The NWSL recently shared their new “High-Impact Player” rule, a strategic move aimed at boosting salaries for standout athletes as the women’s soccer scene evolves. This policy, rolled out Tuesday, allows teams to add up to an extra $1 million to their spending for select players, reflecting the league’s commitment to attracting top talent.
Starting in 2026, NWSL teams can surpass the current salary cap by $1 million, using these funds for one player or spreading them across multiple contracts. The criteria for high-impact players will escalate each year in line with the salary cap, which is set at $3.5 million for 2026 and will increase to $5.1 million by 2030. While this change is officially effective from July 1, teams can start signing players under this rule immediately, provided contracts align with the policy’s start date.
This cap exemption applies only to athletes meeting specific performance or marketability benchmarks laid out by the league.
Criteria for the high-impact player designation
- Athletes on SportsPro Media’s Top 150 Most Marketable list from the prior year; or
- Players ranked in the Top 30 of the Ballon d’Or voting within the last two years; or
- Top 40 players in the Guardian’s Top 100 football players in the world within the past two years; or
- Top 40 selection in ESPN FC’s Top 50 players worldwide from the last two years; or
- Field players in the USWNT with top 11 minutes played over the past two years for all competitions; or
- Goalkeepers in the USWNT with top one minute played over the past two years for all competitions; or
- Previous NWSL MVP Finalist in the last two league seasons; or
- Selection to the NWSL Best XI First Team within the last two league seasons.
Addressing increased competition
This new rule comes on the heels of intense discussion surrounding the league’s salary cap, particularly spotlighting U.S. women’s national team star Trinity Rodman. Currently, Rodman is a free agent after her contract with the Washington Spirit ended. Several teams, including the Spirit, are showing interest. The club sought to re-sign her but faced challenges with the existing salary cap, leading to the rejection of a reported $1 million annual deal for violating cap guidelines.
The league’s commissioner, Jessica Berman, emphasized their commitment to retaining Rodman and other premier players amidst rising anxiety that the NWSL could struggle against European clubs. Recently, transfer fees and salaries have surged in the women’s game, with the top seven transfers in 2025 all reflecting this trend. The Orlando Pride set a benchmark with their $1.5 million acquisition of Lizbeth Ovalle from Tigres in August, with European teams dominating the market.
Rodman’s situation mirrors that of fellow USWNT athletes Naomi Girma and Alyssa Thompson, both of whom recently transitioned to European teams like Chelsea.
The high-impact player rule might provide a pathway for the Spirit to retain Rodman and conclude her recruitment saga, although no contract has been finalized as of yet.
NWSL Players Association’s standpoint
In response to the league’s announcement, the NWSL Players Association expressed objections to the new rule, arguing it infringes upon federal labor laws.
“The NWSL Players Association is opposed to the League’s decision to enact the High Impact Player Rule without negotiation. Under federal labor law, any changes to salary cap compensation are subject to mandatory bargaining, not unilateral decisions,” the statement indicated. “Fair pay comes from equitable, collectively bargained compensation frameworks, not arbitrary classifications. A league that values its players would engage in negotiations.”
“We proposed a reasonable alternative: increasing the Team Salary Cap to remain competitive in the global market. Furthermore, we suggested that through collective bargaining, we collaboratively devise a system for predicting future revenue-sharing figures. This would enable teams and players to negotiate multi-year agreements confidently. The Union is prepared to engage in good-faith negotiations. The league’s unilateral actions compel the NWSLPA to act to protect the rights of the players we represent.”
Meghann Burke, the NWSLPA executive director, stated that the union intends to take action following this rule change.
“NWSL is aware that the NWSLPA will pursue necessary steps to uphold our collective bargaining agreement,” Burke stated. “Our preference is that the proposed $1 million addition to the salary cap applies universally, rather than being limited to the high-impact player provision.”
“We acknowledge the NWSL Board of Governors’ willingness to elevate player compensation by $1 million in 2026,” Burke noted. “However, we firmly believe this investment should be directed towards increasing the team salary cap to effectively compete in the global labor market. Like this proposed rule, teams unwilling to make further investments would not be compelled to exceed their current spending levels.”
Lastly, regarding the Spirit’s recent offer to Rodman, the NWSL Players Association has filed a grievance over the rejection of this compliant contract. The league has 14 days to respond to this grievance filed on December 3, but both sides have mutually agreed to extend the timeline due to the holiday season.
