“It’s probably unique,” Ellis said of her situation. “But I’ve been able to deal with both parties, who’ve been incredibly professional. I don’t think anything impacts what the players bring to the field.”

The disparity in pay between the men and women is significant, though the federation has a defense readied against any claim of discrimination. U.S. Soccer officials argue there is an existing collective bargaining agreement in place that won’t expire until the end of the year. A federation source insisted Wednesday that U.S. Soccer is prepared to renegotiate now, before such talks are mandated in December, but would like the women to abide by the collective bargaining agreement until a new agreement is reached.

The women are pressing for more immediate action, asking the E.E.O.C. to throw out the old contract and to force U.S. Soccer to match the men’s compensation. The women are salaried and receive benefits, while the men are paid on an appearance basis, which makes comparisons more complicated.

“They get those benefits from their club team, and we’re not at that level yet,” Saurbrunn said. “If our teams in the NWSL ever get there, then we won’t need the benefits either.”

The women’s negotiating leverage will never be greater than it is now, coming off a profitable World Cup victory tour and approaching the Olympics in Rio. Once those Summer Games are done, the women will lose a considerable amount of sway. The most visible segment of their four-year cycle will be complete. The next World Cup won’t happen until 2019 in France.

Sauerbrunn insisted that the timing of the Olympics was not a catalyst for the suit, but that the women were becoming frustrated with stagnated negotiations. The Americans know everything is relative, in any case. Carli Lloyd said that Yorely Rincon, the Colombian midfielder and a friend, told her that players on that team had not been paid for four months.