NWSL Players Association inks landmark collective bargaining agreement

The GIST: Just ahead of the regular season resuming post-Olympics, the NWSL and its players association announced a historic new collective bargaining agreement (CBA), effective immediately, that grants players more agency, compensation, and benefits than ever before. HYFR.

NWSL breaks American precedent, eliminates the college draft: A first among major American sports leagues, the NWSL has eliminated the draft, a move that increases player agency by allowing them to negotiate with teams in an open market rather than anxiously wait to see which club chooses them.

• Though operating without a draft is a novel move in the States, it’s the norm in top overseas footy programs like the Premier League and the Women’s Super League.

• The new CBA also removed limitations on season start and end dates, making it possible for the NWSL to run from fall to spring (like most international soccer leagues) in the future as opposed to its current March to November format.

Say hello to guaranteed contracts, unrestricted free agency, and more: The list goes on and on when it comes to new player benefits. All contracts are now fully guaranteed and individual salary caps have been eliminated. Plus, the league’s minimum salary is set to raise from $48.5K in 2025 to $82.5K by 2030. Keep on climbin’.

• Additionally, all players will be granted unrestricted free agency when their contract expires, a shift from the previous CBA, which only permitted such autonomy to players of a certain tenure.

• Perhaps best of all, all trades will require player consent, meaning athletes can’t be sent to a new squad without agreeing to it first. Love to see it.

Putting people at the center: Last but not least, the CBA expands parental leave, childcare benefits, and mental health services, and cements charter flights for teams for up to six legs (three round trips) in a season. This agreement is more than historic — it’s a new precedent for professional athletes worldwide.