Adidas will pay equal bonuses to Women's World Cup winners

March 9 (Reuters) – Adidas-sponsored players from the team that won the FIFA Women's World Cup this year will receive the same performance bonuses as their male counterparts, the sportswear company said Friday.

This announcement follows the announcement of the American Women's National Football Team, which is suing their federation for discrimination against women, the 28 members of the team having been named as plaintiffs in federal court.

The complaint filed by the team includes complaints about wages. The players said they had always been paid less than their male counterparts, even though their performances were better.

Adidas global brand manager Eric Liedtke said the company wanted to help encourage the next generation of women athletes.

"Today we announce that all Adidas athletes from the winning team of the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup will receive the same performance bonus as their male counterparts," Liedtke said in a statement.

"We believe in inspiring and enabling the next generation of female athletes and women leaders to break through barriers."

The US team's legal action was supported by prominent American tennis players including Serena Williams, Bille Jean King and Sloane Stephens.

Although the men's football team failed to qualify for the World Cup in Russia last year, the US women's team will defend its 2015 title in France in June. (Report of Rohith Nair in Bengaluru, edited by Peter Rutherford)