United States women agree $24m equal-pay settlement

US women have agreed a $24 million settlement to end a six-year, equal-pay legal battle with their own federation.

The defending world champions had been in a long-term dispute with the United States Soccer Federation over discrepancies in earnings between them and the men's team, including receiving smaller World Cup bonuses despite winning the tournament on four separate occasions. 

However, on Tuesday the fight finally came to a conclusion when they settled for a $22m lump-sum payment - a third of the amount they originally sought in damages. That money will be split between the players, with the USSF also agreeing to commit a further $2m to post-career and charitable endeavours. Players will be able to claim up to $50,000. The settlement was dependent on the players reaching a collective bargaining agreement with the federation.

The USSF has also committed to providing an equal rate of pay going forward for both national teams, "including the World Cup", which appears to solve one of the biggest points of contention - bonuses.

"For our generation, knowing that we’re going to leave the game in an exponentially better place than when we found it is everything,” midfielder Megan Rapinoe said. “That’s what it’s all about because, to be honest, there is no justice in all of this if we don’t make sure it never happens again.”

Rapinoe and team-mate Alex Morgan led a group of five players in 2016 with the original complaint and were later joined in a class-action lawsuit by the rest of the national team in 2019. They gained worldwide recognition for their fight after winning the World Cup that summer. After the final, a sell-out crowd at the Parc Olympique Lyonnais in France chanted "equal pay" as the USWNT celebrated on the