Players for the U.S. women's national soccer team have filed a federal gender discrimination lawsuit seeking pay equal to that of their male counterparts.
The action comes just three months before the team will defend its title at the Women's World Cup.
The class-action lawsuit was filed Friday in federal court in Los Angeles under the Equal Pay Act and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. It alleges gender-based discrimination by the U.S. Soccer Federation.
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The players allege they have been subject to ongoing "institutionalized gender discrimination," including unequal pay, despite having the same job responsibilities as players on the men's national team.