By OkayGoal 
The National Womens Soccer League (NWSL) Players Association renegotiated their collective bargaining agreement (CBA) in the summer of 2024. The new CBA will last through December 2030 and has set a new standard across the league. Many of the changes made in the most recent CBA are a part of the NWSL’s attempt to compete with other major American sports leagues and international womens soccer leagues.
What is a CBA, and how is it relevant to the NWSL?
A collective bargaining agreement is a written contract between an employer and a union that represents its employees. The agreement typically outlines the terms of employment. For the NWSL, this means that their CBA defines the rules surrounding player contracts, number of games, expansion, salaries, free agency, team requirements, and more. All CBA’s are negotiated between the league and the NWSL Player’s Association.
The Player’s Association is a labor union that advocates for NWSL players. All players who have signed a standard player agreement automatically become members of the NWSL Player’s Association. Aside from the players who make up the union, it is led by an executive committee of four players and two player representatives from each team.
All drafts are gone!
The latest CBA has abolished all forms of NWSL drafts, which aligns with major soccer leagues around the world. This includes college, expansion, and supplemental drafts, but mainly affects the new expansion teams and players coming out of college. Instead of being drafted, young players can enter the NWSL by negotiating a contract and signing with any team. Expansion teams can also obtain young talent from college, existing players through free agency, and international players from overseas.
Changes to free agency and trades
Prior to the current CBA, free agency was only available to a limited group of players, mostly veterans. NWSL players whose contracts have expired were only eligible for free agency if they played a minimum number of “service years.” Players who did not hit the minimum threshold were eligible for restricted free agency. Restricted free agents were able to negotiate with other teams, but their current team could retain the player by matching any other offers the player receives.
Now, all players whose contracts have expired are eligible for free agency and can sign with any team, regardless of their number of “service years.” Teams also cannot trade players without their consent. These new rules give players more power and leverage, whereas teams and owners previously had absolute power.
Players are getting paid…more than before
While the USWNT won an equal pay settlement in 2024, NWSL players are still fighting for higher pay, especially in relation to the amount of money teams and the league is making. The new CBA will increase the salary cap and minimum salary for players. Both amounts will gradually increase every year until the current CBA expires. Award bonuses have also taken a large jump, namely the MVP award bonus quadrupling from $5,000 to $20,000.
The new CBA also allows for a potential increase in cap space. The increase will start at $200,000 per year and be based on the previous year’s media and sponsorship revenue. This revenue share is expected to go back to players and the league.
Featured image via Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images, NWSL Player’s Association, and NWSL.