What the U.S. Soccer Equal Pay Agreement Really Means for the USWNT and USMNT

The United States National Soccer Team Players Association (USNSTPA) and the United States Women’s National Team Players Association (USWNTPA) finalized two collective bargaining agreements (CBA). These agreements aim to equalize pay inequities in all matches, competitions, and tournaments, including the FIFA World Cup. While this is a major historical step forward in setting a standard for equal pay globally, it does not fully negate the possibility of inequity between the USWNT and USMNT.

Charlie Davies says that due to the equity regulations within US Soccer, the men’s team couldn’t hire someone like Pep Guardiola if they had the chance because they would have to pay the women’s coach a similar amount.

He essentially said that limits their options.

— MLS Buzz (@MLS_Buzz) June 16, 2023

Charlie Davies, the former American professional soccer player, commented on the CBA and blamed it for leading to fewer options in coaching for the USMNT. He allegedly claimed in June of this year that the USMNT can not consider a higher-paid coach because the USWNT head coach would also need a pay raise. Davies said that the USMNT needs a coach like Pep Guardiola, a Spanish soccer manager currently managing Manchester City.

USMNT/ USWNT Coach Salary Inequalities

While Davies makes grand claims about who needs to coach the USMNT, Gregg Berhalter returns to the team with a new contract this June that runs until 2026. Berhalter’s contract ended at the end of 2022, but he made a resurgence to manage the team once again. 

In 2022, Berhalter earned three times as much as the USWNT’s head coach, Vlatko Andonovski. With Berhalter holding first place for U.S. soccer’s highest-paid employee, Andonovski comes in seventh place.

The CBA does not make any changes to regulating coaches’ salaries. This not only makes Davies’ statements invalid and uncalled for but leaves room for loopholes and inequities in experience between the USMNT and USWNT. Instead, the CBA focuses on the athlete’s pay being regulated more equally. Even though the CBA was officially signed for only half of last year, it is evident when looking at Berhalter and Andonovski’s salary comparison in 2022 that no regulations have been implemented to equalize their salaries. 

Details of the CBA

The CBA that lasts until 2028 centers around the idea of equal pay for equal work. It lists multiple instances where equality in pay and experience is ensured. The players will earn equal appearance fees, prize money, training and travel budgets, and commercial revenue. This means that both teams will benefit from ticket sales, broadcast, and sponsorship revenue.

Featured image via Getty Images

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