whom were among “Las 15” and made themselves unavailable for World Cup selection, referenced the longstanding dispute between the players and the national federation.

“It’s over. With you @Jennihermoso,” Guijarro wrote in Spanish. “Unfortunate to reach this point to believe that the complaints from months ago were real.”

León shared similar sentiments, writing in Spanish: “It has not been necessary to spend a lot of time to see that what was demanded a few months ago was not a simple tantrum. The images speak for themselves, and I don’t think there is much more to add. It is unacceptable. For all the women, with you @Jennihermoso.”

So did Pina, who wrote in Spanish: “It is unfortunate that this situation had to come to pass and that many of us have had to give up our dreams to be heard.”

In Rubiales’ speech Friday, he reiterated that his kiss of Hermoso was “consensual,” but the 33-year-old midfielder has refuted that point. She issued a statement Wednesday in conjunction with the Spanish players’ union that said such actions “should never go unpunished.”

On the men’s side, several former Spain internationals criticized Rubiales as well. David de Gea noted that his “ears are bleeding,” while Iker Casillas called the speech a “total embarrassment.”

Real Betis player Borja Iglesias said that while wearing the Spanish national team jersey is “one of the greatest things that has happened to me in my career,” he would not wear it again until “things change and this type of act does not go unpunished.”

FIFPRO, the international players’ union, also issued a statement calling for “immediate disciplinary action” against Rubiales. FIFA opened an investigation against Rubiales on Thursday, and FIFPRO said it also has appealed to UEFA to request disciplinary proceedings.

“Any lack of action by authorities in addressing the conduct of Mr. Rubiales would send an entirely unacceptable and damaging message to the football industry and wider society,” the statement read.