After a well-publicized lawsuit and drawn out negotiations over equal pay between U.S. Soccer and the U.S. Women’s National Team, it was announced that the parties, along with the U.S. Men’s National Team Players Association, agreed to separate collective bargaining agreements that are identical in working conditions and financial components, including appearance fees and game bonuses, prize money, commercial revenue share and more. The Women’s and Men’s National Teams will pool and share FIFA World Cup Prize money, with 90% of the prize money being paid equally to the Women and Men’s National Teams and the remaining 10% going to U.S. Soccer for the 2022 and 2023 World Cups. Both National Teams will have identifical performanced-based bonuses for all games and competitions. The Women’s National Team will no longer have guaranteed salaries and will instead have the same pay-to-play structure as the Men’s National Team. For instance, a player named to the roster for a match against an opponent ranked in the FIFA top 25 will receive an $8,000 appearance fee and a $10,000 game bonus if they win that match. 

The agreements represent the first time that any soccer federation has achieved true equal pay, including FIFA World Cup prize money.

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