The unions for the United States men's and women's national soccer teams have agreed on a new collective bargaining agreement.
The twoCBAs will last until the end of the century. The U.S. National Soccer Team Players Association (USNSTPA), which represented the men's players, had been without a collective bargaining agreement since the end of last year. The deal for the U.S. Women's National Team Players Association expired at the end of 2021.
Cindy Parlow Cone, president of the U.S. Soccer Federation, promised that any new agreements would need to address the equal pay issue as it related to World Cup bonuses. The financial settlement between the USWNT and the federation was announced in February after years of legal wrangling.
The decision in the USWNT-U.S. Soccer pay dispute.
I have been saying that for a long time. I wanted to lead. Cone said he wanted the U.S. Soccer to lead on the issue. We needed both the men's players and the men's union and the women's players and the women's union to come together to negotiate a contract.
There were days when I didn't think we would get it across the line. I am incredibly proud of what we have accomplished and what it will mean for the game around the world.
The two teams are different because of the deals. They were competing for attention and resources. They are working together to raise the collective boat of both unions.
I am really excited to start this partnership, it will be a clean slate. Walker Zimmerman is a member of the leadership team and he said that they have accomplished a lot together. It is equal. We will be their biggest fans. They will be our biggest fans.
Midge Purce, a member of the union'sCBA committee, said that she thinks theCBA creates "One Nation". I think that it has brought us together under the same ideology that we have been chasing after for a long time.
The unions will get 80% of the bonuses paid to them at the World Cup in 2026 and the World Cup in 2027. All of the money paid out from the bonus pools will be divided among the two national teams. The bonus pool for the World Cup in Qatar will be $400 million, while the women's tournament in Australia will be $60 million. The last-place men's team won more prize money than the first-place women's team.
There are tough conversations, but at the end of the day, it is the right thing to do. Sometimes it feels like we had just kind of come alongside of them and had been a little late, because they have fought so hard for it.
It is difficult to think about the journey and how we entered. It is more important for us to feel involved because of that. It is never too late to get involved.
In other areas, as well, equality was achieved. The men's and women's teams will have the same bonuses. The women's team won't have guaranteed salaries for some players and will have the same pay-to-play structure as the men's team.
10% of commercial revenue between $55 million and $75 million and 15% of any commercial revenue over $75 million will be shared by both unions. Both teams will receive an equal cut of ticket revenue, with the teams receiving $5.06 of each ticket sold through the end of 2026 and $5.75 of each ticket during the final two years of the deal.
If the opponent is ranked in the top 25 of the rankings, players will receive $18,000 for a win, $12,000 for a draw and $8,000 for a loss. The amounts are $13,000 for a win, $10,000 for a draw and $8,000 for a defeat for all other opponents. Each player will receive a $10,000 game bonus, as well as an additional $14,000 for a win or $10,000 for a tie, for the World Cup.
According to a source with knowledge of the men's deal, the men's players will receive a bonus of $2.5 million related to qualification for the World Cup that won't be shared with the women's team. Due to the fact that the men were operating under an expired collective bargaining agreement, this is retroactive pay.
There are aspects of the women's deal that are unique as compared to the men's contract, including continued injury protection, child care and parental leave. The new Collective Bargaining Agreement is a big change for the women, as it moves away from guaranteed salaries and toward a pay-for-play model.
The NWSL has gained strength in the past few years and that has made it possible for us to do that. I think that has helped free up that risk.
The US Soccer Federation agreed to pay $22 million to the players in the equal pay lawsuit, with an additional $2 million put into a fund that could be used after their playing careers. The deal was contingent on a new collective bargaining agreement being reached with the women, which would include a solution for World Cup bonuses. The settlement can be finalized now that the goal has been achieved.
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