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STORY: In what has arguably been its hardest fought victory, the U.S. women’s soccer team on Wednesday won its years-long battle for equal pay with the men’s team – after the two struck landmark agreements with the U.S Soccer Federation.

The crowning achievement of the deals: equal prize money for the teams’ respective World Cup tournaments – a first among all countries in the world.

Cindy Parlow Cone is President of U.S. Soccer.

“It’s a truly historic moment for U.S. Soccer, for soccer in general. [FLASH] We do have two separate contracts because there are a few differences that the women wanted and the men wanted, but they include identical game payments, pooling and sharing of all prize money including World Cup prize money - we’re the first country to ever do that - and revenue sharing that will be the same for both teams."

The agreements come three months after the women’s team and U.S. Soccer agreed to resolve a dispute dating back to 2016, when some female players filed a federal wage discrimination complaint claiming they were paid less than male players even though they generate more income for the U.S. Soccer Federation.

The U.S women’s team is the most successful team in international women's soccer, having won four World Cups. The U.S. men’s team has never won a World Cup.

“I said months before we actually got them in a room together that this deal would not get done without the men’s players and the men’s players association coming together and working with the women’s PA, the women’s players and U.S. Soccer, and they have absolutely done that. I think this deal just shows what we can really achieve if we all work together."

The collective bargaining agreements run through 2028, covering the next two World Cups and Olympic cycles. The U.S. Soccer Federation said the deals will keep the athletes among the highest-paid national team players in the world.