USWNT reaches settlement with U.S. Soccer on working conditions
The United States women's soccer team landed a victory Tuesday in its ongoing battle against gender discrimination, striking a deal with U.S. Soccer that ensures equal travel arrangements, hotel accommodations, and working conditions.
The settlement doesn't include an agreement over equal pay.
A federal judge threw out the USWNT's gender discrimination lawsuit in May, ruling the women's players were paid more "on a cumulative and an average per-game basis" than the men's from 2015 to 2019. The women's team, which was seeking more than $66 million in damages, contested the ruling.
However, U.S. District Judge R. Gary Klausner allowed the women to pursue claims over discriminatory working conditions.
Cindy Parlow Cone, who replaced Carlos Cordeiro as U.S. Soccer's president in March, said the USWNT is now likely to proceed with the appeals process. A full appeal of Klausner's ruling had been pending the resolution of the team's outstanding claims about working conditions.
"This is an important and welcomed moment for U.S. Soccer and the women's national team players," Cone said in a statement. "Earlier this year, I stepped into the role as president, and shortly after we hired Will Wilson as our new CEO. We, and the rest of the leadership team at U.S. Soccer, are focused on taking a new approach at the federation in handling all matters.
"I believe our approach helped us reach this agreement and demonstrates the commitment of U.S. Soccer's new leadership to find a new way forward with the USWNT. This settlement is good news for everyone and I believe will serve as a springboard for continued progress."
The USWNT won the Women's World Cup in 2019 against the backdrop of a fierce legal battle against U.S. Soccer and Cordeiro, its president at the time.
Joe Biden, then a presidential candidate for the United States, tweeted his support for the women's side.
"To USWNT: don't give up this fight. This is not over yet. To (U.S. Soccer): equal pay, now," he wrote. "Or else when I'm president, you can go elsewhere for World Cup funding."
The U.S. is set to host the 2026 men's World Cup, along with Canada and Mexico.