NWSL Proposes High Impact Player Rule to Boost Salary Cap and Retain Star Players
The National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) has proposed introducing a High Impact Player Rule that would allow teams to exceed the existing salary cap by up to $1 million to attract and retain star players. This rule is set to take effect on July 1, 2026, and is expected to increase league spending by up to $16 million in 2026 and up to $115 million over the term of the current Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).
The proposal aims to keep top talent such as Trinity Rodman in the United States, as Rodman has been linked with potential moves to European clubs. NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman stated that the rule enables the league to compete globally for elite players and helps build world-class rosters.
Eligibility for the High Impact Player designation includes meeting at least one of several criteria: being listed among The Guardian’s Top 100 players, SportsPro’s Top 150 marketable athletes, Ballon d’Or top 30, ESPN FC Top 50, achieving USWNT minutes milestones, being an NWSL MVP finalist, or securing a spot on the NWSL Best XI first team in the prior two seasons.
The minimum usage of the $1 million threshold is 12% of the base salary cap, which can be allocated to a single player or distributed among multiple high-impact players. In 2025, the NWSL salary cap was set at $3.5 million after adjustments related to revenue sharing.
However, the NWSL Players Association opposes this proposed plan, arguing that any changes to compensation under the salary cap should be subject to collective bargaining. They advocate instead for raising the team salary cap and implementing revenue sharing through multi-year negotiations.
