(Reuters] -The U.S. women’s soccer team (USWNT), along with U.S. Soccer, announced on Tuesday that they will resolve a decades-old dispute regarding equal pay. It was a matter of equal pay for what the players called a “marking day” in American soccer.

$22 Million will be distributed as the settlement was proposed by players and approved in court by a district judge.

U.S. soccer also pledged to provide equal pay for women’s and mens’ national teams at all tournaments and friendlies, including the World Cup.

U.S. Soccer, the USWNT and U.S. Soccer jointly stated that “Getting to this point has been difficult.” While achieving unprecedented success with the U.S. Women’s National Team, players worked hard for equal pay and continued progress as future athletes.

“Today, the USWNT recognizes the achievements of former leaders and the future women and girls of this organization.”

Additional $2 million will go to a fund that assists players with post-career goals as well as charitable initiatives related to women’s or girls’ soccer.

This agreement ends a row that began in 2016, when players brought a federal wage discrimination case claiming that they were being paid less than men players, despite the fact they earn more for the United States Soccer Federation.

In 2019, the USWNT sued U.S. Soccer’s governing body seeking $66 Million in damages under The Equal Pay Act. This was in response to allegations that there had been gender discrimination in their compensation system and almost every aspect of their playing conditions.

The World Cup was won for the fourth consecutive time by the team months later, as supporters chanted “equal wages” in the final.

U.S. Soccer claimed the women’s side had been paid more than the men’s over the past decade.

A United States District Court Judge for the Central District of California dismissed the claims of the players for equal pay, but permitted their claims regarding playing conditions to proceed.

Players reached an agreement on the terms of the suit and appealed against wage decisions.

‘INCREDIBLE DAY’

Megan Rapinoe of the USWNT spoke with Alex Morgan on ABC’s Good Morning America. Cindy Parlow Cone, U.S. Soccer President, stated that this was the day U.S. Soccer made a change for the better.

Rapinoe said, “We cannot go back and undo all the injustices we have faced.” She was the top-ranked female soccer player in the world for 2019 and is a leading advocate of gender equality through the USWNT.

We know this will never happen again. This is the only way to make soccer in the United States a great sport and set up the next generation of players.

Morgan called it a win-win situation for all parties.

Morgan stated, “This represents a tremendous step forward in being valued, felt respected and just to mending our relationships with U.S. Soccer.”

“This is more than a win in our sport or for women, it’s a victory all around.”

Parlow Cone described the agreement as a “great moment of transition” and the USWNTPA, the women’s player’s union said that it was an important step towards “righting many wrongs from the past”.

“The USWNTPA expects the Federation to come to the table, as they have agreed in the litigation settlement, fully committed to a new collective bargaining agreement that will, finally, provide for equal pay for the women’s national team players,”

In a statement, it stated.