U.S. Soccer and the USWNT Have Reached an Agreement Over Equal Pay Dispute

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After six years of back and forth conversations with the U.S.Soccer Federation (USSF), the United States Women’s National Team (USWNT) have settled their class-action equal pay lawsuit for a total of $24 million USD. This marks a major step forward towards wage equality in sports.

Players are to receive a lump sum of $22 million USD, meant to be divided amongst the players. The remaining $2 million USD will be distributed to benefit the USWNT players in their post-career goals and charitable efforts relating to womens’ and girls’ soccer. Going forward, the USSF has committed to championing and providing an equal wage for both women’s and men’s national teams “in all friendlies and tournaments, including the World Cup.”

U.S. international midfielder Megan Rapinoe told ESPN, “There’s no real justice in this other than this never happening again. With the settlement of the working conditions and this settlement which is contingent upon a CBA that will have equal pay going forward, there’s no other way to look at it than just a monumental win for women’s sports and women’s soccer, in particular.” Rapinoe adds,

“This is a win for us. And this is a win for the for the players for the next generation, for women’s players around the world.”

The 28 national team players first filed the lawsuit against U.S. Soccer in March 2019, accusing the organization of “institutionalized gender discrimination.” While a lot of work still needs to be done, gender pay gap in sports and many other industries are still prominent. Rapinoe has said that she is prepared to take the equal pay fight to FIFA not just for the prize money but for the investment in resources, “care and effort and everything put towards the women’s game.”