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The landmark deal ensures equal pay between male and female players.

Today, after several years of disputes and lawsuits, the United States Soccer Federation has finally struck a deal with the United States Women’s National Team Players Association and the United States National Soccer Team Players Association to ensure equal pay between all of its athletes, male and female. In doing so, the USSF will become the very first soccer federation in the world to equalize payment awarded to World Cup-participating teams.

“This is a truly historic moment,” said US Soccer President Cindy Parlow Cone in a statement on Wednesday. “These agreements have changed the game forever here in the United States and have the potential to change the game around the world.”

“US Soccer and the USWNT and USMNT players have reset their relationship with these new agreements and are leading us forward to an incredibly exciting new phase of mutual growth and collaboration as we continue our mission to become the preeminent sport in the United States.”

To ensure equal payment, the USSF will be contributing a portion of its “broadcast, partner and sponsorship revenue with a 50/50 split of that share divided equally between USWNT and USMNT.”

“They said equal pay for men and women was not possible, but that did not stop us and we went ahead and achieved it,” said Walker Zimmerman, member of the USNSTPA leadership group. “We hope this will awaken others to the need for this type of change, and will inspire FIFA and others around the world to move in the same direction.”

Breaking News: U.S. Soccer and its top men’s and women’s players have agreed to landmark labor deals that guarantee equal pay and shared World Cup prize money.https://t.co/PCHvwKgUrZ pic.twitter.com/ZbS8OeFk9r

— The New York Times (@nytimes) May 18, 2022

In addition to pay, the deal also ensures that athletes can get compensation for vital services like child care, parental leave, and short-term disability, among others.

“We hope that this agreement and its historic achievements in not only providing for equal pay but also in improving the training and playing environment for National Team players will similarly serve as the foundation for continued growth of women’s soccer both in the United States and abroad,” said USWNT player and USWNTPA President Becky Sauerbrunn.