The US Soccer Federation says it has offered identical contract proposals to the players' associations for the men's and women's national teams, in an effort to bring the two parties under one collective bargaining agreement structure.
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The unions for the men and women are separate and have no obligation to bargain jointly or to agree to similar terms but the governing body is keen to level the playing field.
"US Soccer firmly believes that the best path forward for all involved, and for the future of the sport in the United States, is a single pay structure for both senior national teams," a statement read.
"This proposal will ensure that USWNT and USMNT players remain among the highest-paid senior national team players in the world... "
US Soccer also said that "finding a way to equalise FIFA World Cup prize money" was necessary.
The announcement came days after US Soccer President Cindy Parlow Cone called "the massive discrepancy in FIFA World Cup prize money" the most challenging issue in their negotiations with the two teams.
FIFA offered prize money of $30 million ($A41m) to the teams in the 2019 women's World Cup while the men took home $400m ($A547m) at their tournament the year before.
The men's and women's unions did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Women players led by Alex Morgan sued the USSF in March 2019, contending they have not been paid equitably under their collective bargaining agreement compared to what the men's team receives under their agreement.
The women have asked for more than $64m ($A87m) in damages plus $3 million $A4m) in interest.
A court threw out the pay claim in May 2020 but allowed an allegation of discriminatory working conditions to go to trial.
The women appealed the verdict to get their wage claim back on track. A three-judge panel is likely to hear oral arguments late this year or in early 2022.
with Reuters
Australian Associated Press
