The National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) and NWSL Players Association have a new collective bargaining agreement, one which includes higher pay, expanding benefits and – in a notable move – abolishing the draft.
With the new CBA, which will be in place through 2030, the NWSL becomes the first major American professional sports league to abolish its player draft.
“The draft is an antiquated model that empowers teams to decide for Players instead of Players deciding for themselves,” NWSLPA president Tori Huster said.
“Now, Players can choose the team environment that fits their needs and maximizes their opportunities. Teams will need to step up to create environments that appeal to Players.”
The agreement raises the minimum player salary, and there will be no limit for an individual player’s maximum salary. A team’s base salary cap will rise by nearly 55% over the term of the agreement from $3.3 million in 2025 to $5.1 million in 2030.
Parental leave and childcare benefits also will be further expanded under the new deal. Charter flights can be used for up to six legs in a league season, and additional charter flights are required in what the league says is “a variety of scenarios to ensure player health and safety requirements are satisfied.”
Player movement also is addressed in the new CBA, granting unrestricted free agency and guaranteeing all contracts. Any trade, intra-league or inter-league transfer will require player consent. This, the league said in its statement announcing the CBA, aligns NWSL standard player agreements with FIFA regulations on the status and transfer of players.
“Given our vision to be the best league in the world, we determined that this was the right time to align with global standards and achieve long term labor peace,” NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman said.
“This CBA gives us agency over our business and gives the players agency over their careers. Our new agreement revolutionizes the game, raises standards, and innovates the business.
“On behalf of our Board of Governors, I want to thank our players and their representative leadership at the NWSLPA for working together to make this possible.”