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Jeff Kassoff
United States of America Ahead trinity rodmanfuture with washington spirit — and in the nwsl – is uncertain as she entertains more lucrative offers from abroad, meaning Saturday’s NWSL semifinal at Audi Field could potentially be her last home game for the Spirit.
Rodman’s contract with the Spirit expires next month and he has been attracting interest from Europe since the summer. he told ESPN’s Soccer W. Earlier this year she said that she had “always thought about playing overseas at some point in my career,” and “it’s just a matter of when.”
Negotiations to keep Rodman in Washington or in the NWSL have reached an impasse due to the league’s salary cap constraints.
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The Spirit and other NWSL teams are unable to compete financially for Rodman under current salary cap rules, and Rodman’s agent has spoken directly to NWSL Commissioner Jessica Berman about a solution, a source confirmed to ESPN.
Multiple sources confirmed to ESPN that Rodman has several serious offers from clubs abroad, including England. Those clubs do not have salary cap restrictions, meaning they can offer increasingly higher salaries.
The NWSL salary cap is currently $3.5 million per team for a maximum roster of 26 players.
The 23-year-old Rodman is arguably the NWSL’s most recognizable star and most high-profile American player.
He Sprained his MCL on October 15 and has not played for the Spirit or USWNT since. He is available on the bench for Washington’s semifinal vs. the Portland Thorns.
An NWSL spokesperson provided the following statement to ESPN:
“The salary cap, which has increased significantly over the last five years, is an important part of our competitive structure and one of the reasons why last weekend’s quarter-finals were so fantastic. Anyone can win on any day.
“The league is making every effort to keep Trinity in the NWSL. She is an outstanding player and an important part of our league.”
The Athletic first reported Rodman’s agent’s direct talks with Berman.
The NWSL salary cap will gradually increase to $5.1 million in 2030 under the terms of the collective bargaining agreement signed last year. The largest year-to-year jump, from 2026 to 2027, coincides with what is expected to be removal of team-provided housing and players being compensated more directly.
Changes in limits are possible within the CBA. Each year’s base salary cap can be increased by revenue sharing, as happened this year when the original $3.3 million cap was increased to $3.5 million. The CBA also states that the NWSL, in consultation with the NWSL Players Association, may increase the salary cap in any year or “reduce or eliminate salary cap charges against the team salary cap for certain roster classifications.”
The language of the latter section leaves open the possibility that the NWSL could create a rule paying marquee players outside the salary cap, similar to MLS’s long-standing designated player rule.
ESPN reported last month that although there has been discussion about the idea of such a rule around cap-exempt players, there is no indication that the rule is anywhere close to being enacted, according to multiple sources.
Such a major change would require the involvement of not only Berman, but also the team owners who compose the league’s board of governors and vote on such matters.
The NWSL has already lost another young star USWNT forward, alyssa thompsonIn September, when the English champion chelsea flowed to get him Angel City FC,
Chelsea paid a $1.4 million transfer fee and offered a significantly higher salary, multiple sources confirmed to ESPN.
Earlier this year, the USWNT defender Naomi Girma left San Diego Wave FC The first $1 million transfer for Chelsea in women’s football. Bowman spoke to reporters a week after Thompson’s surprise transfer to Chelsea.
Asked by ESPN whether there would be an increase in the salary cap or whether new rules would be created to limit players from being paid outside the cap, Berman once again pointed to the NWSL’s “value proposition” beyond salary, as he had previously done.
“We’re always analyzing the entire ecosystem, monitoring the flow of players coming and going, assessing the quality of talent in the league,” Berman said.
“While I can understand the focus on the salary cap, the way players decide where to play is a complex set of considerations, and we will always look at it holistically, not in a short-sighted manner.
“We are confident that the value proposition we offer players is attractive and will continue to attract and retain the best players.”
