Equal pay bid dismissal: US Women's football team appeal against decision

The US Women's Football team players celebrate with home fans after clinching the 2019 Women's World Cup - Getty

The United States Women's Football Team have filed an appeal against a decision to dismiss their bid for equal pay.

A judge last week rejected the players'
claims they were underpaid compared to the US Men's side.

The lawsuit was filed by 28 women's national team players last year against the US Soccer Federation (USSF) and they had been seeking $66m in damages under the Equal Pay Act.

Spokeswoman Molly Levinson confirmed the appeal was submitted on Friday.

"Equal pay means paying women players the same rate for winning a game as men get paid," she said.

"The argument that women are paid enough if they make close to the same amount as men while winning more than twice as often is not equal pay."

Giving it's ruling, the court said: "The women's team has been paid more on both a cumulative and an average per game basis than the men's team over the class period."

Striker Megan Rapinoe celebrates goal with teammates - Getty

However, Federal Judge Gary Klausner allowed the players' case for unfair treatment in travel, housing and medical support to go to trial, which is set for 16 June in Los Angeles.

The US team won the women's world cup last summer for their fourth title overall. They have also won five Olympic gold medals.

After the equal pay was dismissed, striker Megan Rapinoe, who won the golden ball and golden boot at last year's world cup, tweeted: "we will never stop fighting for equality."

We will never stop fighting for EQUALITY.

— Megan Rapinoe (@mPinoe) May 2, 2020

The women's case had been publicly supported by the male players, and in February the US Men's team issued a statement criticising the governing body saying that "the federation continues to discriminate against the women in their wages and working conditions".