World Cup 2022: US women's soccer team earns nice payday thanks to men's win over Iran

The U.S. men’s national team defeated Iran 1-0 on Tuesday to move onto the knockout stage of the World Cup for the first time since 2014.

While the entire U.S. cheered on Christian Pulisic and company in the exciting defeat of their final Group B opponent, it was the U.S. women’s soccer team that really won big without having to put a cleat on.

The U.S. men’s team is guaranteed a payout of $13 million for making it to the knockout stage of the World Cup, and because the U.S. women’s team struck a historic deal to receive equal pay with the men and split prize money 50/50, they are guaranteed at least $6.5 million.

The prize for the men making it to the round of 16 is more than the women earned for winning the 2015 and 2019 World Cups combined. According to Yahoo Sports, the women's team earned $2 million in 2015 and $4 million in 2019.

The new deal was agreed to in May and will run through 2028. The U.S. Soccer Federation became the first national governing body in sports to guarantee both sexes matching money.

If the U.S. men beat the Netherlands on Saturday, then the payout would be higher for both sides: $2 million higher.