U.S. Soccer says it's offered women, men identical contracts

Los Angeles, Sept 14, 2021 (AFP) - The United States Soccer Federation said Tuesday it has offered "identical" contracts to its men's and women's national teams as part of efforts to end a long-running gender pay dispute.

A statement from the USSF said the proposed contracts had been sent to the players associations acting on behalf of the men's and women's teams, with the goal being to bring both national squads under a single collective bargaining agreement.

"US Soccer firmly believes that the best path forward for all involved, and for the future of the sport in the United States, is a single pay structure for both senior national teams," the USSF said in a statement.

"This proposal will ensure that USWNT and USMNT players remain among the highest paid senior national team players in the world while providing a revenue sharing structure that would allow all parties to begin anew and share collectively in the opportunity that combined investment in the future of US Soccer will deliver over the course of a new CBA."

The statement comes after USSF president Cindy Parlow Cone said last week the body hopes to "equalize" World Cup prize money paid to it's men's and women's teams.

The issue of World Cup prize money is the cornerstone of litigation filed by the women's team against the USSF.

The federation said Tuesday that US Soccer would not agree to any collective bargaining agreement "that does not take the important step of equalizing FIFA World Cup prize money."

"US Soccer remains eager, ready and willing to meet with both players associations and the players as soon as possible and as often as needed, either separately or together, to get a deal done and focus on the future of soccer," the USSF statement said.