U.S. Soccer asks men, women to equalize FIFA payments

The head of the U.S. Soccer Federation asked the unions of the women’s and men’s national teams to agree to equalize FIFA’s World Cup prize money on their own.

USSF President Cindy Parlow Cone, a former women’s national team player, sent an open letter Friday making the request, which called for the men’s national team to allow the USSF to reallocate a portion of FIFA’s World Cup payments to the federation to the women’s team.

“We see an opportunity to create change,” Parlow Cone wrote. “We need our men’s and women’s national teams to come together and re-think how we’ve done things in the past. To that end, we have invited the players and both players’ associations to join U.S. Soccer in negotiating a solution together that equalizes World Cup prize money between the USMNT and USWNT.”

FIFA awarded $400 million in prize money for the 32 teams at the 2018 men’s World Cup. It awarded $30 million for the 24 teams at the 2019 Women’s World Cup, including $4 million to the U.S. after the Americans won their second straight title.

Most federations frame their payments to players for World Cups on the FIFA amounts.

FIFA and the men’s union did not respond to requests for comment. Molly Levinson, a spokeswoman for the women players, said in a statement, “Letters to fans are not a substitute. It’s time to back up a whole lot of words with actions.”

Players led by Alex Morgan sued the USSF in March 2019, contending they have not been paid equitably under their collective bargaining agreement compared to what the men’s team receives under its agreement. The case is still in the courts.

⏩ Chelsea winger Christian Pulisic will be out about 10 days because of a left ankle injury suffered in the United States’ 4-1 win at Honduras in a World Cup qualifier Wednesday.