The NWSL announced the “High-Impact Player” rule on Tuesday, a policy update that allows teams to spend an additional $1 million on select talent in the hopes of offering competitive salaries in an ever-evolving women’s soccer landscape.Beginning in 2026, NWSL teams will be able to exceed the league’s existing salary cap by $1 million and can use those funds towards a single player’s wages or for multiple players’ contracts. The threshold for high-impact player will increase incrementally annually alongside the salary cap, which will stand at $3.5 million in 2026 and will rise up to $5.1 million for the 2030 season. The change will be effective as of July 1, but teams can immediately sign athletes using the high-impact player rule as long as the structure of those contracts reflects the start date of the new policy.Teams can only utilize the salary cap exception on players who meet certain sporting or commercial criteria, and must meet just one of several different measurements defined by the league.Criteria for NWSL’s high-impact player rulePlayer is on SportsPro Media Top 150 Most Marketable Athletes within the one (1) year prior to the current league season; or,Player is selected in the Top 30 in Ballon d’Or voting in the two (2) years prior to the current league season; orPlayer is selected in the Top 40 of the Guardian Top 100 football players in the world in the two (2) years prior; orPlayer is selected in the Top 40 of ESPN FC Top 50 football players in the world in the two (2) years prior; orTop 11 minutes played for the USWNT in the prior two (2) calendar years for field players for all competition types; orTop one (1) minutes played for USWNT in the prior two (2) calendar years for goalkeepers for all competition types; orPlayer selected as NWSL MVP Finalist within previous the two (2) league seasons; orPlayer selected to the End of Year NWSL Best XI First Team within the previous two (2) league seasonsNWSL’s solution to increased competitionThe NWSL is introducing the new rule after weeks of discourse around its salary cap, much of it centered around U.S. women’s national team star Trinity Rodman. The forward is currently a free agent following the expiration of her multi-year deal with the Washington Spirit and has multiple suitors in the U.S. and in Europe, including the Spirit. The club attempted to re-sign Rodman earlier this month but have reportedly struggled to…
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2025-12-23 17:48:15
