SheBelieves Cup

'We'll do anything possible': USWNT backs Canada in fight for pay equity

Updated Feb. 16, 2023 4:36 p.m. ET

ORLANDO, Fla. — Whatever the Canadian women's national team needs, their U.S. counterparts are there to help.

Canada's players said in a statement last week that they are outraged by significant budget cuts to their program with less than six months before the World Cup, and they will not participate in tune-up games in April if they don't come to a resolution with the Canada Soccer Association.

Canadian players will play in the SheBelieves Cup, but only under protest. The U.S. plays Canada on Thursday at Exploria Stadium in Orlando at 7 p.m. ET.

This one hits close to home for the USWNT. Players empathize with this fight and said Wednesday they are here to support and guide their northern friends and rivals in any way possible.

Three years ago, the Americans played their last SheBelieves Cup match under protest after the U.S. Soccer Federation argued in court that women were lesser athletes than their male counterparts. The USWNT turned their warmup jerseys inside out to hide the U.S. Soccer crest and only show the four stars that represented the team's four World Cup titles.

Canadian players have not said what their plans are for Thursday, but whatever it is, U.S. players will show solidarity.

"In a way, we did write the playbook on this a little bit," said U.S. captain Becky Sauerbrunn, who is also the president of the players' association and played an integral leading role through the equal pay battle. "I feel like we can support them in how they want and need right now, which might be different than what we needed when we were fighting with our federation for equity.

"We're just trying to be supportive and kind of giving them the chance to ask us or allow us to support them."

While there's a natural rivalry between the U.S. and Canada, there's also a natural friendship. Many of the players have known each other on a personal level for years from going up against each other in international competition to competing alongside one another on their club teams. Sauerbrunn, for example, is friends and teammates with Canadian forwards Christine Sinclair and Janine Beckie from the Portland Thorns.

"We have really just tried to be there and support them in any way because we know the burden that has carried through with our players when we were going through the lawsuit and fight with U.S. soccer and deciding whether to strike or not, or how to protest, or when to protest, and whether we would get support from the fans and from our country," Alex Morgan said.

"Canada is going through it all while still trying to do their job and play soccer at the highest level. So [we will do anything we can to] support them and try to ease their minds, so they can focus on the game and be that fierce rival on the field."

Canadian players, who said they were not paid in 2022, are asking their federation for equal pay and equal investment to the men's team. Canada's women made history when they won their first ever Olympic gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics, while the men's side is fresh off its first World Cup appearance in 36 years.

"This could be our most important fight that we ever have as national team players, and it's one that we are determined to win," Sinclair, who is her team's longtime captain and the world's all-time leading international goalscorer, said during Tuesday's press conference.

Canada's initial reaction to their federation's budget cuts was to strike last week before the SheBelieves Cup. They only decided not to after CSA threatened legal action.

"Imagine if we could just do our job," Morgan said. "That would be so nice."

The U.S. star striker followed by saying how difficult 2019-2022 was for the USWNT. Every camp they had multiple player meetings and calls with their legal, strategy and PR teams while in the midst of their lawsuit. The USWNT doesn't need to have those extra meet-ups now that they won their battle.

"But Canada is just getting started," Morgan said. "I hope that it's a shorter road for them, and we'll do anything possible to try to publicize what they're fighting for and why they should achieve that."

Does Morgan think there will ever come a time when there's not something for women to fight for?

"S---, I hope so," she said. "I hope there's a time when we just show up and do our job like our male counterparts and don't have to worry about fighting for equality.

"And it's not just in sports. We see that with women in all workplaces. It's incredibly harder to make it to the top, to be a C Suite level executive. We're seeing a change, but it's going to be years and years. I just hope we continue to see progress."

As Canada's fight with CSA drags on, they still have to come together and prepare for the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, which begins July 20. While it might feel like a major distraction on the outside, Megan Rapinoe said this kind of situation can actually benefit a team. The USWNT filed its lawsuit a few months before the 2019 World Cup and went onto win its second straight title.

"I think when you're fighting for something more than yourself and more than just your team, honestly even more than the sport, I think that's inspiring," Rapinoe said. "I think across the world – from Champions League games, or what England did in the Euros, and the way our team has performed – I think [Canada] should use that as something that can be galvanizing and motivating for fans and players alike."

Laken Litman covers college football, college basketball and soccer for FOX Sports. She previously wrote for Sports Illustrated, USA Today and The Indianapolis Star. She is the author of "Strong Like a Woman," published in spring 2022 to mark the 50th anniversary of Title IX. Follow her on Twitter @LakenLitman.

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