The U.S. Men's National Team's performance in the recent World Cup has resulted in a $16 million payout from FIFA, which will be shared with the U.S. Women's National Team as part of an established equal pay collective bargaining agreement.
This arrangement stems from the U.S. Soccer Federation's commitment to parity between its men's and women's programs. Under the agreement, 80 percent of the World Cup prize money is divided evenly between the men's and women's player pools, after the federation retains 20 percent. This means each team is slated to receive $6.4 million from the USMNT's run to the round of 16, amounting to approximately $246,153 per player based on 26-player rosters.
The U.S. Women's National Team, which has not yet qualified for the 2027 Women's World Cup in Brazil, will not receive its share immediately. The funds designated for the women's team will be held in an interest-bearing account until the final roster is selected closer to the tournament. Any interest accrued will also be split between both player pools.
The equal pay initiative was a central outcome of the advocacy by the U.S. women's team, which has achieved significant international success, including four World Cup titles, while the men's team has not advanced past the round of 16 since 2002. In 2019, members of the women's team filed a lawsuit against U.S. Soccer alleging gender discrimination. A settlement was reached in 2022, leading to new collective bargaining agreements for both teams.
A critical component of these agreements was the pooling and splitting of World Cup prize money. This structure was designed to mitigate the disparity in prize money awarded by FIFA for the men's and women's tournaments. In the previous World Cup cycle, the USMNT received $13 million for reaching the round of 16, while the USWNT earned only $1.87 million for reaching the same stage in their tournament.
With the men's World Cup now featuring an expanded 48-team format, teams reaching the round of 16 are awarded $16 million. The champion is set to receive $51 million. Had the U.S. men's team advanced to the quarterfinals, they would have earned $20 million, with $8 million designated for each player pool after the federation's share. The USWNT has the opportunity to reciprocate this gesture in 2027, with any prize money earned in Brazil to be shared with the men's team under the same agreement.