5 female soccer stars just accused the national team of wage discrimination

Becky Sauerbrunn, Hope Solo, and Carli Lloyd are just three of the women who filed a federal complaint.

(Image credit: Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

published 31 March 2016

Five prominent players from the United States women's national soccer team filed a federal complaint against U.S. Soccer Thursday, alleging wage discrimination. Co-captains Carli Lloyd and Becky Sauerbrunn, forward Alex Morgan, midfielder Megan Rapinoe, and goalkeeper Hope Solo say the reigning Women's World Cup and Olympic champion women's team is key to the success of the sport's U.S. governing body, yet its players are paid as little as 40 percent of what their male counterparts get.

The women, unlike the men, are salaried employees (the best women players make $72,000 per year), and the five women say that they earn less than their male counterparts because of the bonus structure, The New York Times reports. Men can earn as much as $17,625 for a win and $5,000 for a loss, whereas women receive only $1,350 for a win and no bonuses for losses or ties.

Through the complaint, to be submitted to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the women plan to request an investigation of U.S. Soccer. The five women say they are taking action on behalf of the entire women's national team.