This settlement covers backpay for World Cup prize money in the past and guarantees that both men and women players will receive equal compensation on all fronts, including World Cup bonuses.
Megan Rapinoe, Alex Morgan and other women's national team players are some of the plaintiffs who sued the Federation for Equal Pay and Equal Working Conditions in 2019. Rapinoe stated on Tuesday to CBS Mornings that the lawsuit is a victory for all players.
"Obviously, we've been in this business for a while and come from a long line of women who have worked tirelessly to make this sport better. Rapinoe stated that pride is what comes to mind. She was incredibly proud of all the women represented by this lawsuit. The thing that I look forward to most and am proudest of is that the justice will come in the next generation without us having to go through the same things. From now on, it's equal pay."
Original funding for the women's team was $66 million under Title VII of Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Equal Pay Act.
Morgan stated that the settlement ended years of struggle for equal rights, and was a step towards reconciling the relationship between the federation's women players and Morgan.
Morgan stated, "I believe an important part of it was equalizing the money moving forward as well as the World Cup bonuses and working with U.S. soccer and the Men's Players Association in order to find a means to equalize that prize money going ahead." This is a significant step, and mending the relationship with U.S. soccer is also a large piece of that. We feel very comfortable, happy, and proud with where we are right now because it's a huge win, for us, for women’s sports in general, and it's a moment we all can celebrate right now.
The USWNT has won four World Cups, more than any other women's soccer team. The men's team won zero.
Rapinoe stated that the settlement will help women soccer players to focus on the sport.
"The greatest piece of our legacy is that the next generation of players will be able to play better than we were. This will lead to them being better than us. Rapinoe said that this is the ultimate goal.
