U.S. Soccer to Pay $24 Million to End Women’s Equal-Pay Suit

U.S. Soccer has reached a $24 million agreement with the women’s national team to settle allegations that females were paid less than their male counterparts.

The deal, announced Tuesday in a joint statement, would resolve one of the biggest legal fights over equal pay for male and female athletes in U.S. sports. The elite U.S. women’s team sued in March 2019, saying they are paid less than the men’s team.

“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,” U.S. Soccer and the women’s national team said in the statement.

A federal judge in Los Angeles initially tossed the suit after concluding they actually earned more than the men in 2017-2018 and that the pay discrepancy was due to differences the team negotiated in their collective bargaining agreements.

The women appealed, saying they earned more because they played more games and were more successful. Oral arguments in the case had been scheduled for March 7.

Last year, the organization representing U.S. men’s soccer team players and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission filed court papers supporting the fight by the women’s national team. U.S. Soccer said in the statement Tuesday that it has “committed to providing an equal rate of pay going forward.”

The settlement has yet to be filed in court.

The case is Alex Morgan v. U.S. Soccer Federation, 19-cv-01717, U.S. District Court, District for Central California (Los Angeles).

(Updates to include details of settlement.)

–With assistance from Erik Larson.

Photograph: Megan Rapinoe #15 of Team United States celebrates with Christen Press #11 and Alex Morgan #13 following their team’s victory in the penalty shoot out during the Women’s Quarter Final match between Netherlands and United States on day seven of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at International Stadium Yokohama on July 30, 2021 in Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan. (Photo by Francois Nel/Getty Images)