NWSL Opens First-Ever Free Agency Period

CHICAGO – The National Women’s Soccer League announced today that its first-ever free agency period under its collective bargaining agreement with the NWSL Players Association will begin at 12:01 a.m. on Friday, August 26, 2022. This allows pending free agents to begin negotiations for their 2023 Standard Player Agreements.

“This is a historic moment for our league and a moment that was ten years in the making,” said NWSL Commissioner Jessica Berman. “The NWSL and NWSLPA agreed to introduce free agency earlier this year through collective bargaining. This is a moment to reflect on how far the league has come and to acknowledge the incredible service of our players, investments from our owners, sponsors and broadcast partners, and critically, support from our fans.”

Beginning on August 26, 2022, eligible players, or their representatives, may begin negotiating a new contract with NWSL clubs, and may sign contracts for the 2023 season on or after November 15, 2022.

Eligible players include all who have at least six years of service within the NWSL and have contracts expiring in 2022. Further, based on the league’s interpretation of its agreement with the NWSLPA, players who have option-years on their contracts held by their respective clubs are not eligible for free agency until and unless the option year(s) is not exercised by the club which will occur by no later than November 15, 2022. The NWSLPA has a different point of view and the parties will be the subject of the arbitration process in the collective bargaining agreement between the NWSL and the NWSLPA in September.

“In my first four months as Commissioner, we have worked closely with the NWSLPA to resolve disagreements where possible and have had many instances where we have found solutions. However, we have always known that will not always be the outcome, particularly in a first-ever collective bargaining agreement between the parties, and that’s why labor agreements typically have neutral arbitrators to determine interpretation disputes. We look forward to the resolution of this open question in a respectful manner.”