Who is eligible for the NWSL’s new “High Impact Player” rule money? A lot of Europeans, it turns out. @abigailsegel.bsky.social dug into the newly announced criteria to determine who exactly qualifies for the contentious new roster designation—and who doesn’t: equalizersoccer.com/2025/12/23/w...

2. Alexia Putellas 5. Temwa Chawinga 13. Lucy Bronze 20. Marta See our list of the top 50 women's soccer players in the world here👇 spr.ly/6015Ckv6

The #NWSL transaction moratorium is here but of course that wouldn't stop announcements of who knows what kind. Happy Holidays people ✌️

BREAKING: The Kansas City Current are finalizing a deal to hire Chris Armas as head coach, sources tell ESPN. Armas most recently coached MLS' Colorado Rapids. KC Current won the #NWSL Shield in 2025. Story with @jeffreycarlisle.bsky.social: www.espn.com/soccer/story...

Full story on the #NWSL announcing the new High Impact Player rule we've been reporting... and the NWSLPA reaffirming its opposition to it, from @jeffreycarlisle.bsky.social: www.espn.com/soccer/story...

The NWSLPA has announced its continued opposition to the #NWSL's High Impact Player rule. "The League’s unilateral action leaves the NWSLPA no choice but to take action to enforce the rights of the Players we represent." Meghann Burke detailed why here: www.espn.com/soccer/story...

Full release from the #NWSL, including all the criteria to be a "High Impact Player" (must meet one of these points). www.nwslsoccer.com/news/nwsl-in...

The #NWSL has announced the High Impact Player rule, as ESPN reported on in recent weeks. $1M over cap for stars that take at least 12% cap hit and meet criteria. New wrinkle: Effective July 1 🤔 Background: www.espn.com/soccer/story...

#NWSL NEWS: Rachel Hill has signed for Racing Louisville Add that to other #NWSL notable signings announced this week: - Carson Pickett to Denver - Ella Stevens to Boston - 16-year-old Meila Brewer to Kansas City

#USWNT forward Cat Macario is drawing interest from several #NWSL teams, sources tell ESPN. She's out of contract this summer. The NWSL's potential rule change for star players could play a role in how competitive NWSL teams will be. www.espn.com/soccer/story...

Boston Legacy will play some 2026 games in Pawtucket, RI, due to conflicts at Gillette. White Stadium should be ready in 2027, yes, but a nomadic launch is the antithesis what was expected and celebrated when the #NWSL approved Boston 3 years ago as a step toward more controlled venues.

I've seen this asked a lot so to be explicit: Sophia Wilson's 2026 player option and the proposed High Impact Player rule are totally unrelated. Wilson's option was defined in her contract signed in 2024. HIP is not yet a ratified rule (and the NWSLPA's opposition casts doubt over that happening).

Statement from an #NWSL spokesperson:

BREAKING: The NWSLPA opposes the #NWSL's proposed "High Impact Player" rule. PA exec. dir. Meghann Burke tells @espn.com that the NWSL is controlling and interfering with which players can access a certain pot of funds. The PA's proposal is to raise the cap by $1M, the proposed "HIP" amount. MORE:

As we talk about the top end of women's soccer players and speak in millions, another FIFPRO study reminds of the realities of global minimum standards: 66% of players make <$20K 25% have outside jobs 33% have contract of <1 year 22% have no contract The study: www.fifpro.org/en/articles/...

Today, Wednesday, marked 14 days from the NWSLPA's grievance filed on behalf of Trinity Rodman against the NWSL. Sources tell me that the deadline for the league's response to sustain or deny the grievance in writing has been extended. Full context of the grievance and process 👇

Sophia Wilson returning in 2026 is really important for the #NWSL, too. Fun, talented, get-you-out--of-your-seat player that was missed (for the absolute best reason, to become a mom) in 2025. Good news for the Thorns AND for NWSL amid a year of concerns about losing elite talent to Europe.

Sophia Wilson will return to the Portland Thorns after executing her player option for 2026. It's huge, positive news for the Thorns (and #NWSL), who missed her this year. Wilson is a game-changer who carried Portland to a 2022 title as NWSL MVP. She was already NWSL's highest paid player annually.

AITANA BONMATI'S RESUME IS STACKED 🐐 🏆 FIFA Women's Player of the Year 3x 🏆 Ballon d'Or Féminin 3x 🏆 UEFA Women's Champions League Player of the Season 3x 🏆 FIFA Women's World Cup 🏆 Laureus Sportswoman of the Year 🏆 UEFA Women's Nations League MVP 🏆 FIFA Women's World

Marta, the winner of the first Marta Award for women's goal of the year, loses out on the second annual eponymous award to Jacquie Ovalle, now a teammate of Marta. This award is off to an epic start. (The Ovalle goal is a worthy winner TBC, although Marta had a strong shout again.)

JACQUIE OVALLE'S SCORPION KICK WINS MARTA AWARD 🏆 The Orlando Pride and former Tigres forward wins the 2025 FIFA Marta Award, given to the goal of the year in women's soccer. Magic from'La Maga' ⚽️🪄🇲🇽

#NWSL goalkeeper news: Chicago signs Katie Lund to a a 3-year. Alyssa Naeher is back w/Chicago for 2026. Lund could be long-term new No. 1 Casey Murphy to Boston is now official, as ESPN reported in October. Big investment: 4 years + option. I'm told $1.5M guaranteed. www.espn.com/soccer/story...

Lazio scores a late game-winner on the road playing 9 v 11 🤯

SOURCES: The #NWSL board has voted to approve a new star player fund—internally called "High Impact Player"—to allow teams to spend up to $1M over the cap with a much smaller cap hit for players who meet criteria. Crucially: A change affecting the cap requires NWSLPA consultation. On @espn.com:

NEWS: The #NWSL board is voting on a proposal that would allow teams to pay top players beyond the current salary cap but with limits, w/the hope that it's a solution for Trinity Rodman and other stars. Proposal still needs to pass. Details (so far) on @espn.com 👇

NEWS: The #NWSL board is voting on a proposal that would allow teams to pay top players beyond the current salary cap but with limits, w/the hope that it's a solution for Trinity Rodman and other stars. Proposal still needs to pass. Details (so far) on @espn.com 👇

A Star stays home ✨🐐 Chicago Stars FC have re-signed goalkeeper & USWNT legend Alyssa Naeher for the 2026 season. 📰: chicagostars.com/first-team/c...

PSG have been eliminated from the UWCL after a five-game winless start 😶 They made 4 semifinal appearances between 2020 and 2024 😬

#USWNT NEWS: They'll play Chile on Jan. 27 at Harder Stadium in Santa Barbara, CA, the first *official* match they'll ever play there. Interesting twist/rare new market for USWNT. Venue required PA approval since it's not on the pre-approved list in CBA.

Thinking of Grant Wahl today & sending love to his family, former peers & those who loved his writing. Last night I found something I wrote after his passing, with help from @meglinehan.com & @jtannenwald.bsky.social. I published it today, as a small tribute. www.linkedin.com/pulse/grant-...

Champions again 🏆 Congratulations to Florida State University on capturing their fifth National Championship! (Via Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Who will have the best/worst travel at the 2026 World Cup, and why does it matter? @cesarhfutbol.bsky.social digs into both: www.espn.com/soccer/story...

San Diego Wave FC defeats Liga MX champs Tigres 3-0 in the final to win the Fort Lauderdale edition of World Sevens, and win $2M — over half the year's #NWSL salary cap for three days of work. The Wave won all five games played this weekend.

Unrelated but ironic to current NWSL events: San Diego Wave's 7v7 World Sevens team is one of four remaining in the hunt today for a $2M prize for the winner of the three-day tournament. #NWSL's team salary cap for the whole 2025 season was $3.5M.

#NWSL Shield winners Kansas City Current (without several stars, tbf) are out of World Sevens in the group stage after losing to AFC Toronto from the Northern Super League.

Messi. Magic. Miami. Quite a way to ice a final in stoppage time.

The NCAA Women's College Cup final is set: Stanford vs Florida State in the final on Monday at CPKC Stadium in a battle of two storied programs. Florida State seeks a fifth national title and Stanford seeks a fourth.

We asked ESPN's writers to break down each group, highlight the top storylines and make their predictions as the clock ticks down to to the 2026 World Cup 🏆 spr.ly/60177fYB

The second edition of World Sevens Football starts today, shortly, from Fort Lauderdale and on TNT. It's a 7-v-7 women's tournament with a $5M prize pool ($2M to the winners). Kansas City and San Diego from #NWSL are in it. This is an all Americas edition after all Europe the first time.

The World Cup draw is complete ✍️ See you in June 2026 ⌛️

I wrote this before the final, and it's even more important now in the latest chapter of this saga: The #NWSL is staring down a defining choice with how it handles Trinity Rodman, a star who seems to want to stay. What the NWSL decides will define the league's future as much as it will Rodman's.

Bay FC has announced Emma Coates as its new head coach. Coates is the former England U-23 coach and was, as @emilyskeogh.bsky.social writes, highly regarded at the FA:

The NWSLPA has filed a grievance against the #NWSL on behalf of Trinity Rodman for a "flagrant violation" of Rodman's free agency rights, and multiple CBA violations after a multi-year, multi-million dollar agreement between Rodman and the Spirit was vetoed by the league.

Both Haley Carter and Michele Kang told me that they are "working with the league on solutions that allow us to retain" Trinity Rodman. Carter's first day with the Spirit was Monday, and a resolution on Rodman is relatively imminent. #NWSL

Haley Carter, who helped the Orlando Pride win the 2024 #NWSL Shield and Championship as VP/sporting director, is the Washington Spirit’s new president of soccer operations. In her expanded role, she will lead other leaders, which is “where the magic happens,” she told ESPN. Why she made the move 👇

#NWSL NEWS: Defender Hailie Mace has signed with the Orlando Pride through the 2028 season. Mace was a free agent after playing the last five seasons with the Kansas City Current.

Happy December, folks! Trying something here with the #NWSL season over and #USWNT wrapping up the year: What did you like from my coverage -- written and in studio -- and what is something you want to see covered? I'll take your feedback into 2026.

The bid book for the 2031 Women's World Cup is in. Almost all of the 14 U.S. venues proposed (there are others listed in addition) are bigger football stadiums. Jamaica and Costa Rica only have one venue each proposed, as expected. www.espn.com/soccer/story...

A magical victory in the 407! @uswnt.ussoccer.com x The Home Depot

Off today. Follow @lizzybecherano.bsky.social for #USWNT updates -- and just because you should anyway!