US Women’s National Soccer Team Players Earn $300,000 Each After World Cup Round of 16 Exit

megan rapinoe

US soccer may be in the doldrums at the moment, but there’s cause to celebrate for the members of the Women’s National Team (USWNT). The USWNT secured a substantial monetary reward after their exit from the World Cup’s round of 16. Despite their departure marking the earliest in the team’s history, each player bagged a whopping $300,000, highlighting significant progress in the fight for pay equity in the sport.

USWNT Team Members Take Home $300k Each From World Cup

The World Cup journey may have ended prematurely for the USWNT, but the players are still scoring big, financially speaking. Let’s break down how the pay structure unfolds:

  • Women’s Team Earnings: In the World Cup, the USWNT earned $3.25 million for reaching the round of 16. Despite this being their earliest exit in the tournament’s history, the earnings are higher than the $2 million they received for winning the 2015 World Cup in Canada.
  • Men’s Team Earnings: On the other hand, the men’s team, with their run in the previous World Cup, contributed a substantial $13 million to the collective pool.
  • US Soccer’s Share: From the total $16.25 million, 10% ($1.625 million) is allocated to U.S. Soccer as per the terms of the agreement.
  • Equal Distribution: The remaining $14.625 million is divided equally between the men’s and women’s teams. This equates to around $7.3 million for each team.
  • Individual Player Share: As a result of this arrangement, each player on the USWNT, despite their early exit, pocketed approximately $300,000.

This lucrative payout is thanks to the collective bargaining agreements signed by the US women’s and men’s senior national teams in 2022, following a long-standing dispute between members of the women’s team and U.S. Soccer for pay equity.

Parity Achieved?

While this setup faced criticism due to the men’s World Cup’s broader global appeal and larger prize pool, the agreement’s intention was to ensure equal pay, not proportionate winnings. This shift in US Soccer’s financial structure may influence other countries to follow suit and pursue their own equal pay initiatives.

Although the USWNT had a less-than-ideal run in this year’s World Cup, the financial aspect highlights a significant stride towards equal pay in sports. As other countries grapple with pay disparity issues, the USWNT’s journey provides a valuable blueprint for achieving pay equity, turning an on-field loss into a powerful win for the broader cause of equality in sports.


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