The 2023 Women’s World Cup will rocket 23 American players into unprecedented visibility, presenting windows for iconic, legacy-making moments – like Brandi Chastain’s shirtless celebration after her winning penalty kick in 1999, and Megan Rapinoe’s victory pose after a goal in 2019. Perhaps the soaring awareness of these women will also catalyze a long-overdue reckoning with the wealth disparities between male and female athletes.
The increased spotlight on the USWNT team is already apparent. On the morning of 21 June, head coach Vlatko Andonovski called each of his 23 squad members to officially tell them they’d been selected for the roster. An AT&T-sponsored crew filmed Andonovski’s calls and footage circulated quickly. US president Joe Biden and his wife Jill joined in the amplification of the national team roster. “For nearly 40 years the US women’s national team has optimized what it means to be champions,” Biden said. “From lifting trophies to fighting for gender equity.”
