WASHINGTON: The US national women’s team have won a $24 million payout and a promise of equal pay going forward in a landmark settlement with US Soccer, the two sides announced Tuesday in a joint statement.
“US Soccer has committed to providing an equal rate of pay going forward for the Women’s and Men’s National Teams in all friendlies and tournaments, including the World Cup,” the terms of the deal, sent to AFP, said.
The agreement stipulates that $22 million will be distributed to the players, while $2 million will go into an account to benefit them “in their post-career goals and charitable efforts related to women’s and girl’s soccer.”
The settlement is contingent on a new collective bargaining agreement, which needs to be ratified before the deal can be finally approved by a court.
The question of World Cup prize money formed a prominent part of the lawsuit filed by the US women’s soccer team in 2019, which accused the federation of “stubbornly refusing” to pay its men and women’s players equally.
A federal judge had rejected the claim of pay discrimination, but the US women then launched an appeal.
The 2019 lawsuit cited the discrepancy in World Cup prize money payments paid to the two teams in 2014 and 2015.
The US men received $5.375 million for reaching the round of 16 at the 2014 World Cup, while the women received $1.725 million for winning the 2015 tournament.
The USSF had argued that its hands were tied because the prize money is set by FIFA, which awarded $38 million to France for winning the 2018 men’s World Cup in Russia, but only $4 million to the American women for winning the 2019 Women’s World Cup.
In September last year US Soccer Federation president Cindy Parlow Cone said the body hoped to equalize the World Cup prize money for its players.
In an open letter addressed to fans, she said the gulf in prize money paid out by FIFA was “by far the most challenging issue” facing US Soccer in pay negotiations with men’s and women’s teams.
US women’s soccer reaches landmark $24 mn settlement in equal pay dispute
https://arab.news/wnf37
US women’s soccer reaches landmark $24 mn settlement in equal pay dispute
- The settlement is contingent on a new collective bargaining agreement
- The question of World Cup prize money formed a prominent part of the lawsuit filed by the US women's soccer team in 2019
MESIF 2026 wraps up in Riyadh with spotlight on legacy, fans and sustainable sports growth
- A recurring theme in panel discussions was the importance of moving beyond siloed planning toward connected strategies
- Abdullah Aldrees: I believe Saudi is a sleeping giant within the football ecosystem because of the high demand that exists
RIYADH: The sixth edition of the Middle East Sports Investment Forum concluded on Jan. 28 in Riyadh, reinforcing the need for long-term legacy planning, integrated infrastructure development and fan-centric strategies as the region’s sports ecosystem continues to mature.
Held over two days — Jan. 27-28 — at the ministry of investment headquarters and the Kingdom Arena, the forum brought together senior government officials, global sports executives, investors and technology leaders to assess how the Middle East — and Saudi Arabia in particular — can translate major event hosting and increased investment into sustainable impact.
A recurring theme in panel discussions was the importance of moving beyond siloed planning toward connected strategies that link infrastructure, finance, fan engagement and legacy from the earliest stages of project development.
Dr. Sakis Batsilas, deputy CEO of FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, stressed that while international expertise has played a key role in the region’s rapid progress, long-term success depends on knowledge transfer and talent development.
“Yes, we do need experts and consultants and expatriates to help,” he said. “But the main, I would say, focus, is how we ensure that we transfer this knowledge and we build talent … to make sure we have the right talent.”
Drawing on his experience delivering major global events, Batsilas highlighted the need to embed legacy considerations during the bidding phase.
“Talking now from an operational point of view … I think everything starts with a bidding phase,” he said, adding that stronger legacy metrics would encourage greater long-term planning from host nations and rights holders alike.
Fan experience and commercialization also featured prominently, particularly as Saudi Arabia continues to expand its domestic leagues and host major international competitions. David Davies, chief experience officer of Catapult, said the Kingdom’s challenge lies in converting strong digital fandom into sustained in-stadium engagement.
“Saudi Arabia is … ranked consistently in the highest in the world” in terms of football fandom, Davies said. “However, attendance in-stadium is still developing.” He noted that younger, digitally native audiences require tailored engagement strategies. “The days of being able to ask them to come to you have gone,” he said.
From a government and delivery perspective, Abdullah Aldrees, chief of staff at the vice minister’s executive office at the ministry of sport, said MESIF highlighted the scale of opportunity ahead — and the importance of a joined-up approach.
“I believe Saudi is a sleeping giant within the football ecosystem because of the high demand that exists, the government support and the anchor IPs that we’re hosting,” Aldrees said. “So all of this can create a lot of opportunities for football to grow in Saudi.”
He said the Kingdom has entered a critical preparation phase as it gears up for a packed calendar of major events. “We are now living in the preparation phase. We’re preparing for all these IPs, we’re preparing for all these big events coming up,” Aldrees said. “So how do you make sure that you really reap the right benefit from them and have the right legacy?”
Pointing to upcoming milestones such as the AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027 and the FIFA World Cup 2034, Aldrees emphasized the need to think beyond hosting.
“Yes, we’re hosting World Cup. We’re hosting Asia 2027, but how do you make sure that they have a long, lasting impact on the ecosystem?” he said.
Echoing a key message from the forum, Aldrees concluded: “The effective strategy is to be looking at these things together. We no longer can be looking at them as silos and test cycles.”
The transformation of Saudi football was also highlighted as a reflection of broader cultural and structural change. Juan Esteban Gomez, a football expert specializing in digitalization and artificial intelligence, said the shift has been tangible in recent years. “The people here are breathing football,” he said, describing the Saudi league as “one of the most enjoyable competitions in the world.”
As MESIF 2026 drew to a close, participants agreed that the next phase of sports investment in the Middle East will be defined by execution — ensuring that capital, policy and innovation align to deliver measurable legacy, deeper fan engagement and resilient ecosystems capable of sustaining growth well beyond headline events.
