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 agreed to settle their equal pay lawsuit Tuesday.

According to a press release detailing the settlement, the women will receive $22 million in back pay, along with an additional $2 million put into an account supporting their post-career charitable endeavors. Each woman can receive up to $50,000 from the latter fund.

The agreement also promised equal pay for the men's and women's teams moving forward, pending a new collective bargaining agreement.

The USWNT has been entrenched in an equal-pay battle with the sport's governing body 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 serves as tacit acknowledgment that women were underpaid in comparison to the men's national team over the course of several years. This was despite the USWNT finding massive success on the international circuit, winning gold medals in the Olympics and FIFA World Cup.

The chances of an agreement previously appeared to take a hit when a federal judge dismissed the key components of the USWNT players' lawsuit in May 2020. While an appeal was ongoing, it was far from a guarantee that the women would receive any damages.

The deal hinging on a new collective bargaining agreement could be a complicated matter. U.S. Soccer is looking to complete a singular CBA for the men's and women's teams, which would require the men to relinquish some of the prize money for their World Cup performance.