US Women's Team Reach $24 Million Settlement Over Equal Pay

The US Women's team are just one step away from securing equal pay with their male counterparts, after securing a $24 million settlement in court.

The women's team have been involved in a six year legal battle over trying to get equal pay with the men's national team, and have sought damages over previous money.

On Tuesday it was announced that they had reached a settlement with US Soccer, with the federation paying $22 million back as direct compensation to the players.

A further $2 million will be put into a fund for the players' post playing careers, in the latest step to equal pay between the two sides.

The settlement gets the women's team very close to equal pay, with the side just needing a new collective bargaining agreement to be completed, and then they should earn equal pay for friendlies, tournaments, and World Cup play.

US forward Megan Rapinoe has been one of the most vocal campaigners for the women's team to get equal pay and the 2019 FIFA Best Women's Player is very pleased with the news.

"We’re so happy," she told the Athletic, "We feel like this is a huge win — obviously contingent upon the ratification of the CBA — but it will have equal pay on everything moving forward.

"It’s honestly kind of surreal. I feel like I need to take a step back. We’ve all been in the trenches of it for so long. I think I honestly don’t even understand how monumental this is."

Speaking to the Associated Press, the 36-year-old added, "For our generation, knowing that we're going to leave the game in an exponentially better place than when we found it is everything.

"That's what it's all about because, to be honest, there is no justice in all of this if we don't make sure it never happens again."

U.S. Soccer president Cindy Parlow Cone, who earned 158 caps for the team and won two Olympic gold medals and the World Cup with the national team was a huge part of the settlement.

"This is just one step towards rebuilding the relationship with the women's team. I think this is a great accomplishment and I'm excited about the future and working together with them," Cone said.

"Now we can shift the focus to other things, most importantly, growing the game at all levels and increasing opportunities for girls and women."

Rapinoe paid tribute to the former forward, whose playing career ended in 2006, saying, "Thankful for Cindy, who fought really hard to get this done.

"Her knowing and experiencing all of this herself, probably worse than we had it, and knowing what a big champion she was of this (settlement), in potentially the face of some opposition."

The $24 million actually pales in comparison to the $67 million that was originally claimed the players could be looking at, the settlement is still a huge win.

Now the women just need the CBA to be agreed and they will have what they've been working hard for in the past few years.