Megan Rapinoe of USA during the FIFA Women's World Cup France 2019 Final football match USA v. Netherlands on July 7, 2019, in France. Photo: Romain Biard/Shutterstock.com

Star Megan Rapinoe and the world champion U.S. women's soccer team have claimed another victory. A federal court in Los Angeles on Friday certified the women's class action lawsuit against the U.S. Soccer Federation over unequal pay and working conditions.

The decision could impact general counsel whose companies are struggling with pay equity issues, as well as other sport leagues with men and women's teams.

Jeffrey Kessler, co-executive chairman of Winston & Strawn and co-chair of its sports law practice, filed the suit March 8 after mediation talks broke down. Kessler on Friday referred questions to Molly Levinson, the spokeswoman for the women soccer players.

Levinson said in an emailed statement, "This is a historic step forward in the struggle to achieve equal pay. We are so pleased that the court has recognized USSF's ongoing discrimination against women players—rejecting USSF's tired arguments that women must work twice as hard and accept lesser working conditions to get paid the same as men."

She called on soccer league president Carlos Cordeiro to end "the unlawful discrimination against women now."

Federation officials could not immediately be reached for comment, but have indicated in the past they would be open to returning to talks.

Lydia Wahlke, chief legal officer for the U.S. Soccer Federation, has previously told Corporate Counsel she could not discuss the issues during pending litigation.

The 28 named plaintiffs in the lawsuit include the women's World Cup most valuable player, Rapinoe, along with Alex Morgan, Carli Lloyd and Becky Sauerbrunn. All four were named class representatives. The court also appointed Winston & Strawn as class counsel.

U.S.  District Judge R. Gary Klausner of the Central District of California wrote in the ruling the U.S. Soccer Federation's argument defending the current pay scale could lead to an "absurd result." Klausner said under the current scheme a woman could be paid half as much as a man, but could reach an equal pay level by working twice as many hours.

He ordered the parties to meet and submit final class notices to the court within 14 days.

The suit could impact other women's soccer teams around the world who also have begun demanding more equality. During this year's World Cup competition, several teams urged FIFA, the world's largest sports league, to ensure that women receive pay and working conditions equal to the men's teams. FIFA has taken steps but so far has not agreed to full equity.