(Matthew Kleiner) – Nike’s CEO announced that the USA home jersey for this summer’s Women’s World Cup is the company’s best-selling soccer jersey ever. No other shirt, men’s or women’s, has been purchased more often from nike.com over the course of a single season. The slim-fit white jersey with blue- and red-striped sleeves is available for $90 online, a replica of what the national team players will wear later today in the World Cup Final.

The popularity of women’s soccer continues to grow dramatically, with merchandise sales offering a measure of the progress. American sportswear store Fanatics reports that purchases of the USA women’s shirt are up 500% from the same point in the 2015 tournament. Nike claims some credit for expanding the women’s market, pointing to a commitment in recent years to product development and marketing. The brand makes two thirds of this summer’s World Cup kits, including three of the four semifinalists’ (USA, England, Holland). For the first time in its history, Nike grabbed the top spot in North American bra sales this past quarter.

Le divise realizzate da Nike per i team nazionali (maschili e femminili) dell’Inghilterra

News of the American women’s record-setting support comes in the wake of a lawsuit 28 team members filed against the US Soccer Federation in March, arguing wage discrimination. For victories in all the 20 annual friendly matches both the men’s and women’s teams are contractually required to play, the men would earn over twice the purse of the women. The USSF maintained that any pay imbalance is due to the teams’ different revenue structures. As the women steamrolled through the World Cup group stages, however, the Wall Street Journal reported that the USSF hopes to prevent the case going to court through a mediation process with the players after the tournament. Several days earlier, the Journal had released figures from the federation’s finances showing that the women’s team has, in fact, brought in more revenues since the 2015 World Cup than the men’s. (content in partnership with Temple University)