1972 – Title IX Passed

The passage of Title IX marked a foundational moment in the history of U.S. athletics, mandating gender equity in federally funded educational programs. It dramatically expanded access to sports for women, especially at the collegiate level, and laid the groundwork for the development of women’s soccer and the eventual rise of the USWNT. Yet, the policy’s benefits were uneven. Title IX disproportionately served white, middle- and upper-class women, as under-resourced schools and communities of color lacked the infrastructure to take full advantage of the law (Bell 2007; Howard Magazine 2022).

Women’s collegiate soccer, which was strengthened by Title IX, became the primary talent pipeline to the USWNT, but this path often excluded athletes from marginalized backgrounds. While Title IX represented a major legal victory for gender equity, it also exposed gaps in racial and class inclusion that would later become focal points in the team’s activism. The USWNT's future leaders would build on this complex legacy, pushing toward true equity.