US women’s soccer league agrees to widen high-pay eligibility
From 1 January 2027, the settlement lets clubs use the High Impact Player pay rule for any player earning at least 12% of the base salary cap.
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From 1 January 2027, the settlement lets clubs use the High Impact Player pay rule for any player earning at least 12% of the base salary cap.
The US National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) and its players' union have agreed to remove performance and ranking tests that restricted access to contracts using the league’s High Impact Player rule. The settlement, announced on 23 October, resolves six grievances, including a dispute over Washington Spirit player Trinity Rodman’s contract.
The rule already lets clubs spend an additional $1 million above the salary cap—the limit on team salary spending. Introduced in December 2025 and effective from 1 July 2026, it was intended to help clubs retain stars receiving offers from European teams not bound by salary caps. The settlement changes who can qualify; it does not introduce that extra allowance.
The league retains the power to reject contracts that circumvent the salary cap. Under the settlement, it must notify the NWSL Players Association and explain its decision within 72 hours. It must also give clubs salary-cap and revenue updates throughout the year.
The contract dispute began in November 2025, when commissioner Jessica Berman blocked the Spirit’s proposed deal with Rodman, worth more than $1 million a year on average. Berman said its backloaded structure, with pay weighted toward later years, violated league rules. The union challenged the rejection as a violation of Rodman’s free-agency rights.
Rodman re-signed with the Spirit in January 2026 for more than $2 million annually, but the grievance over the earlier rejection remained open until this settlement. NWSL executive vice-president Bill Ordower said the agreement gives players, clubs and the league greater certainty while protecting competitive balance.
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Previously, players needed to meet one of eight tests involving national-team playing time, football awards or media rankings, including rankings of athletes' marketability. The union argued that this classification violated federal labor law and the collective bargaining agreement, the negotiated employment rules between the league and its players.
From 1 January 2027, clubs can designate any player as a High Impact Player if her salary is at least 12% of the base salary cap. The league may limit the number of designated players per club. The change removes awards and rankings as a condition for using the extra spending allowance, without guaranteeing any player a designation or contract.
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