US women’s soccer team reaches settlement for $24 million in equal pay suit
Feb 22, 2022, 11:05 AM | Updated: 11:05 am
A fan of U.S. soccer holds a sign that reads, "Equal pay for when I play." (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images, File)
(Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images, File)
A six-year fight for equal pay has ended in victory for the U.S. women’s national soccer team.
The U.S. Soccer pay team players a total of $24 million and promise equal pay with the men’s team going forward.
Seattle’s own Megan Rapinoe — who plays for the local National Women’s Soccer League team, OL Reign — told that it’s a really proud moment.
“It’s a little bit surreal, to be honest. Obviously we’ve been in this a long time, and coming from a long history of women that have fought to put this sport in a better place,” she said. “The justice comes in the next generation never having to go through what we went through — it’s equal pay across the board from here on out.”
Rapinoe says it’s not only a victory for the U.S. women’s soccer team, but for all women’s sports as female athletes continue to fight for equal pay.
Five senior members of the USA’s World Cup winning team, including Rapinoe, filed a complaint against the national federation for wage discrimination in 2016.
Since the program’s start in 1985, the U.S. women have won four World Cup titles. The U.S. men’s team hasn’t reached a World Cup semifinal since 1930.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
