US Soccer Reaches Agreement With Equal Pay to Women’s and Men’s Teams

After a years-long battle for equal pay, the U.S. Soccer and the women's and men's national teams have announced a landmark collective bargaining agreement that aims to close the gender pay gap and ensure that every player, male or female, is paid the same.

The United States women's national team has dominated the soccer world, winning four FIFA Women's World Cup titles since the tournament began in 1991 while fighting for fair pay. During the 2019 World Cup in France, people chanted "Equal Pay!" resounded in the stands in support.

The collective bargaining agreement between the U.S. Soccer and its men's and women's national team federations is the latest step in reinforcing a new equal pay policy. Under the terms, the World Cup prize money would be pooled between the men's and women's teams and split equally among all players, a world-first by a football federation.

It comes after star athletes including Megan Rapinoe and Alex Morgan hit a $24 million deal with the U.S. Soccer in February following an unfair pay lawsuit against players on the men's team. This settlement was subjected to the negotiated agreement.

While the US women's team became a global sensation, bringing in an impressive array of medals, the men's team struggled to bring home glory at the World Cup. The men's national team last entered the tournament in 1930 in third place.