The U.S. men’s national team made $16 million from its round-of-16 run in the World Cup, which it’s set to split with next year’s women’s squad.
The 2022 collective bargaining agreement between players and U.S. Soccer says the men’s and women’s national teams will equally share World Cup prize money. The federation takes a 20% cut, then the men’s and women’s players split the remaining 80%, meaning each team will get $6.4 million from this men’s World Cup.
The women’s national team has yet to secure its spot in the 2027 women’s World Cup in Brazil, but can do so in November. Prize money for that tournament will be split with this year’s men’s team. The 26-person women’s team also has yet to be selected, and the $6.4 million will sit in an account earning interest until then. (The interest will also be split between the men and women.)
The CBA, which runs through 2028, was the result of years of effort by the women’s team to secure equal pay. The U.S. women have won the World Cup four times, while the men have not advanced past the round of 16 since 2002.
The women’s team sued the federation in 2019, and in 2022 won a $22 million settlement. (The men also got $11 million in back pay of their own after playing without a CBA for years.)
