USMNT progressed to the round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup, which fetched a sum of $16 million from FIFA. Under the current CBA of 2022 signed between US Soccer and the two national teams, these earnings will be pooled and shared equally, meaning that the USWNT gets half of that. However, once these figures came to light, the discussion was rekindled, urging former England and Chelsea captain John Terry to weigh in.

“I don’t think it’s fair that we give money to the women’s game just because we give money to the women’s game,” Terry said on Sports Uncensored. “I think they have to earn it. But at the same time, like Jermaine said, we have to support it as well. We have to build it to a certain level to help these girls generate it.”

To provide some background, the deal goes back to 2019, when 28 USWNT players sued US Soccer for gender discrimination. They argued that FIFA pays more for the men’s World Cup tournament compared to the women’s, and US Soccer allowed the difference to affect their players without any attempt to resolve the situation themselves. This dispute lasted for three years.

In February 2022, both sides reached a $24 million settlement, contingent on both teams ratifying new CBAs. By September 2022, both CBA’s got signed, and the new pooling system was put in place. US Soccer takes 20% of all World Cup tournament prize money, and both teams get an equal share from the rest 80%.

And then the 2023 Women’s World Cup attached stark numbers to that structure for the first time. The USWNT reached the Round of 16, and FIFA paid them $1.87 million for it. The USMNT reached the same stage at Qatar 2022 and received $13 million. Same round, one-seventh the money. Under the new structure, though, the USWNT’s cut of the men’s Qatar prize money alone exceeded what FIFA paid them for winning their previous two Women’s World Cups combined.

So, per the agreement, US Soccer will keep 20% of prize money, and the remaining $12.8 million will be split evenly, that is, $6.4 million each, or roughly $246,153 per player across both 26-person rosters. That said, the USWNT’s share sits in an account until after the 2027 Women’s World Cup roster is selected and the women’s team has to qualify to be eligible for the money.

Terry’s argument, though, is about the mechanism, not the goal. He supports growing the women’s game, just not through the redistribution of men’s earnings, and pointed to his old club as a sign of where things are heading anyway.

“You look at Chelsea next year, the women’s team are playing every single game at Stamford Bridge next year,” he said. “I just think it’s gonna get better and better after year after year after year. But they need support from the FA. They need support from the PFA, from FIFA, UEFA, all around the world to generate even more money than they’re already doing.”

Still, he acknowledged the commercial limitations, highlighting that sponsorship levels are not near the men’s game, and urged organizations like FIFA and UEFA to continue investing in infrastructure and exposure for the women’s game.

“I think the girls would also say this,” Terry concluded. “They want to earn it because they deserve to earn it.”