Thursday saw the NWSL Players Association (NWSLPA) and NWSL announce their new collective bargaining agreement (CBA), outlining significant implications for the league, its growth, and its players.
Less than two years into the NWSL’s first-ever CBA (ratified in 2022), the league invited the NWSLPA to renegotiate last fall. The original CBA had increased minimum salaries, introduced free agency, established safety and health standards, and provided player housing and transportation.
The new CBA is set to run through 2030, with a performance-based reopening trigger to ensure fair sharing of future revenue.
CBA makes NWSL the first pro US league to eliminate drafts
The most significant changes in the new agreement include the elimination of both college and expansion drafts.
The NWSL becomes the first professional US sports league to grant incoming athletes control over their placement, resembling the college recruiting process. Players will automatically become free agents once their contracts expire and cannot be traded without their consent.
Workload management, including guaranteed breaks and new travel and scheduling models, was also addressed.
Teams now must allocate a percentage of their revenue towards player compensation, in addition to the minimum base salary requirements.
NWSL growth key to new NWSLPA bargaining agreement
With the NWSL’s $240 million media rights deal and record-breaking team valuations, the NWSLPA is focused on ensuring that the league passes along those gains. From doubling the salary cap last January to the renegotiated CBA announced today, the NWSL is positioned to lead the way in pro sports transparency and prioritizing players.
