The Scotland Women's squad will train full-time for next year's World Cup after an £80,000 funding boost from the Scottish Government.

Of Shelley Kerr's last two 23-women squads, 19 are professionals who play their club football away from their home nation.

The four remaining players - Leanne Crichton, Hayley Lauder and Lee Alexander from Glasgow City, and Joelle Murray from Hibernian - ply their trade in the amateur Scottish Women's Premier League (SWPL).

But, thanks to financial support, home-based players not currently enjoying professional status will now be able to train full-time between January and June's World Cup kick-off.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon is a patron of the Scotland Women's national team.

She said: "Hopefully, with the government getting behind the team with this sort of funding, it gives young people the confidence that if they choose to compete at the highest levels the support is there.

"I believe this is a potentially transformational moment for women in sport.

"What Shelley and the team have achieved can inspire women across sport generally.

"It's a really big moment and all credit to them for having achieved it.

Scotland head coach Shelley Kerr added: "It will be huge. It gives our home-based players not just the opportunity to train full-time but to rest and recover.

"They have to juggle 16 hours a week training and full-time work, that's very difficult as a top athlete.

"We want to give ourselves the best opportunity in terms of preparation so this funding is huge for us."