U.S. men, women get equal split of $16M World Cup prize – ESPN

The U.S. Soccer Federation has taken a decisive step toward closing the financial gap between its men’s and women’s national teams by agreeing to an equal split of the $16 million World Cup prize money earned by both squads. The landmark decision, reported by ESPN, marks a rare moment of parity in a sport where prize distribution has long favored men’s competitions and underscores a growing push for equity in global football.

How the deal was struck

The agreement applies to the combined World Cup prize pool distributed by FIFA, which has historically awarded significantly higher sums to men’s tournaments. While FIFA’s total prize money for the 2026 men’s World Cup will reach $110 million, the women’s edition in 2023 paid out $110 million to all 32 teams combined—an identical total, though distributed across a smaller prize structure for the women’s competition. Under the new U.S. Soccer policy, both the men’s and women’s teams will now receive identical shares of any World Cup prize money they earn, regardless of the tournament or gender classification. The federation’s board approved the measure following internal discussions focused on aligning compensation structures with performance and investment principles, with key stakeholders including the U.S. Women’s National Team Players Association and the U.S. Men’s National Team Players Association consulted in the process.

The move comes after years of advocacy from players, sponsors, and advocacy groups calling for structural fairness in football’s economic model. It also follows the 2022 U.S. Soccer settlement agreement, which resolved a long-running equal pay lawsuit filed by the women’s team in 2019, establishing equal pay and working conditions for both squads. That legal resolution provided a foundation for this financial parity initiative, though the new World Cup prize split extends beyond the terms of the settlement.

Why this matters beyond the numbers

This isn’t just about dollars. It’s about recognition. For years, the U.S. women’s team has outperformed its male counterparts on the global stage—winning four World Cup titles to the men’s zero—yet faced persistent disparities in funding, visibility, and revenue allocation. By equalizing World Cup prize distribution, U.S. Soccer is acknowledging that competitive success, not gender, should dictate financial reward. The decision also addresses a historical imbalance: between 2015 and 2019, the women’s team generated $101.5 million in revenue compared to the men’s $118.5 million, despite winning a World Cup and reaching the Round of 16 in the 2014 men’s tournament.

The decision also sets a precedent that could influence other federations and FIFA itself. While FIFA’s prize money remains unequal between men’s and women’s World Cups—the men’s 2026 tournament will distribute $110 million to all 32 teams, while the women’s 2027 edition is projected to pay out $110 million to 32 teams as well—the U.S. Soccer internal policy shift demonstrates that federations can act independently to correct systemic imbalances. It may pressure other nations to follow suit, especially as women’s football continues to grow in commercial value and fan engagement. The 2023 Women’s World Cup drew 1.5 billion cumulative viewers, a 21% increase from 2019, while the 2022 men’s tournament reached 5.2 billion, highlighting the expanding global audience for women’s football.

What comes next

U.S. Soccer has not detailed how the equalized prize money will be integrated into existing player contracts or collective bargaining agreements. The federation must now negotiate with both the men’s and women’s players’ associations to determine how these funds will be distributed—whether as direct bonuses, reinvested into youth development, or allocated to broader initiatives like coaching education and facility upgrades. The men’s team, which failed to qualify for the 2022 World Cup and is in a transitional phase under manager Gregg Berhalter, may see the funds used to support rebuilding efforts, while the women’s team, fresh off a World Cup triumph in 2023, could direct resources toward sustained excellence and player welfare programs.

Critics may argue that equal prize money doesn’t address deeper issues, such as commercial revenue disparities or broadcast rights gaps. The women’s team generated $101.5 million in revenue between 2015 and 2019, while the men’s team earned $118.5 million in the same period, despite the women’s superior on-field results. However, this move signals a willingness to confront those challenges head-on. The next step will be to see whether other federations adopt similar policies and whether FIFA revisits its own prize distribution model ahead of future tournaments. The 2023 Women’s World Cup final between Spain and England drew 19.2 million U.S. viewers on Fox, the most-watched women’s soccer match in U.S. history, underscoring the growing commercial potential of the women’s game.

One thing is clear: U.S. Soccer has drawn a line in the sand. By treating its men’s and women’s teams as equals in World Cup earnings, it has forced the conversation about football’s financial future into sharper focus. The real test will be whether this equality translates into tangible change beyond the balance sheet—on the pitch, in the boardroom, and across the global game.