Federal judge approves partial deal between women, U.S. Soccer

A federal judge approved a partial deal between players on the women’s national team and the U.S. Soccer Federation over unequal working conditions. U.S. District Judge R. Gary Klausner approved the Dec. 1 settlement during a hearing Monday. The deal calls for charter flights, hotel accommodations, venue selection and professional staff support equitable to that of the men’s national team.

Players sued the USSF in March 2019, contending they have not been paid equitably under their collective bargaining agreement that runs through December 2021, compared to what the men’s team receives under its agreement that expired in December 2018. The women asked for more than $66 million in damages under the Equal Pay Act and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

Klausner dismissed the pay claim last May, ruling the women rejected a pay-to-play structure similar to the one in the men’s agreement and accepted greater base salaries and benefits than the men, who failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup.

The USSF did not immediately comment on Klausner’s approval.

Klausner’s approval of the settlement allows the players to ask the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to overturn his decision on unequal pay.