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US Soccer Federation agrees to $24 million settlement with USWNT

USWNT gets a big win off the pitch that will pay dividends for the present and future of women’s soccer.

Megan Rapinoe #15 of OL ReignandDzsenifer Marozsán #8 of OL Reign and Eugénie Le Sommer #9 of OL Reign celebrate goal during a game between Washington Spirit and OL Reign at Cheney Stadium on November 14, 2021 in Tacoma, Washington. Photo by Stephen Brashear/ISI Photos/Getty Images

After a three-year legal battle, USWNT and US Soccer Federation announced on Tuesday morning in a court filing that they’ve settled their class action equal pay lawsuit for $24 million. The USWNT players will reportedly receive a lump sum payment of $22 million, according to ESPN.

The soccer federation has also “committed to providing an equal rate of pay going forward for the women’s and men’s national teams ‘in all friendlies and tournaments, including the World Cup.’” Bonus money had been a point of contention for years and helped spur this lawsuit.

USWNT star midfielder Megan Rapinoe, USWNT star forward Alex Morgan, and US Soccer Federation president Cindy Parlow Cone were on Good Morning America Tuesday morning to discuss the historic settlement.

“It’s a really amazing day. I think we’re going to look back on this day and say this is the moment that, you know, U.S. Soccer changed for the better,” said Rapinoe.

The US Soccer Federation will also pay an additional $2 million into an account that will help USWNT players’ post-career and charitable efforts that will go towards women’s and girls’ soccer. The next step in the process is the USWNT players ratifying a new collective bargaining and when that happens the District Court will schedule one more approval for the settlement.