Players of the United States Women's National Team have reached a landmark agreement with governing body U.S. Soccer, ending a long-running legal battle over equal pay for the country's female footballers.

After a six-year legal battle led by the players of the USWNT, who have won the last two editions of the FIFA Women's World Cup, U.S. Soccer has committed to providing an equal rate of pay for it's men's and women's national teams, including World Cup bonuses, subject to agreements with the teams' respective unions.

The agreement will also see the players split a lump sum of $22m, roughly one-third of what they originally sought in damages, and provides for a fund of $2m to support players after their playing careers and to aid charitable initiatives around the women's game.

The governing body and the USWNT players have released a joint statement, which reads as follows.

"We are pleased to announce that, contingent on the negotiation of a new collective bargaining agreement, we will have resolved our longstanding dispute over equal pay and proudly stand together in a shared commitment to advancing equality in soccer.

"Getting to this day has not been easy. The U.S. Women's National Team players have achieved unprecedented success while working to achieve equal pay for themselves and future athletes.

"Today, we recognise the legacy of the past USWNT leaders who helped make this day possible, as well as all of the women and girls who will follow.

"Together, we dedicate this moment to them.

"We look forward to continuing to work together to grow women's soccer and advance opportunities for young girls and women in the United States and across the globe."

The legal battle had raged since April 2016, and has been fraught with controversy, with former U.S. Soccer president Carlos Cordeiro quitting in 2020 after the federation submitted legal papers claiming women were physically inferior to men.