The new agreement between the U.S. men’s and women’s soccer teams is about to get activated after the men’s team got through the group stage at the 2022 FIFA World Cup. The teams will split the prize money for the World Cup, as the equal-pay agreement was signed this year. So given the fact that the men’s team advanced to the Round of 16, both teams will get $6.5 million and will continue to split the prize money as the competition progresses, and the U.S. men’s team is still a part of it. The agreement was made in May and was formally signed in September, said the NY Post.
And until 2028, the terms put both teams on the same payment model. The women’s team had long been advocating for equal pay but without success. But in order to achieve such a thing, it took a collectively bargained agreement with a buy-in from both the men and the U.S. Soccer Federation. But before this even happened, the women’s team had sued U.S. Soccer for gender discrimination, and contingent on the new agreement, the lawsuit was settled in 2019 for $24 million.
Many Americans are wondering how this makes any sense and how it’s fair to the team who is playing and winning, while the other team is not. Some people want to know if they can get paid half the money for sitting on the couch and watching the men’s team in the World Cup.
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