As everyone knows, the United States Women’s National Team recently won the 2019 World Cup back in July. Winning this is one of the biggest accomplishments a professional athlete could achieve in their career. I was privileged to see their match against Portugal at Lincoln Financial Field recently. The stadium was electric, the crowd painted in colors of red, white, and blue, all were ecstatic to be there. Chants of “Equal Pay” and “USA, USA” were yelled throughout the match, adding to the energy of the atmosphere. Not only as an avid soccer fan, but as a woman, it makes me extremely proud and prideful of the team and country. Despite their massive win and the growing popularity of the USWNT, these professional athletes are not being paid enough. Prior to the World Cup, the team sued the United States Soccer Federation but they have recently rejected mediation, which will most likely lead to a trial. With their increasing revenue, game attendances, and celebrity status, it’s obvious that their fight for equality is far from over. The team is full of empowering and inspirational women, all deserving equal pay to their male counterparts, who seem to be far less successful in their game-winning efforts. Not only is this important within the female sports community, but for women throughout the world. There is still a pay gap across all professions and it is crucial that such influential women are taking a stand to make a change.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Jefferson chapter.