EARLIER this week, it was announced that United States Soccer had committed to providing equal pay for the women’s and men’s national teams, in a deal that has been dubbed by some a “landmark,” but by others “infuriating.” So how much of a step forward is it really?

Equality for women has been an ongoing struggle within the sporting world — with football only being the most recent to challenge the imbalance. In 1973, tennis star Billie Jean King fought tirelessly for equal prize money for both men and women at the US Open, and as a result of her efforts, a sponsor was found to close the gap. Just last month in Britain, the FA and PFA agreed significant policy changes to contracts in the women’s game relating to maternity provision, injury and illness. 

Most recently, a deal has been agreed following a long six-year battle between US Soccer and members of the US women’s team, whose fans chanted “Equal Pay!” when they won their second straight World Cup title in France in 2019 — one of four World Cups won by the US women’s team since the programme started in 1985, while their male counterparts have not reached a semi-final since 1930.

The challenge was led by widely popular figures Megan Rapinoe and Alex Morgan, along with Hope Solo, Carli Lloyd and Becky Sauerbrunn, and began with a complaint over wage discrimination to the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in April 2016.

The players sued three years later, seeking damages under the federal Equal Pay Act and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act.

The decision has caused a noticeable divide between the five players who made the initial challenge — something made clear by their reactions.

Women’s Ballon d’Or winner Rapinoe lauded the decision: “I think we’re going to look back on this moment and just think, ‘Wow, what an incredible turning point in the history of US Soccer that changed the game and changed the world, really, forever.’”

In complete contrast, former goalkeeper Solo took to Twitter on Wednesday to denounce the deal: “This settlement is not a ‘huge win’. It’s heartbreaking and infuriating.

“A ‘promise’ of equal pay from the Federation and back pay for a select group of players isn’t equal pay and it’s not what this fight was about.

“Read the fine print – ‘contingent upon the negotiation of a new collective bargaining agreement.’ It doesn’t exist yet and isn’t guaranteed.

“If the players had ever been successful in negotiating an equal CBA, there would’ve been no reason to sue the Federation in the first place.”

The deal reportedly promises the women’s team $24 million plus bonuses that match those of the men, however, players will split $22 million which only amounts to around one-third of what they had originally sought in damages.

Solo also called out her former teammates from the 2015 World Cup winning side, Rapinoe and Morgan, and accused them of taking an “easy [way] out” of negotiations. 

She said: “Throughout the entire process, Rapinoe and Morgan were the two most agreeable with USSF and to this day, continue to accept terms that are nowhere near what we set out to do.

“They both know this is not a win. They know it’s an easy [way] out of a fight they were never really in.

“The equal pay case against US Soccer I filed on behalf of the team long before the team sued, still stands and I remain committed to fighting for all players — past, present and future.”

Despite the encouraging media coverage, whether the deal is a success or not will be down to how closely the federation’s promises are kept, and then executed. The wider issue is that the deal only covers the current player leadership, so it hasn’t necessarily created a more secure future for the next generation of players. Their long-term contracts have not changed. 

It is, of course, a step forward to see female players (particularly in the US) coming together and using their platform and voices to fight for equality — something I hope continues and is able to lay the groundwork for future generations.