NWSL players and league sign historic first-ever collective bargaining agreement

The National Women's Soccer League and the NWSL Players Association agreed to their first-ever collective bargaining agreement (CBA) on Monday night. The landmark deal introduces player free agency, higher salaries with annual increases, and other health and wellness benefits through to 2026.

«This is a historic moment for women's soccer in the United States,» NWSL interim CEO Marla Messing said in a statement. «This transformative agreement represents deserved advancements for our players, including significantly stronger compensation packages and benefits, enhanced training and playing environments, and a long-term commitment to continually improve the standards we all regard as essential to securing our position as the best women's soccer league in the world.»

Free agency will begin in the 2023 season for players with six or more years in the league. In 2024, players with five years will be eligible for full free agency, and players with three years of service will have restricted free agency. Waived players will receive four weeks of severance pay, plus a month of housing and health insurance.

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The contract also raises the minimum salary by 60% to $35,000 with 4% annual increases and includes increasing levels of free housing, transportation, 401k matching contributions, health insurance and other benefits. According to the league, that will increase the average total compensation for players by more than 30% to $54,000 over the 2021 season.

In 2021, the minimum salary per player was $22,000, prompting the NWSLPA to launch its #NoMoreSideHustles campaign because many players had to work second jobs to get by.

The NWSLPA, which represents around 200 players,