U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team Reaches Settlement With U.S. Soccer Federation

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The U.S. women’s national team reached a $24 million settlement with the U.S. Soccer Federation on Tuesday. It comes years after a group of players filed the lawsuit in 2019 over inequality in pay and treatment. Going forward, the men’s and women’s national teams will be paid the same for matches and tournaments. The pay disparity between men and women has been stark, with FIFA awarding $38 million to the men’s 2018 World Cup champion, France.

By comparison, the U.S. women’s national team won only $4 million after earning their second straight World Cup title in 2019. U.S. women’s soccer star Megan Rapinoe says this settlement changes the future of the sport. She says, “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. I’m looking forward to growing the sport and have this be a moment we look back on that signals a new U.S. soccer we can all be extremely proud of.”

$22 million will be given as back pay to the players. The other $2 million will benefit players in their post-career endeavors and charitable efforts.

Our question of the night: is anyone opposed to this?

This episode’s panel features:
WCCB TV’s Morgan Fogarty
WCCB News Edge contributor Ashley Anderson
WCCB News Edge contributor and host of Live With The QCB on 94.7 FM, Tremaine “QCB” Sloan