2017 National Women’s Soccer League Championship Game
Credit: © Andrew Bershaw, Icon Sportswire/Getty Images

March is Women’s History Month, an annual observance of women’s achievements and contributions to society. This month, Behind the Headlines will feature woman pioneers in a variety of areas.

After a six-year battle, the United States women’s soccer team and U.S. Soccer have reached a settlement. On Feb. 22, 2022, the two sides announced the deal. The settlement requires U.S. Soccer to pay $24 million to the athletes and pledge to equalize pay for women’s and men’s soccer. The battle began when Alex Morgan, Megan Rapinoe, Carli Lloyd, Becky Sauerbrunn, and Hope Solo filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission against U.S. Soccer in 2016. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is a United States government agency. It enforces laws that prohibit job discrimination because of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, or disability. The 5 women claimed they earned 40 percent of what the players on the men’s national team were paid, even though the women were ranked higher internationally. They also argued that their bonuses, transportation, and meal money for training camps were inferior to that of the men’s soccer team.

U.S. forward Alex Morgan drives the ball in the FIFA Women’s World Cup opening group stage match against Thailand at the Stade Auguste-Delaune in Reims, France, on June 11, 2019. Morgan scored five times in the 13-0 U.S. win.
Credit: © Feel Photo/Shutterstock

The soccer players are not the only playmakers who have fought for equal pay for women. In the United States in the 1960’s, the women’s movement discovered discrimination in the workplace, where women received lower pay and fewer promotions than men. Several laws passed during the 1960′s and 1970′s aimed at providing equal rights for women. The Equal Pay Act of 1963 requires equal pay for men and women doing the same work. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits job discrimination on the basis of sex, as well as on the basis of color, race, national origin, and religion. These changes helped pave the way for the soccer players.

The United States women’s soccer team has scored big over the years. They won the Women’s World Cup titles in 1991, 1999, 2015, and 2019. They have also brought home gold from the Olympic Games in 1996, 2004, 2008, and 2012. The team has been ranked number one by FIFA  since 2015. FIFA is the sport of soccer’s world governing body. FIFA stands for Fédération Internationale de Football Association (International Federation of Association Football). Soccer is called football or association football in much of the world.

In 2019, 28 U.S. women’s soccer players added to the pressure by filing a gender discrimination lawsuit. They withdrew their original complaint with the EEOC. The women fought to get equal pay and benefits but were defeated in April 2020. However, the players continued to fight by appealing the ruling. The new president of U.S. Soccer, a woman, hinted that the organization would make a deal with the women’s soccer team.

Throughout the years, the soccer players have inspired other athletes to speak up and ask for equal pay and treatment, including professional ice hockey and basketball players. Many other women athletes will be following their steps after successfully U.S. women’s soccer took down U.S. Soccer. The women’s team can now focus on the game, as they take on teams from around the world just in time for Women’s History Month this March.

March 14, 2016

The world’s great mania for soccer—which is called football in most countries—has taken root and thrived in the United States. Professional leagues for both men and women are more popular than ever, and Americans watched in record numbers as the U.S. Men’s National Team battled to a tough knockout round loss to Belgium in the 2014 FIFA World Cup. FIFA is soccer’s world governing body. But it is the U.S. Women’s National Team (USWNT)—Team USA—which has earned the title megastar.

The United States Women’s National Team celebrates with the trophy after they beat Japan 5-2 in the FIFA Women’s World Cup soccer championship in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, Sunday, July 5, 2015. Credit: © AP Photo/Elaine Thompson

The USWNT began humbly in 1985, losing badly to more traditional soccer powers from Europe and South America. But U.S. women’s soccer gained momentum in spectacular fashion as the team won the inaugural FIFA Women’s World Cup held in China in 1991. That first World Cup began humbly, too. In fact, the sport’s governing body refused to call it a World Cup. Few remember that early tournament’s official title: 1st FIFA World Championship for Women’s Football for the M&M’s Cup. That title doesn’t quite roll off the tongue, say, like an M&M.

Women’s soccer gained great popularity following the M&M’s Cup, and the next global tournament, held in Sweden in 1995, was graced with the World Cup title. The USWNT finished third that year, but won the World Cup again in 1999 as the tournament was played on American soil. The USWNT crept into mainstream U.S. sports talk, and soon people began to recognize such stars as Michelle Akers, Brandi Chastain, and Mia Hamm.

The USWNT blossomed in the 2000’s, cultivating such stars as Carli Lloyd, Alex Morgan, Christie Rampone, Megan Rapinoe, Hope Solo, and Abby Wambach. Team USA fell short, however, in the 2003, 2007, and 2011 Women’s World Cups, finishing second or third in all three tournaments. The team returned to greatness in 2015, however, dominating the Women’s World Cup in Canada for their third world championship. That year, U.S. head coach Jill Ellis was named FIFA’s World Coach of the Year for Women’s Football. Lloyd, who famously scored three goals in the World Cup Final, won the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Player of the Year award. Two other Team USA players had previously won that award: Hamm (2001 and 2002) and Wambach (2012).

The USWNT has dominated the Olympic Games since women’s soccer became an official sport in 1996. In five Olympics, Team USA has won four gold medals and one silver. With the Summer Olympics just a few months away in Brazil, expect another dazzling medal run for the American megastars.

Other World Book articles

• Soccer (1998) – A Back in Time article
• Soccer (1999) – A Back in Time article
• Soccer (2002) – A Back in Time article
• Soccer (2004) – A Back in Time article
• Soccer (2006) – A Back in Time article
• Soccer (2008) – A Back in Time article
• Soccer (2012) – A Back in Time article
• Soccer (2013) – A Back in Time article
• Soccer (2014) – A Back in Time article

July 8, 2015

When a city’s team wins a national championship, the city holds a local parade or rally for the team and its members. But what happens when a national team wins a world championship—and those champs are women? On Friday, July 10th, New York City will host a rare ticker-tape parade for the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team, the winners of the 2015 FIFA (Federation Internationale de Football Association) women’s World Cup. The parade breaks with decades of precedent to bestow a rare honor upon a group that competes outside the metropolitan area. The parade also marks the first time in more than 50 years that the honor will be bestowed upon female athletes. The parade route will go along Broadway and end at New York City Hall where a special program will be held. Manhattan borough president Gale A. Brewer, who led the push for the parade with a letter to New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, said “this team will turn the Canyon of Heroes [parade route] into the Canyon of Heroines.”

The United States Women’s National Team celebrates with the trophy after they beat Japan 5-2 in the FIFA Women’s World Cup soccer championship in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, Sunday, July 5, 2015. Credit: © Elaine Thompson, AP Photo

The parade will honor the U.S. women after their historic run in this year’s World Cup. The team ran through the tournament allowing only one goal all the way up to the final game. On Sunday, July 5th, the U.S. women went on top fast, scoring four times in the first 16 minutes against Japan. They went on to finish the championship game 5-2. The victory is the third World Cup title for the U.S. women, the only nation to achieve that feat.

Fans held television viewing parties across the United States to watch the tournament. The final match was seen by a record 26.7 million in the United States—the most viewed soccer game in the history of American television.

Other World Book articles: 

• Morgan, Alex
• Solo, Hope
• Sports
• Wambach, Abby
  
• Soccer (1999: A Back in Time article)
• Sports (1999: A Back in Time article)
• Soccer (2011: A Back in Time article)

July 6, 2015

After a long 16 years, the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team boldly brought the World Cup title back to the United States on Sunday, July 5th. Scoring four goals in the first 16 minutes, including a hat trick (three goals by one player), helped the U.S. women rise up against Japan in a rematch of the 2011 women’s World Cup final. With this year’s win, the United States became the first country to win three FIFA (Federation Internationale de Football Association) women’s World Cup titles.

The United States Women’s National Team celebrates with their trophy after they beat Japan 5-2 in the FIFA Women’s World Cup soccer championship in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Credit: © Elaine Thompson, AP Photo

In 1991, the United States won the first FIFA-sponsored women’s World Cup championship. Just like the men’s World Cup and the Olympics, this event is held every four years. The United States won the title again in 1999, the first of two consecutive tournaments hosted in the United States. The U.S. did not make the finals in 2003 or 2007. In 2011, they lost to Japan in penalty kicks after a 2-2 draw in the 90-minute regulation playing time.

Canada hosted the 2015 women’s World Cup. Throughout the games leading up to the final, the United States prevented almost all of their opponents from scoring. Only Australia, in the very first game of the month-long tournament, was able to get past U.S. goalie Hope Solo. The United States Women’s National Team won five games and had one 0-0 draw, or tie.

Japan coasted through all the stages leading to the semi-final. After 90 minutes of play, Japan and England were tied 1-1 in the semi-final. But in stoppage time (the time added on for injuries), England hit an “own goal” into their net and put Japan up 2-1. That was enough for Japan to win and move on to play the U.S. in the final.

On Sunday evening, both the U.S. and Japan teams looked strong. But with the fastest hat trick in women’s World Cup final history by Carli Lloyd, and another goal by Lauren Holiday, the U.S. were off to an unbelievable start, up 4-0 just 16 minutes in. After a goal for Japan in the 28th minute, Japan built momentum in the second half and scored again. But another goal scored by the U.S. slowed Japan’s momentum, and the U.S. went on to win 5-2. With the team’s five goals against Japan, the U.S. now hold the record for most goals scored in women’s World Cup play, with 112.

Other World Book articles: 

• Soccer
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July 1, 2015

Last evening in Montreal, the American women’s national soccer team defeated the number-one ranked women’s team, Germany, to win their semifinal game in the Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) World Cup tournament. The Americans played an aggressive game and outscored the German team 2-0. Two-time Olympic gold medalist Carli Lloyd, a midfielder, scored the first U.S.goal on a penalty kick. There was some controversy as to whether the penalty kick that led to Lloyd’s goal should instead have been a free-kick. This became unimportant when, in the 84th minute of the game, Olympic gold medalist Kelley O’Hara, playing forward, kicked in a goal to make the U.S. win clear-cut.

Germany and Nigeria faced off in a 2014 World Cup semifinal game. AP photo, the Canadian Press, Paul Chiasson.

In a fast-moving game, Germany’s Alexandera Popp and U.S. player Morgan Brian collided and sustained head injuries. Both women continued play, but it caused soccer commentators to question FIFA’s concussion and substitution policies for players with head injuries.

The U.S. Team will play the winner of the Japan-England semifinal match this Sunday, July 5, in the FIFA World Cup final. FIFA has been embroiled in allegations of corruption, and the association anoounced that it’s long-time president, Sepp Blatter, himself under investigation, would not be attending the women’s World Cup final.

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