U.S. women's soccer team files gender discrimination suit against its own federation

More than two dozen members of the U.S. women's national soccer team filed a gender discrimination lawsuit against the United States Soccer Federation on Friday, just three months before the start of the World Cup.

The civil complaint was launched in federal court in Los Angeles, marking another major step in an ongoing fight between players and the federation over pay and workplace issues.

The 28 plaintiffs, who not only include stars such as Carli Lloyd, Megan Rapinoe and Alex Morgan but also reserve players, are seeking class-action status so that past players can join.

In the lawsuit, the players said “institutionalized gender discrimination” is reflected in their pay, medical treatment, travel arrangements and overall workload.

The claims in the lawsuit, filed on International Women's Day, mirror similar accusations made in an Equal Employment Opportunity Commission complaint filed by five players in 2016 — Lloyd, Morgan, Rapinoe, Becky Sauerbrunn and former player Hope Solo.

The U.S. women's soccer team is an international powerhouse, having won three of the seven all-time Women's World Cup titles, including the last one played in 2015. The United States has won gold four times in the six Olympic Games in which women's soccer has been played.

That stands in stark contrast to the men's national team, which took third place in the first World Cup played in 1930 — and hasn't come close since. The Americans didn't qualify for the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

The FIFA Women's World Cup kicks off June 7 in Paris.