US women's team to receive courage award for equal pay fight

The U.S. women's national soccer team will receive the Arthur Ashe Award for Courage at next month's ESPYs in recognition of their fight for equal pay with their male counterparts, ESPN said on Wednesday.

The award, which is given to an individual or group in the sporting world that makes a difference beyond the field of play, will be presented on July 12, before the women's squad kick off their bid for a third consecutive World Cup title on July 22.

In May 2022, the U.S. women's and men's soccer teams reached landmark collective bargaining agreements with the national governing body for the sport that will see players receive equal pay and prize money, including at World Cups.

"It feels like this is a paradigm shift or a moment we'll look back to and say that nothing was ever the same after this Women's World Cup," U.S. forward Megan Rapinoe said on Tuesday.

The Arthur Ashe Award for Courage is named after the late tennis star who grew up poor in the segregated U.S. South and was at the forefront of breaking down barriers for Black tennis players.

The ESPYs, which pay tribute to the top athletes and performances of the past year, are presented and televised by Walt Disney Co sports network ESPN.