The battle to narrow the gender wage gap is very much still alive despite efforts to overcome this inequality. Back in March of 2019,the USWNT filed a lawsuit against the USSF claiming that the women's team were paid less than the men's team as well as being subjected to unequal working conditions.
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An appeal to reconsider
Half of the lawsuit was a success for the USWNT in that a settlement has been agreed upon to implement policies specifically related to hotel accommodations, staffing, venues, and travel. However, the fight is far from being over. As Molly Levinson, a spokeswoman for the USWNT players says that, the team will appeal the court's decision to dismiss the equal pay claims they put forth last spring:
We remain as committed as ever to our work to achieve the equal pay that we legally deserve. Our focus is on the future and ensuring we leave the game a better place for the next generation of women who will play for this team and this country
Response from USSF president
Newly appointed president of the USSF, Cindy Parlow Cone, admitted to have reached out to the women's team to come to an agreement regarding a salary adjustment. She claims to have offered them the same contract as the men for games controlled by US soccer but says that the team is requesting the federation make up the FIFA World Cup prize money which would amount to $66 million in back pay.
Making up that much money would, as Cone puts it, likely bankrupt US Soccer:
This would be devastating to our budget and to our programming. But given Covid, not to be overly dramatic, but it would likely bankrupt the federation.
However, one player from the team, Megan Rapinoe, claims to never have gotten offered the men's contract to the women's team after the court's dismissal when she appeared on Good Morning America in May of last year.
