US Women’s football team sue US Soccer over equal pay

All 28 members of the team filed class action lawsuits, which also alleges discrimination over training facilities, coaching, medical treatment and travel conditions

The United States women’s national team has filed a lawsuit against US Soccer, accusing the governing body of “institutionalised gender discrimination” over equal pay.

All 28 members of the team filed class action lawsuits, which also alleges discrimination over training facilities, coaching, medical treatment and travel conditions, according to the New York Times.

The lawsuit shares many similarities with a wage-discrimination complaint filed by five US players in 2016.

No resolution was reached with that case, which has now been moved to federal court.

The group of players have also said they are intending to represent other players who have featured for the women’s national team since February 2015, and are seeking back pay and damages.

Despite playing – and winning – more games than the men’s national team, the women’s side still receives lesser pay.

In 2017, after a year of negotiations over the 2016 lawsuit, the team paused their pursuit for equal pay in exchange for a deal that included better compensation, improvements to working conditions, as well as more freedom to carry out independent commercial endeavours.

Other aspects of the differences in pay, though, are in fact due to Fifa, as opposed to US Soccer. The 32 participating World Cup teams receive $400m for the men’s competition, where as the 24 women’s teams for this summer’s tournament will receive just $30m each.