U.S. Women's National Soccer Team in 2019. (Photo: zhukovsky/123RF.com)
The U.S. national women’s soccer team has scored a major win for equal pay. In an agreement announced on May 18, 2022, the U.S. Men’s National Team and the U.S. Women’s National Team (USMNT and USWNT, respectively) will be paid the same. The new collective bargaining agreement also includes the “equalization of World Cup prize money” so that both men’s and women’s programs will be awarded the same.
The then-proposed $24 million settlement was announced in February 2022 but was contingent on negotiating a new collective bargaining agreement. The deal was just reached and will run through 2028. So, what does this mean for the women’s national team? U.S. Soccer federation has agreed to pay $22 million back to the players (back pay). Additionally, $2 million will be put into a fund for the USWNT that will benefit their post-career goals and charitable efforts related to girls’ and women’s soccer.
“We hope that this Agreement and its historic achievements in not only providing for equal pay but also in improving the training and playing environment for national team players will similarly serve as the foundation for continued growth of women's soccer both in the United States and abroad,” says Becky Sauerbrunn, a member of the USWNT and the president of the USWNT Players Association.
For many, this outcome was a long time coming. The legal disputes began in 2016 when five members of the women’s national team filed a federal equal pay complaint. In 2019, 28 players sued U.S. Soccer, alleging that female players were paid consistently less—despite the USWNT out-performing their men’s counterparts in competition. The USMNT failed to qualify for the World Cup in 2018; the USWNT won the World Cup in 2019 in their final match against the Netherlands.
The U.S. national women’s soccer team has scored a major win for equal pay.
History has been made….and It’s About Time. pic.twitter.com/lYYMDtgXav
— USWNT Players (@USWNTPlayers) May 18, 2022
In an agreement announced on May 18, 2022, the U.S. Men’s National Team and the U.S. Women’s National Team will now be paid the same.
A statement from our President on the ratification of a new CBA that achieves equal pay. #ItsAboutTime pic.twitter.com/N7nBLOqaGF
— USWNT Players (@USWNTPlayers) May 18, 2022
h/t: [NPR]
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