After the U.S. women’s national soccer team defeated the Netherlands on Sunday to claim its fourth World Cup title, chants of “Equal pay!” rang out in the crowd as fans expressed support for the athletes in their fight for equity with their male counterparts, who consistently earn far more money more despite performance.
In an effort to combat this pay gap, 28 members of the 2015 women’s team—which also won the World Cup—sued the U.S. Soccer Federation on International Women’s Day last year demanding an end to “institutionalized gender discrimination.”
As Quartz reported in March, “despite being the victors [in 2015]—and the most successful women’s team in history—the U.S. team received a bonus of just $1.725 million from their employer, the U.S. Soccer Federation. A year earlier, that same federation had awarded the U.S. men’s team bonuses totaling $5.375 million after they lost in the Round of 16 and failed to qualify for the 2018 men’s World Cup.”
Aware of this yawning disparity, the crowd gathered inside Lyon Olympic Stadium in France backed the women’s fight for basic equality:
As Buzzfeed reported Sunday, “women’s soccer games have generated more revenue than the men’s over the past three years.”
“From 2016 to 2018, women’s games generated $50.8 million in revenue,” according to Buzzfeed, “compared with $49.9 million for the men’s matches.”
Speaking to the Associated Press May, star forward Megan Rapinoe—who made headlines recently by calling President Donald Trump “a man that warrants no respect” and vowing to turn down an invitation to the White House—criticized the “incremental” changes that have been put forth by FIFA and the U.S. Soccer Federation.
SCROLL TO CONTINUE WITH CONTENT