US Soccer Chief Vows to Equalize World Cup Payments in Gender Pay Dispute

LOS ANGELES - United States Soccer Federation President Cindy Parlow Cone said Friday the body hopes to "equalize" World Cup prize money for its men's and women's national teams as part of efforts to settle ongoing litigation with its women footballers. 

In an open letter addressed to U.S. fans, Parlow Cone said the gulf in prize money paid out by FIFA in the men's and women's tournaments was "by far the most challenging issue" facing U.S. Soccer in pay negotiations with men's and women's teams.  The question of World Cup prize money formed a prominent part of a lawsuit filed by the U.S. women's soccer team in 2019, which accused the USSF of "stubbornly refusing" to pay its men and women players equally.   A federal judge later rejected the claim of pay discrimination, but the U.S. women have appealed.