The U.S. Men’s soccer team will receive $16 million in FIFA prize money after being knocked out of the World Cup by Belgium, but there’s a catch.
Twenty percent of the pot will be given to U.S. Soccer, and the rest will be doled out to the players. But 80 percent of that will be split with the U.S. Women’s National Team.
Polymarket Sports reported on the finding, stating the reason for the split comes under the terms of the collective bargaining agreements.
🚨JUST IN: The US men’s team earned $16 million in prize money at the World Cup. The money will be split evenly with the women who make the 2027 women’s World Cup roster
US men’s and women’s players equally share World Cup prize money under the terms of the collective bargaining… pic.twitter.com/mADK5oeXXC
— Polymarket Sports (@PolymarketSport) July 8, 2026
The agreement was spurred by a push for equal pay in 2019 when several women’s players sued U.S. Soccer for gender discrimination, Red State reported.
The lawsuit was settled in 2022 with a new collective bargaining agreement.
For its part, the women have won four World Cups, while the men’s team hasn’t gotten past the 16th round since 2022, according to Red State. Furthermore, the “USMNT pocketed $13 million for reaching the round of 16 at the 2022 World Cup, while the USWNT earned just $1.87 million for reaching the same stage at the 2023 Women’s World Cup,” Red State reported.
That didn’t quell the backlash on X to the news that the prize money will be split with the women.
The women get money for something they didnt do? Typical
— Sҽαɳ 🇺🇸⚓️ (@doc_1029) July 8, 2026
@USMNT y’all are getting screwed!!! They didn’t do anything, they don’t pull in the numbers, but you have to subsidize them?!??!?! Gross!! So much for “strong, independent women” that can do it on their own…….clearly they can’t.
— Kim Hamblin (@KimHamblin01) July 8, 2026
The men and women’s teams should play and the money should be distributed based on the score.
Profits from the game itself which would be massive could be evenly distributed.
— BolgoTheSinner (@BolgoTheGreat) July 8, 2026
America was founded to be a Christian nation.
Instead, have become a socialist, feminist matriarchy. https://t.co/XJ9cXX3Dig
— Philip Carl (@redbird_pwc) July 8, 2026
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