There is no “National Women’s Soccer League Equal Pay Class Action” as a specific pending lawsuit. However, the NWSL did reach a $5 million settlement in February 2025 with three attorneys general (New York, Illinois, and Washington D.C.) to address past mistreatment and abuse of players—a different issue from equal pay. Meanwhile, women’s soccer compensation in the NWSL remains significantly lower than men’s professional leagues, with the majority of NWSL players earning below $31,000 annually compared to an average of $400,000 for MLS players. Understanding what settlements exist and what the actual pay gap looks like is important for anyone following women’s sports equity issues. The confusion around NWSL equal pay stems partly from a separate, successful equal pay class action: the U.S.
Women’s National Team (USWNT) settled a $24 million equal pay case against U.S. Soccer in 2023. That case targeted a different employer (the U.S. Soccer Federation, not the professional NWSL league), but it highlighted broader gender compensation disparities in soccer. The NWSL settlement that does exist focuses on player safety and misconduct prevention rather than wage equity, though the underlying pay gap remains a persistent issue in professional women’s soccer.
Table of Contents
- What Is the NWSL Misconduct Settlement and Who Can File a Claim?
- The Real NWSL Pay Gap—A Persistent Underlying Issue
- The USWNT Equal Pay Settlement—A Related but Separate Case
- How Claims Are Processed and What Players Need to Know
- The Misconduct Settlement vs. Equal Pay—Why the Distinction Matters
- What Prompted the 2025 Settlement
- Looking Forward—Pay Equity and Player Protection in Professional Soccer
- Conclusion
What Is the NWSL Misconduct Settlement and Who Can File a Claim?
The February 2025 NWSL settlement is officially titled a settlement regarding past mistreatment and misconduct toward players, with a total value of $5 million split as a settlement payment plus a $2 million penalty for potential non-compliance. The three attorneys general involved—from New York, Illinois, and Washington D.C.—negotiated the settlement to enforce earlier recommendations aimed at protecting NWSL players from abuse and creating safer working environments. Former U.S.
District Judge Barbara Jones serves as the third-party administrator overseeing the claims process. To file a claim under this settlement, affected players have 180 days from the settlement announcement date to submit documentation of their mistreatment or misconduct to the third-party administrator. The settlement applies to NWSL players who experienced past mistreatment covered by the original investigative findings. If the NWSL fails to comply with the terms of the settlement, an additional $2 million penalty can be imposed, creating a financial incentive for the league to implement the required protections and safeguards.
The Real NWSL Pay Gap—A Persistent Underlying Issue
While the 2025 settlement does not directly address equal pay, the NWSL has a documented salary gap. As of the 2022 collective bargaining agreement, the NWSL minimum salary was $35,000 annually, with approximately 75% of players earning below $31,000. For context, this is the standard compensation across an entire professional sports league—not a contract outlier. MLS (Major League Soccer) players, by comparison, averaged $400,000 in salary during the same period, demonstrating a significant gap between men’s and women’s professional soccer compensation.
This pay disparity has been the subject of ongoing advocacy from player associations and labor organizations. Unlike the USWNT case against U.S. Soccer (which was a specific employer lawsuit), NWSL compensation levels are governed by league-wide collective bargaining agreements. Players and advocates have called for higher minimum salaries and increased investment in the women’s league, though no specific equal pay class action against the NWSL as an entity currently exists. The gap reflects broader structural inequities in how professional sports leagues are funded and valued.
The USWNT Equal Pay Settlement—A Related but Separate Case
The $24 million USWNT settlement filed in March 2019 and finalized in 2023 is often confused with NWSL cases because both involve women’s soccer and compensation. However, the USWNT case targeted the U.S. Soccer Federation (the national governing body), not the professional NWSL league.
The lawsuit argued that the national team received unequal pay and benefits compared to the men’s national team, despite comparable commercial success and fan engagement. The settlement provided $22 million in lump-sum compensation to players and additional provisions for retroactive pay adjustment. This case demonstrated that equal pay litigation in women’s sports is possible and can result in significant settlements, even if the NWSL itself has not faced a comparable class action lawsuit. The USWNT settlement provided a legal precedent and shifted public attention toward compensation equity across women’s professional sports organizations.
How Claims Are Processed and What Players Need to Know
For players seeking compensation under the NWSL misconduct settlement, the claims process requires documentation of the mistreatment experienced and when it occurred. The third-party administrator, retired U.S. District Judge Barbara Jones, reviews claims and determines eligibility based on evidence of mistreatment that falls within the scope of the settlement. Players should gather records such as communications, incident reports, witness statements, or any documentation that establishes their experience during the relevant timeframe.
The 180-day window for filing is fixed and non-negotiable, so timing is critical for eligible players. Unlike some settlements that allow late claims under extraordinary circumstances, this process has a firm deadline. Players uncertain about their eligibility or needing guidance on documentation should contact the settlement administrator directly rather than relying on informal sources. Legal representation is optional but can be helpful in strengthening a claim, particularly if a player’s situation is complex.
The Misconduct Settlement vs. Equal Pay—Why the Distinction Matters
One important limitation of the NWSL settlement is that it does not address the underlying pay gap or salary structure issues. The settlement penalizes misconduct and mistreatment but does not require the league to increase minimum salaries or equalize compensation with men’s leagues. This means the settlement achieves one goal—protecting players from abuse and creating accountability—while leaving the systemic pay inequality unresolved.
This distinction is critical for players evaluating the settlement’s value. Some players affected by misconduct will receive compensation for those specific harms, but the broader question of whether NWSL salaries should be higher or more equitable remains a separate policy and negotiation matter handled through collective bargaining, not litigation. Any future equal pay lawsuit against the NWSL would be a separate legal action with different claims and defendants.
What Prompted the 2025 Settlement
The 2025 NWSL settlement resulted from investigations by attorneys general into documented cases of player mistreatment and abuse within the league. These investigations included testimonies from players and league staff and culminated in recommendations for structural changes, safety protocols, and accountability measures.
When the league did not immediately implement all recommendations, attorneys general pursued the settlement to enforce compliance through financial pressure and legal obligation. The settlement demonstrates that state-level enforcement mechanisms can address player safety issues even without a traditional class action lawsuit. The involvement of three attorneys general also elevated the case beyond individual litigation, signaling broader public concern about working conditions in professional women’s sports.
Looking Forward—Pay Equity and Player Protection in Professional Soccer
The NWSL misconduct settlement of 2025 represents progress on player safety but underscores that pay equity in women’s professional soccer remains unresolved. Player advocates continue to argue for higher league investment, better minimum salaries, and more transparent compensation. Whether those changes come through collective bargaining, legislative action, or future litigation remains to be seen.
The broader lesson from both the NWSL and USWNT cases is that women’s sports compensation is increasingly subject to public scrutiny and legal challenge. If the NWSL does not voluntarily increase investment in player compensation, future equal pay litigation remains possible. For now, the February 2025 settlement addresses misconduct and mistreatment, while the underlying pay gap continues as a separate policy issue for the league and players to negotiate.
Conclusion
There is no current “National Women’s Soccer League Equal Pay Class Action,” but there is a real $5 million NWSL settlement from February 2025 addressing past misconduct and mistreatment, administered by retired U.S. District Judge Barbara Jones. Eligible players have 180 days from the settlement announcement to file claims with documentation of their mistreatment. While this settlement provides compensation for abuse and creates accountability for the league, it does not address the underlying pay gap, in which the majority of NWSL players earn below $31,000 annually—significantly less than the $400,000 average for MLS players.
If you were affected by mistreatment in the NWSL, gather your documentation and contact the settlement administrator before the deadline. For broader pay equity questions in women’s soccer, monitor collective bargaining discussions and remember that the related USWNT settlement against U.S. Soccer ($24 million, 2023) provides a legal precedent for successful equal pay litigation in the sport. Stay informed about any future developments regarding NWSL compensation and player protections.
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