US Soccer, national team players formally sign equal pay agreements

Representatives for the men's and women's U.S. national teams on Tuesday signed their historic collective bargaining agreements with U.S. Soccer, formally closing a long and sometimes acrimonious fight over equal pay.

The federation announced in May that it had struck separate agreements with the players' unions on contracts that run through 2028. The new contracts include identical pay structures for appearances and tournament victories, revenue sharing and equitable distribution of World Cup prize money.

A signing ceremony was held following the women's friendly match against Nigeria at Audi Field in Washington, with Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh among those on hand.

"I have to give a lot of credit to everyone involved, the women's national team and their PA (players' association), the men's national team and their PA, and everyone at U.S. Soccer. There were so many people that helped, that worked together to make this happen," said U.S. Soccer President Cindy Parlow Cone, hersel