The United States Women’s Soccer team just made history. The TODAY show revealed on Wednesday the news that every woman and man in U.S. Soccer will receive equal pay. It was also announced that U.S. Soccer will be the first of its kind to divide World Cup prize money, according to PEOPLE.
This is all part of a new collective bargaining agreement that runs through 2028. “This is a truly historic moment. These agreements have changed the game forever here in the United States and have the potential to change the game around the world,” U.S. Soccer President Cindy Parlow Cone said in a statement. “U.S. Soccer and the USWNT and USMNT players have reset their relationship with these new agreements and are leading us forward to an incredibly exciting new phase of mutual growth and collaboration as we continue our mission to become the preeminent sport in the United States.”
Videos by PopCulture.com
“I am grateful for the commitment and collaboration of both the men’s and women’s National Teams and I am incredibly proud of the hard work that has led to this moment. Everyone who cares about our sport should share in this pride as we look forward to working together to grow soccer for generations to come.” This comes less than three months after the USWNT reached a settlement with the U.S. Soccer Federation back in February following a long fight for equal pay. The sides have reached an agreement in a class-action gender discrimination lawsuit that was filed by the USWNT, and under the agreement, U.S. Soccer agreed to pay $22 million to the players.
“I’m so happy for them,” soccer legend Abby Wambach told PEOPLE. “I feel 5% jealous that I wasn’t on the team when this equal pay settlement happened. But the truth is, things happen when they’re meant to happen.” The USWNT has been very successful over the years. Since 1991, the team has won the World Cup four times including the previous one in 2019. The squad has also won four Olympic gold medals, one silver, and one bronze, which came during the 2020 Tokyo games. Currently, the USWNT is ranked No. 1 in the world, according to the latest FIFA rankings.
