The decision paves the way for the players to appeal a previous ruling regarding equal pay, which U.S. Soccer says it hopes to settle out of court.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — A federal judge approved a partial deal between players on the women’s national team and the U.S. Soccer Federation over unequal working conditions.
U.S. District Judge R. Gary Klausner approved the Dec. 1 settlement during a hearing Monday. The deal calls for charter flights, hotel accommodations, venue selection and professional staff support equitable to that of the men’s national team.
Players sued the USSF in March 2019, contending they have not been paid equitably under their collective bargaining agreement that runs through December 2021, compared to what the men’s team receives under its agreement that expired in December 2018. The women asked for more than $66 million in damages under the Equal Pay Act and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
Klausner dismissed the pay claim last May, ruling the women rejected a pay-to-play structure similar to the one in the men’s agreement and accepted greater base salaries and benefits than the men, who failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup.
“We are pleased that the court has approved the equal working conditions that the USWNT players have fought for many years to achieve,” players spokeswoman Molly Levinson said in a statement. “Finally, giving these athletes access to facilities, training, care and professional support is the next step needed in the long and hard work to grow the game of women’s football.”
Klausner’s approval of the settlement allows the players to ask the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to overturn his decision on unequal pay.
“We intend to appeal the court’s equal pay decision, which does not account for the fact that women players have been paid at lesser rates than men who do the same job,” Levinson said.
“We are committed as ever to our work to achieve the equal pay that we legally deserve and our focus is on the future and ensuring we leave the game a better place for the next generation of women who will play for this team and our country.”
The USSF said it expected an appeal and remains “hopeful” of a “resolution outside of the court system.”
“U.S. Soccer is 100 percent committed to equal pay,” the governing body said in a statement. “We have offered the USWNT the identical compensation provided to our men’s players for all matches controlled by U.S. Soccer.
“Unfortunately, the USWNT has not accepted our offer or our longstanding invitation to meet to try to find a resolution unless U.S. Soccer first agrees to make up the difference between the men’s and Women’s World Cup prize money, which is determined, controlled and paid for by FIFA.”
FIFA awarded $400 million in prize money for the 32 teams at the 2018 men’s World Cup, including $38 million to champion France. It awarded $30 million for the 24 teams at the 2019 Women’s World Cup, including $4 million to the U.S. after the Americans won their second straight title.
FIFA has increased the total to $440 million for the 2022 men’s World Cup, and FIFA President Gianni Infantino has proposed FIFA double the women’s prize money to $60 million for the 2023 Women’s World Cup, where FIFA has increased the teams to 32.