US women’s soccer reaches landmark $24 mn settlement in equal pay dispute

WASHINGTON: The US national women’s team have won a $24 million payout and a promise of equal pay going forward in a landmark settlement with US Soccer, the two sides announced Tuesday in a joint statement. “US Soccer has committed to providing an equal rate of pay going forward for the Women’s and Men’s National Teams in all friendlies and tournaments, including the World Cup,” the terms of the deal, sent to AFP, said.

The agreement stipulates that $22 million will be distributed to the players, while $2 million will go into an account to benefit them “in their post-career goals and charitable efforts related to women’s and girl’s soccer.” The settlement is contingent on a new collective bargaining agreement, which needs to be ratified before the deal can be finally approved by a court. The question of World Cup prize money formed a prominent part of the lawsuit filed by the US women’s soccer team in 2019, which accused the federation of “stubbornly refusing” to pay its men and women’s players equally.

A federal judge had rejected the claim of pay discrimination, but the US women then launched an appeal. The 2019 lawsuit cited the discrepancy in World Cup prize money payments paid to the two teams in 2014 and 2015.

The US men received $5.375 million for reaching the round of 16 at the 2014 World Cup, while the women received $1.725 million for winning the 2015 tournament. The USSF had argued that its hands were tied because the prize money is set by FIFA, which awarded $38 million to France for winning the 2018 men’s World Cup in Russia, but only $4 million to the American women for winning the 2019 Women’s World Cup.