Getting equal pay for the United States women’s national team has gone from talk to action.

Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) introduced a bill to withhold federal funding for the 2026 men’s World Cup, which will be jointly hosted by the US, Canada and Mexico, until the men’s and women’s national teams are paid equally by the US Soccer Federation. The cause became a topic du jour as the USWNT romped through the World Cup, winning the title with a 2-0 win over the Netherlands on Sunday.

In March, 28 members of the women’s team sued the USSF for alleged discrimination in the form of unequal pay. Mediation is set to begin soon.

Players on the team, in particular Megan Rapinoe, have been outspoken on the subject throughout the tournament.

“For all the fans and people — ‘Good Morning America,’ everybody — go watch your team,” Rapinoe said Tuesday on “Good Morning America.” “Watch the national team. Watch your local club teams. I think that there’s a part in this for everybody to do. And I think we’ve really left the old conversation behind us and now it’s time for that action.”

Viewership for the women’s final in the US beat out the ratings for the men’s final in 2018 between France and Croatia. According to The Guardian, USWNT players could make roughly $260,000 in earnings for the World Cup win, including a victory tour, while the USMNT would get almost $1 million in the equivalent scenario.

The USMNT failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup after an embarrassing loss to Trinidad and Tobago. More recently, it lost the CONCACAF Gold Cup final to Mexico on Sunday, the same day the USWNT won its second straight World Cup.

“The clear unequitable pay between the US men’s and women’s soccer teams is unacceptable and I’m glad the US Women’s Soccer Team [sic] latest victory is causing public outcry,” Manchin said in a statement. “They are the best in the world and deserve to be paid accordingly.”

It’s unlikely the removal of federal funding for the 2026 World Cup would have much of an effect. All 17 potential host cities for the US have existing stadiums — much of the appeal in bidding for the World Cup was the lack of need to build infrastructure for such an event.

Still, action in some form would represent progress for the USWNT.