FIFA Women’s World Cup – USWNT Fight Off the Soccer Field for Equal Pay

Equality for the USWNT

It’s not news that the USWNT (U.S. Women’s National Team) is the best team in not only soccer but all sports for the past decade. So why is the U.S. Soccer Federation paying them 38% of what the U.S. Men’s National Team earns?

Last week the USWNT won the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup. While the men’s soccer team didn’t even make it to the 2018 Men’s World Cup and scored a lot less than 13 goals in the 2010 and 2014 World Cups combined, the women's scored 13 in their first game of the World Cup. The women’s soccer team brings in more views, profit and a lot more success, winning 4 World Cup titles out of 8 and 4 of 6 Olympic gold medals.

The USWNT earns from the U.S. Soccer Federation an average of $4,950 per game while the men earn $13,166 per game. What?! It’s not like the U.S. Soccer Federation doesn’t have the budget. They currently have a surplus of at least $150 million so they could pay the women equally as the men or more since they do have greater success. 

On March 8, 2019 every single player on the USWNT filed a federal suit against the U.S. Soccer Federation claiming “institutional gender discrimination.” Thinking the federation would settle to avoid bad press so close to the Women’s World Cup came back filing an affirmative defense to the lawsuit. The women’s team is not backing down and is looking forward to court.

We’ll be rooting for you on and off the field ladies! Fight hard!