The U.S. Women’s Soccer Team Scores Big

In what can only be hailed as a monumental victory for female athletes across the country, the United States Women’s National Team settled its class action lawsuit against the U.S. Soccer Federation for $24 million on Tuesday, ending nearly two years of bitter court battles.

The settlement is contingent on the players signing a new collective bargaining agreement, which is a mere formality at this point. Although the agreement is expected to be signed and ratified, the entire process could take weeks. When that happens, a lump sum of $24 million will be paid out to the players. Exactly how that money is distributed will be decided by the USWNT and is subject to approval by the courts. 

The USWNT Players Association, which represents the players, released a statement celebrating the win.

“The USWNTPA congratulates the players and their litigation team on their historic success in fighting decades of discrimination perpetuated by the U.S. Soccer Federation. Although the settlement reached today is an incredible success, much work remains to be done,” it read in part. 

In addition to the money, the USSF has committed to an equal rate of pay for both the men’s and women’s national teams, including World Cup bonuses, where the gap was most significant. 

Megan Rapinoe, U.S. midfielder and one of the members of the lawsuit, felt the concessions made by the USSF were long overdue. “When we win, everyone wins,” she posted on her social media.

“There’s no real justice in this other than this never happening again,” she told ESPN. “With the settlement of the working conditions and this settlement which is contingent upon a CBA that will have equal pay going forward, there’s no other way to look at it than just a monumental win for women’s sports and women’s soccer, in particular.”

The lawsuit was originally filed in March 2019, and the players initially sought $66.7 million in back pay. In March 2020, the equal pay portion of the suit was essentially dismissed, after the USSF asked for (and was eventually granted) a motion for summary judgement. They successfully argued that “The overall soccer-playing ability required to compete at the senior men’s national team level is materially influenced by the level of certain physical attributes such as speed and strength.”

Although they did not receive the dollar amount they were originally seeking, the concessions and commitments made by the USSF were nonetheless extremely significant to the advancement of women’s sports in the U.S.

“I think it was just extremely motivating to see organizations and employers admit their wrongdoing, and us forcing their hand in making it right,” former striker Alex Morgan told the New York Times. “The domino effect that we helped kick-start — I think we’re really proud of it.”