The National Women’s Soccer League is growing faster than ever, but it’s also at an inflection point.
The league and the NWSL Players Association recently announced a new collective bargaining agreement through 2030 that brings sweeping and transformative changes, including full free agency, the elimination of drafts and increased minimum salaries. Meanwhile, the league continues to expand with a 15th team set for 2026, and a 16th expected to be announced later this year — all as the NWSL finishes its first year of a four-year media rights deal (which includes ESPN) worth $240 million, a 50-fold increase from the previous deal.
So, as the future comes into focus, what are some of the key questions facing the NWSL on and off the field? ESPN sought answers by conducting a one-on-one phone survey with general managers (or equivalent highest-ranking soccer executives) from all 14 NWSL teams throughout late spring and early summer.
GMs were granted anonymity so that they could speak freely about sensitive topics, including whether NWSL teams follow the rules, the biggest threats facing the league, abolishing the salary cap, the players they want to sign, whether the NWSL needs U.S. women’s national team players in it to succeed, and more.
1. What’s the best thing that separates the NWSL from other leagues?
Parity: 13
Accessible, marketable players: 1
When asked an open-ended question about the NWSL’s unique selling point, almost every GM mentioned parity and competition in attracting both fans and international players to the league. The outlier was a GM who said the accessibility and marketability of players distinguishes the NWSL, but also acknowledged parity was a close second.
“You look at the French league, there’s two good teams,” one GM said, referring to PSG and Lyon. “In this league, anyone can win on any single day. And that’s what makes it exciting and special.”
“If you actually speak to some of the players who play for the big clubs in Europe, they kind of get bored of it,” another said. “OK, yeah, it’s great to win, everyone wants to win, but to win 8- or 9-nil every week, and then have only four competitive games a year and then the Champions League to look forward to, it gets to a stage where everyone’s like, ‘Oof.'”
Another GM praised the NWSL’s minimum standards, saying that they’re so high that even the teams barely meeting those are competitive.
“You get into some debates in terms of actual quality of the product and where the best players are and so on, but there’s no denying that this is the most competitive league,” another GM said.
2. What’s the biggest worry about the NWSL’s future?
As much as the 11-season-old NWSL has grown in recent years, it’s still a young league, and GMs disagreed on what could hold it back from continuing to grow at the same rate.
One GM noted that, despite positive momentum, teams are still losing money daily, but salaries continue to rise: “The speed at which salaries and expenses, candidly, are increasing without enough support from sponsors and TV revenue [is what worries me]. I think this league is growing too fast, because in some senses, I worry it’s not sustainable. You look at the WNBA and the charters recently, $25 million — that’s not even remotely feasible.”
A second GM said: “There’s that balance between spending and being aggressive, but also knowing that there are a lot of teams that still aren’t profitable — the vast majority on an annual basis — and knowing that expansion and retention of great owners is one of the keys, if not the top of the list, to a league being able to reach its full potential.”
Other GMs took an opposite view, arguing spending needs to be higher to compete with clubs in leagues like England’s WSL.
“Maybe to the outside looking in, you see that jump [in the salary cap] and you say, ‘OK, the clubs should be able to secure any top player, but we’re still competing against clubs with zero salary cap,” one GM said.
Other GMs worried about talent development, with several specifically pointing to the lack of academy infrastructure or guidance at a league level — an issue underscored by the new elimination of the college draft.
“Being able to have more involvement in developing our own talent is the biggest threat to the league going forward,” one GM said.
“I think we’re at real risk of losing players to Europe at a young age because we don’t have the infrastructure and setup to actually develop them ourselves at a young age,” another GM added. “So, I think not having a reserve team, academy setup, whatever it is — which is a competitor to college, or now the USL Super League — is what will hinder us going forward.”
Another GM worried that focus has moved away from the on-field product.
“That we’re focused too much on the commercial side and not the soccer side,” this GM said. “We’re doing unprecedented things off the field — valuations, commercially, all those things are phenomenal — but at the highest level, at the board level, we don’t have enough soccer minds sitting at that table.”
3. Should the salary cap be abolished?
No: 10
Yes: 4
The NWSL’s salary cap isn’t going away — it’s about to increase significantly under the new CBA with 2025’s base salary cap rising to $3.3 million, a 20% increase over 2024. Any cap remains unique in global soccer. As the landscape has evolved and big clubs like Barcelona have joined Lyon in investing in the women’s game, the NWSL often hasn’t been able to compete for the best players in the world — the types who win the Ballon d’Or.
Operating without a cap could mitigate that issue, but the cap creates the parity that fans and GMs crave. Removing the salary cap could, in theory, create a league of haves and have-nots, one GM said.
“I think it would be getting ahead of ourselves if we abolished it,” another GM said. “We need the cap to continue to have parity.”
Many GMs felt that the answer to this problem is to raise the cap significantly, and that will happen under the new CBA. The cap will continue increasing each year until 2030, when it will be $5.1 million per team.
“I think the salary cap has its benefits and it does help a league retain a level of consistency, which is a problem you get right now in England, France or Spain, where Chelsea can spend $6 million and the other clubs only want to spend $1 million,” a different GM said. “That’s where you get the 8-0 results every week and the competition is poor. So, I like the salary cap in that it’s able to keep teams competitive. You need to have the right ownership groups who want to spend whatever the cap is, but I just want the cap to be higher.”
Even those in favor of getting rid of the cap urged caution.
“Yes, but in stages where we can get to a place where players feel more comfortable understanding their value,” one GM said, noting that the men’s game leverages data better to determine compensation. “Right now, agents are very strong in how they show up, and they are really setting the value. By eliminating the cap in stages and having a larger cap where it almost feels eliminated, that will allow us to try things so it isn’t the Wild, Wild West.”
A different GM understood the hesitation to abolish the cap because of the failures of previous U.S. leagues — the WUSA (2001-03) and WPS (2009-11) — but the GM feels this different, modern landscape warrants a different approach for the NWSL.
“We have obviously lived through failures of past leagues,” the GM said. “We’ve walked it, we’ve lived it, but we also have better owners and better investors and people who are truly committed to this league right now. So I understand the reasoning why to have a cap. But the way that the market is booming, the way that leagues across the world are operating, we need to really take a look at what’s going to ensure that we stay the most competitive.”
As another GM put it: “We need to continue to push with where the market is going, and then a cap is fine, but we’re so focused on parity that I think it’s limiting the league.”
4. Should the NWSL keep the college draft?
All forms of drafts in the NWSL have been abolished, effective immediately, under the new CBA. Previously, the college draft — which became the “entry draft” as rules loosened to allow high school players to take part — was the primary way for young players to join the NWSL.
ESPN conducted this survey before the new CBA was abruptly announced more than two years before the previous CBA was set to expire, and there was a nearly even split between GMs on this issue — seven GMs voted in our survey for getting rid of the draft, six voted to keep it, and one was undecided.
Several GMs who wanted to keep it pointed to the need for new roster mechanisms, like academies and homegrown rules, that could replace the draft.
“I don’t think, at the moment, it can go away because I don’t think they’ve figured out what we will do if it does go away,” one GM said. “And because there’s no clarity around that, then you just would have a total mess and a s—show. And because there’s no academy system, what is the pathway for players?”
Another GM supported the draft sticking around because it’s a tradeable asset and a way of acquiring players without transfer fees: “I get a draft pick that I can do something with, without having to hit my finance sheet.”
Other GMs, however, felt that eliminating the draft would make the league more competitive and in line with leagues around the world.
One GM who voted for the draft to go away said that the professionalization of the college game through name, image and likeness (NIL) deals, combined with the short college season and the growing opportunities in Europe, increasingly harmed the NWSL draft concept. Another GM called the draft system “antiquated.”
“I think we’re hurting ourselves by not giving young players the opportunity to figure out where might be the best fit for them within this league,” said another GM who supported eliminating the draft.
5. What is the best solution to the NWSL calendar?
Keep it as is: 5
Go fall to spring like Europe with a winter break: 4
Split the season with a mandated summer break: 2
Something else: 3
The NWSL has always operated seasons in a single calendar year, kicking off in the spring and ending with playoffs and a championship in the fall. This runs opposite to the calendar driven by Europe, which starts in the fall and ends in late spring.
But there is intense debate behind the scenes among NWSL stakeholders over whether to align with Europe, such that one GM said it “actually is the biggest question facing the league.” The new CBA includes new language that leaves open the possibility the NWSL calendar will shift in the future.
GMs in favor of flipping the calendar to a fall-to-spring model say it would make transfers smoother and better position the NWSL to compete in the global market for top talent: “When players are typically looking to leave a team, it’s at the end of a contract or the end of a season — aligning those things will make player movement a lot easier,” one GM said.
How to mitigate the weather in North America, though, is hotly debated. One GM said even during the February preseason now, players with some teams in the northeast can’t train outside due to snow, adding: “I don’t know how that works in many of our markets — I just don’t see it.” Other GMs, however, point to the oppressive heat across the U.S. in summer.
“If you really break it down, it’s not like playing in the summer is a great alternative to playing in the winter,” a GM said. “You’re playing in extreme heat in many locations in the U.S., so you’re either talking about extreme heat or extreme cold through the winter.”
Another tension point with the current NWSL calendar is that the league plays through summer international windows, meaning top players miss league games during World Cups and Olympics. One GM said the calendar should remain as is, but the league should do a better job of navigating international breaks.
“We need to look at how we’re scheduling matches after international breaks,” the GM said, “like not having a match two days after an international break when you have six or seven players on international duty.”
6. The NWSL should expand to how many teams?
16: 4
24: 3
20: 2
30: 1
Undecided: 4
NWSL valuations continue to increase exponentially, and that has investors lining up to join the 14-team league. That helps the NWSL as it means more cash in the league, more high-level business partners, and greater market reach, which draws more sponsorships and partners.
The NWSL is expected to expand to 16 teams in 2026. Boston has already been announced, with one more city expected later this year. How many teams should be added?
One GM went as far as to say that the NWSL could mimic Major League Soccer’s growth: “If you’re looking 20 years down the road, I can see a league with 30 teams.” Others also felt the NWSL could split into east and west divisions like MLS: “A conference model with 12 teams in each conference and a playoff system probably makes sense in the long term.”
Most GMs scoffed at the idea of such a high number of teams, though. Some urged caution, with one GM saying, “After 16, there should be a pause.”
“From a business perspective, I completely understand,” the GM said. “From a soccer and technical perspective, we should slow down. I really am worried about too much expansion too fast because where are we getting the players to keep the quality as high as we want it to be?”
7. Which city should the NWSL expand to next?
As expansion continues, where should the NWSL next put down roots? Atlanta and Miami were the clear front-runners among the GMs.
One GM said of Atlanta: “If it is a team that is aligned with Atlanta United and it’s run by Arthur Blank and you know it’s going to be done well, I think that’s what everybody wants. They want owners who are going to come in and commit and invest.”
Another GM said of Miami: “Every second or third person there loves soccer.”
Most GMs mentioned more than one city, with Cincinnati being name-checked by multiple GMs, although when GMs were pushed to pick a top choice, it received just one vote.
“Cincinnati isn’t the most glamorous market but it has a great facility, a big base of fans, and it’s an affordable marketplace,” one GM said.
Still, others saw value in different markets.
“I think St. Louis, when you look at — they’re the only female-led ownership group in MLS and they have a giant wait list for season tickets,” one GM said. “They’ve broken the record for MLS Next Pro, they have elite facilities and room to grow. I think St. Louis is the untapped market.”
8. Which team is the hardest to do business with?
Utah: 3
North Carolina: 3
Portland: 1
Kansas City: 1
Washington: 1
Pass/no answer: 5
We’ve seen this tension spill out in public spaces: Some teams have traded players without the player’s consent (which is now barred by the new CBA) while others say they’ve always worked with everyone on a solution. At issue is how teams negotiate and view the value of their players and assets.
Several GMs said Portland overvalued its players in trades, although only one GM officially voted for the Thorns. Multiple GMs made similar criticisms of North Carolina, but one pointed out: “It’s not a bad thing. I think they have worked together for a really long time and they know how they want to operate. I think sometimes we just disagree on valuations.”
Utah got votes for being “new to the league and not in tune to the cadence of the decision-making,” one GM said. Another said the problem was simpler than that: “Utah is very tough. They don’t answer.”
A different GM voted for the Spirit, noting that they “hold their ground and, unless you hit their number, they aren’t really willing to consider it.”
9. Which team is the best to do business with?
Gotham: 4
San Diego: 2
North Carolina: 2
Orlando: 1
Angel City: 1
Pass: 4
“The people who have been in the league the longest have figured out a way to do things differently — and that’s what makes it difficult, because there’s a new age,” one GM said. “We’re not trying to catch each other. That should give you an idea of who’s difficult.”
“Trying to get things done, at times, is way more agent-dependent than GM-dependent,” another GM added.
Said a GM who voted for Gotham: “There’s a group of GMs that there’s no bull—- and they are open and transparent. It just makes things easier.”
10. Does every team in the NWSL follow the rules?
The reality of the league’s complicated rules means that they can be hard to understand or even impossible to follow by the letter of the law, GMs said. So, do all the teams follow the rules?
“No. That’s the easiest question you’ve had yet,” one GM said.
Another GM laughed at this question for four seconds: “Jeff, I don’t know if I should answer this. I don’t know.” After some more laughing: “OK, the answer’s no. I don’t think everyone follows the rules, partly because some of the rules are ridiculous. I don’t think there’s a single team that has followed the discovery rule to a T. Not one.”
“Oh my God, no,” a third GM said. “This will be something that the league needs to improve: compliance and accountability. There are things that, weekly, we know other people are doing.”
The final tally was 11 GMs voting “no” to whether every NWSL team’s front office followed the rules, one voting “yes” and two declining to answer the question.
As one GM put it: “I don’t think any of us follow the rules when it comes to discovery and actual negotiations with players. A lot of these people are funneling money on the back side.”
The discovery rule — which, since the league’s inception in 2013, allowed teams to “call dibs” on the rights to negotiate with a player who is already under contract in another league, regardless of the player’s interest in the NWSL team — was among the most cited sources of contention among GMs in this survey. The new CBA eliminated the rule entirely.
But several GMs also pointed to additional compensation being paid on the side as a frequent rule-break, an issue dating back to the early days of the NWSL and its predecessor league, WPS.
“No. People cheat and they cheat the salary cap,” another GM said. “We have visibility to the salary cap and I know what players need to get paid in the league, and I see what they are getting paid [elsewhere] and it’s not possible. … We’ve traded for players before and as part of the trade we’ve been informed that they are getting paid other money outside of what’s in their contract, so that’s an indication that other teams are doing it.”
Another GM shared a similar anecdote about receiving player salary demands during negotiations and not signing the player, but then seeing the player’s salary with another team on an internal league document and it being nowhere close to what the GM was told.
“People have different ways that they can give players money and I think that’s the biggest thing that probably front office people do,” a different GM said.
The problems, many argue, have as much to do with the rules themselves as enforcement. One GM said: “I think the main culprit is that the rules are not finite enough.”
A different GM added: “Everyone plays in the gray. I think very infrequently are people sitting around and saying, ‘I’m ignoring this and doing what I want,’ but I think people are very willing and able to get creative with the rules that we do have.”
11. Which player not in the NWSL do GMs want to sign?
Many GMs rattled off a list of names, but only their top choices are reflected in this tally.
A version of “any of Spain’s players” came from several GMs, although one questioned how well those players would do in the NWSL: “Do I think they’d be successful in this league? That would be a gray area.”
That same GM didn’t want to share who they were scouting, even anonymously, for fear other teams would target those players: “If I tell you who I want, people will start looking at that person. I definitely have some that I want to bring into this league that a couple people would be looking at, but if it’s in this article …”
Also mentioned but ultimately not receiving final votes were U.S. women’s national team forward Catarina Macario, now with Chelsea, and Colombian forward Linda Caicedo, now with Real Madrid.
12. If you were building a roster from scratch, and had free choice of any current NWSL player, who would you sign first?
Sophia Smith: 4
Barbra Banda: 3
Mallory Swanson: 2
Rose Lavelle: 1
Ann-Katrin Berger: 1
Trinity Rodman: 1
Kerolin: 1
Naomi Girma: 1
One GM talked about “the wow factor” from Swanson and Banda that draws fans. Another laughed at “the irony” of picking Banda after their team had just faced the Orlando Pride, a team that is now on a 20-game unbeaten streak.
Another GM, speaking prior to the player’s return to the field at the Olympics, said people seem to have forgotten that Brazilian playmaker Kerolin was the league MVP last year with the North Carolina Courage. Kerolin is set to become a free agent this offseason.
Only two GMs picked non-attacking players.
The one who picked Girma, a defender, said of the San Diego Wave and U.S. women’s national team center-back: “Full stop. Naomi’s shown for the last, what feels like 10 years, but it’s Year 3. Her quality is bar none. If you want to talk about someone where their soccer abilities are off the chart, world class, and the only match is her personality and character, you cannot find a better person or player than Naomi Girma.”
13. Does the NWSL need USWNT players?
Since the NWSL’s founding 12 years ago to provide competition for U.S. women’s national team players, there have been shifting winds pushing some Americans to Europe in search of technical development. Last year’s calamity — the USWNT’s worst-ever finish at a World Cup — led many to wonder if there would be an exodus of USWNT players from the NWSL. That hasn’t happened (yet), and GMs made it clear they don’t want that, with 11 voting that USWNT players need to compete in the NWSL and three dissenting.
As one GM said: “We would not be able to reach our full potential year in and year out as a league without a high concentration of USWNT players, and we wouldn’t be able to reach our full potential as a national team without them in our league. It goes both ways.”
A year on from the World Cup, the USWNT won the gold medal at the 2024 Olympics, with 16 of 18 players on the USWNT roster signed with NWSL clubs, as well as all four alternates who were on the squad.
“We’re an American product,” another GM said, “and as an American product, we need to have American players. In order for us to keep touting that we are the best in the world or top five [FIFA ranked], our American players need to be in this league and proving themselves against the best players in the world.”
A different GM also pointed to the off-field needs for USWNT players beyond competition: “For as much as I want big-name players, they’re not gonna bring the commercial value that the Americans bring. We have a lot of big names … but the American players are the spine of this league. They are the reason this league was built, and they are valuable in every way, shape or form to the success of this league.”
One GM, however, disagreed, pointing to the Premier League in the men’s game, which has thrived as a top league by bringing in top global talent and not relying on English players. A different GM was hopeful that the NWSL can get to a point where international stars can be household names instead of only the USWNT players — but they said that’s not the case right now.
Still, one GM said it’s less about the NWSL needing USWNT players, and more about what USWNT players competing in the NWSL says about the league, calling it “a really good indicator” of the league’s strength: “If the U.S. national team players are all playing elsewhere, that’s not a good sign for our league. … You’re always going to have a handful of players that are in other environments, but if we lose the core, it will be devastating for the league.”