Home / Sports / NWSL Alters Star Player Rule After Union Grievance
NWSL Alters Star Player Rule After Union Grievance
24 Oct
Summary
- The High Impact Player rule will change starting January 1, 2027.
- Previously restrictive criteria for HIP designation are now removed.
- The NWSLPA's request to increase the salary cap was not met.
The National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) has agreed to amend its High Impact Player (HIP) rule, a change that will take effect on January 1, 2027. This adjustment follows the resolution of a grievance filed by the NWSL players' association (NWSLPA).
Under the revised framework, all players will now be eligible to be designated as HIPs, provided their salary meets at least 12% of the base salary cap. This removes the previously complex and often criticized criteria that limited eligibility to a select group of players based on performance and marketability.
While the league will retain the ability to spread cap relief across multiple players or allocate it to a single player, it also introduced a potential limit on the number of HIP contracts a club can sign. Notably, the NWSLPA's core demand for a $1 million salary cap increase was not addressed in this agreement.
