A longstanding dispute between the women on the U.S. National Team and the U.S. Soccer Federation has ended ... with the USSF agreeing to pay $24 million to the USWNT as a part of the settlement, it was announced Tuesday.
"We are pleased to announce that contingent on the negotiation of a new collective bargaining agreement," a joint statement read, "we will have resolved our longstanding dispute over equal pay."
It continued ... "And proudly stand together in a shared commitment to advancing equality in soccer."
According to details of the settlement, $22 million dollars will be distributed amongst the players ... with an additional $2 million being allocated into an account to support their post-career endeavors and other charitable ambitions.
U.S. Soccer and @USWNT are proudly standing together in a shared commitment to advancing equality in soccer. pic.twitter.com/Sp8q7NY0Up
— U.S. Soccer (@ussoccer) February 22, 2022
It all started back in 2019 when all 28 players on the USWNT filed a lawsuit against the USSF ... accusing it of engaging in "institutionalized gender discrimination" against the team.
Star player Megan Rapinoe was, perhaps, the most prominent voice to speak out on the issue ... when she spoke at the White House in March 2021.
The settlement is viewed as a victory for the USWNT -- although, the $22 million mark is well short of the team's initial asking price of $66.7 million -- but Rapinoe says she knew they would be victorious all along.
"I'm not a big fan of roller coasters," Rapinoe said. "I did think we would get to this point, 100%. I did think we would win all along in this."
"This is a win for us. And this is a win for the players for the next generation, for women's players around the world."