One Team: A Historical Analysis of Inequalities between Men\u27s and Women\u27s Professional Soccer

The United States Soccer Federation (U.S.S.F.) governs the sport of soccer at the youth recreational, teen elite, and adult professional levels, and is one of the few organizations in the country that governs both the men’s and women’s sides of the respective sport. This paper examines differences between U.S. men\u27s and women\u27s soccer at the adult professional and identifies areas of discrimination based on gender. Inequalities experienced by women coaches and players include wage disparity, a lack of television broadcasting space, differences in sponsorships and media portrayal of players, unequal playing and living conditions, a shortage of women in positions of power, and a lack of award recognition. Evidence exists to support the claim that the U.S. women’s national soccer team receives unequal treatment compared to the men’s national team, even though the amount of time and energy they dedicate and the results they have produced mirrors or excels past that of the men