Biden to US Soccer: Women get equal pay or no 2026 World Cup funding
May 2, 2020, 1:57 PM
VANCOUVER, BC - JULY 05: Vice President Joe Biden of the United States walks on the pitch after the USA's 5-2 victory against Japan in the FIFA Women's World Cup Canada 2015 Final at BC Place Stadium on July 5, 2015 in Vancouver, Canada. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
(Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Former Vice President Joe Biden took to Twitter on Saturday after a judge ruled that the U.S. women’s national soccer team’s claim for equal pay did not have sufficient evidence to warrant a trial.
The 2020 Democratic presidential candidate gave the U.S. Soccer Federation an ultimatum on how to resolve the ongoing lawsuit should he be elected into the oval office.
“To the USWNT: don’t give up this fight. This is not over yet,” Biden tweeted.
“To USSoccer: equal pay, now. Or else when I’m president, you can go elsewhere for World Cup funding.”
The U.S., Mexico and Canada are set to host the 2026 FIFA (men’s) World Cup, which will be the largest edition of the tournament to date, as there will be three host countries, 16 host cities, 48 teams and 80 games, all of which are firsts in the history of the competition.
Although Judge R. Gary Klausner ruled against the USWNT’s claims for equal pay, he is, however, allowing claims regarding unequal working conditions to go to trial.
USWNT spokeswoman Molly Levinson said the women will immediately appeal the decision, with a trial date set for June 16.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
