NWSL introduces High Impact Player rule amid opposition from players union

The NWSL Players Association responded later Tuesday, issuing a statement to ESPN saying it would take action “to enforce the rights of the Players we represent.”

“The NWSL Players Association opposes the League’s decision to move forward without bargaining over the High Impact Player Rule,” the union said. “Under federal labor law, changes to compensation under the salary cap are a mandatory subject of bargaining - not a matter of unilateral discretion.

“Fair pay is realized through fair, collectively bargained compensation systems, not arbitrary classifications. A league that truly believes in the value of its Players would not be afraid to bargain over it.”

The union added that it has proposed raising the team salary cap to better compete in a global labor market and called for collective bargaining around future revenue-sharing projections to allow teams and players to negotiate multi-year contracts with greater certainty.

Under the new rule, each club will be permitted to exceed the league’s established salary cap by up to $1 million beginning in 2026. The league said the additional allotment will increase year over year at the same base rate as the salary cap and may be applied to a single player or distributed among multiple players.

To qualify for the designation, players must meet at least one commercial or sporting benchmark set by the league, including a top-30 finish in Ballon d’Or voting within the past two years, placement among the top 40 players in global rankings published by outlets such as The Guardian and ESPN FC, ranking among the top 11 U.S. women’s national team field players in minutes played over the past two years, or earning NWSL MVP finalist or Best XI First Team honors in either of the previous two seasons.

For any contract using the provision, the cap charge of a High Impact Player must account for at least 12 percent of the base salary cap.

The league said the rule could increase league-wide player spending by up to $16 million annually, with a total potential investment of up to $115 million over the life of the current collective bargaining agreement.

In its announcement, the NWSL said the move was permitted under the terms of the current collective bargaining agreement and followed consultations with the NWSLPA, calling the measure a “historic increase in league investment.”

“Ensuring our teams can compete for the best players in the world is critical to the continued growth of our league,” Commissioner Jessica Berman said in a release.

The announcement comes amid increased scrutiny of the league’s salary framework, including an ongoing grievance involving Washington Spirit forward Trinity Rodman, whose contract situation has highlighted tensions around compensation rules and roster flexibility.

It also arrives as the NWSL faces growing competition from Europe, particularly England’s Women’s Super League, which operates without a salary cap. Several U.S. internationals, including Naomi Girma and Alyssa Thompson, have departed for the WSL this year in reported seven-figure transfers.

Rodman’s current contract expires at the end of December, meaning she could sign with another club without the Spirit receiving a transfer fee.