Thanks to a new collective bargaining agreement, professional female soccer players in the USA will have significantly more control over their careers in the future and will also earn more money than before. Like all other professionals in the NWSL, German national players Ann-Katrin Berger and Felicitas Rauch can no longer be transferred against their will from next season. The NWSL is also the first relevant professional league in the USA to abolish the so-called draft – giving players significantly more control over which team they will begin their professional careers in after college.
According to the new rules, the minimum wage will also rise from around $38,000 to $48,500 – and to $82,500 by the end of the new contract in 2030. There is no maximum salary limit for individual players; the salary cap for entire teams increases with their income. The salary is also guaranteed for the entire duration of the contract. All of this is made possible by the collective bargaining agreement that the players’ union NWSLPA and the National Women’s Soccer League agreed on and which replaces the existing contract, which was actually still valid for two years.
Women’s sport is booming – and the NWSL is growing rapidly
“The draft is an outdated model that gave teams the power to select players,” said NWSLPA President Tori Huster. “Now players can choose the environment that fits their needs and maximize their opportunities. Teams will have to strive to create an environment that attracts players.”
Women’s sport is booming and the popularity of the NWSL is also growing rapidly. Last November, the league re-awarded the television rights and gained partners with a wide reach in CBS Sports, ESPN, Amazon Prime Video and Scripps Sports. According to US media, the deal will bring the league $240 million over four years – a gigantic jump from the previous $4.5 million over three years.
