United States offers identical contracts and pay to male and female players

The federation has called for players to join it in ‘finding a way to equalise Fifa World Cup prize money between the USMNT and the USWNT’

Harry Latham-Coyle
Wednesday 15 September 2021 11:04 BST
Comments
The United States pose for a team photo at the 2019 Women’s World Cup
The United States pose for a team photo at the 2019 Women’s World Cup (AFP via Getty Images)

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

The United States Soccer Federation has announced that it has offered identical contracts to the player associations of both its men’s and women’s national teams.

The body has also called on players and the associations to work with it to find a way to ensure equal Fifa World Cup prize money for the two sides.

In 2019 players from the women’s team put their names to a lawsuit against the USSF over equal pay and working conditions.

In May last year the claim for equal pay was thrown out by a federal judge, and an appeal was subsequently launched.

An agreement between the US Soccer Federation (USSF) and the women’s team over working conditions has since been reached.

“US Soccer firmly believes that the best path forward for all involved, and for the future of the sport in the United States, is a single pay structure for both senior national teams,” said a statement from the USSF.

“With the goal of aligning the men’s and women’s senior national teams under a single collective bargaining agreement (CBA) structure, this proposal will ensure that USWNT and USMNT players remain among the highest paid senior national team players in the world, while providing a revenue sharing structure that would allow all parties to begin anew and share collectively in the opportunity that combined investment in the future of US Soccer will deliver over the course of a new CBA.”

The USA are currently the women’s world champions having defended their World Cup crown in France in 2019 to secure their fourth overall win.

The men, meanwhile, failed to qualify for the Fifa World Cup 2018 in Russia.

Gregg Berhalter’s side won the 2021 Concacaf Gold Cup with victory over Mexico during the summer and currently possess one of three automatic qualification spots for the region ahead of next year’s World Cup in Qatar.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in