ALLENTOWN, Pa. - The game is changing for women who play professional soccer.
Local women’s soccer players are hailing a landmark labor agreement by the U.S. Soccer Federation that guarantees equal pay for male and female players. The deal includes equal pay for all competitions, including the FIFA World Cup.
Tara Hahn, president of the Lehigh Valley Women’s Soccer Association, said it’s long overdue.
“We are worthy of the same opportunities as our male counterparts,” said Hahn. Women in sports, as well as the workforce, deserve equal compensation, resources and talent management as the men receive.”
Hahn said her group is an outlet for women ages 18 and older to play soccer throughout their adult lives. They have up to 10 teams that play year round in indoor and outdoor settings.
Soccer empowers women, she said.
“I’m a huge promoter of girls getting involved with sports. This empowerment is important because women need to be comfortable standing up for themselves in a male-dominated society,” said Hahn.
The new collective bargaining agreements by the U.S. Soccer Federation run through 2028.
