USWNT Players to Get $22M After Agreement With U.S. Soccer to End Equal Pay Dispute

The United States women's soccer team and U.S. Soccer have agreed to settle their equal pay lawsuit.

The women will receive $22 million in back pay and an additional $2 million put into an account to support their post-career charitable endeavors, according to a press release. Each woman can get up to $50,000 from the latter fund.

Equal pay for the men's and women's teams was promised in the agreement.

The USWNT has been fighting for equal pay for the last six years.

The two sides released a joint statement.

“We are pleased to announce that, contingent on the negotiation of a new collective bargaining agreement, we will have resolved our longstanding dispute over equal pay and proudly stand together in a shared commitment to advancing equality in soccer. Getting to this day has not been easy.

"The U.S. Women’s National Team players have achieved unprecedented success while working to achieve equal pay for themselves and future athletes. Today, we recognize the legacy of the past USWNT leaders who helped to make this day possible, as well as all of the women and girls who will follow. Together, we dedicate this moment to them. We look forward to continuing to work together to grow women’s soccer and advance opportunities for young girls and women in the United States and across the globe.”

The settlement acknowledges that women were paid less than men over the course of several years. Despite the USWNT winning gold medals in the Olympics and the World Cup, this was not the case.

The chances of an agreement were hit when a federal judge dismissed the key parts of the USWNT players' lawsuit in May 2020. It wasn't certain that the women would receive any damages from the appeal.

A new collective bargaining agreement could make the deal complicated. The men's and women's teams would have to give up some of their prize money for their World Cup performance in order to complete a new Collective Bargaining Agreement.