The U.S. men’s national team is ready to take on the Summer Olympics once again after a 16-year hiatus… though apparently without getting paid.
U.S. men's Olympic soccer team will not get paid for 2024 Paris Olympics
According to Brian Sciaretta, the United States’ mens soccer team will not be compensated for their participation in this summer’s 2024 Paris Olympics. The USWNT, on the other hand, will.
One of the biggest issues in American soccer in recent years has been US Soccer evening the payment between the #USMNT and #USWNT
However, I have heard that at the Olympics in Paris, the #USWNT will receive full payment from the federation. The men's team will not be paid
1/3— Brian Sciaretta (@BrianSciaretta) June 27, 2024
Two years ago, the unions of the U.S. Soccer men's and women's national teams united under a groundbreaking collective bargaining agreement, ensuring that players from both teams receive equal bonus and prize money when representing their country at World Cups and other tournaments.
However, a ‘loophole’ in the agreement means that members of the U.S. men's Olympic soccer team will not be compensated for their participation in the upcoming Summer Games in Paris next month.
Here's why:
Why won’t U.S. men’s soccer team players get paid for Summer Olympics?
A squad full of professionals is still considered amateur, according to the USSF.
The upcoming pay discrepancy between the men’s and women’s team in the Paris Olympics is reportedly due to the USMNT (and every other men's soccer nation) taking a U-23 squad (with the exception of three overage player slots) to the tournament, as opposed to the U.S. women’s national team roster being composed of all of their stellar senior players.
The USSF ‘sees’ the men's Olympic team as akin to amateur youth squads such as the U-17 or U-20 sides, which traditionally have not received compensation for participation in international competitions.
This despite all 25 players who made the USMNT's pre-Olympic training camp roster being full-time professionals, who are at a large majority playing at clubs in MLS or in Europe.
Additionally, 18 of these players have previously represented the U.S. at the senior level — automatically becoming a part of the USMNT's labor union.
According to Fox Sports, the 18 players selected for the U.S. women's Olympic team will be entitled to their complete bonuses as per their Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA): a $10,000 appearance fee per game, along with an extra $12,000 for every victory and $4,000 for each draw.
The USWNT would receive a $36,000 bonus per player for winning gold, $24,000 for silver, or $8,000 for bronze.
This means the U.S. women could earn up to $168,000 for their participation in the tournament — a total that the U.S. men could only ‘dream’ of getting.
