The NWSL has unveiled a new initiative, the High Impact Player (HIP) rule, which will allow clubs to exceed the salary cap for star players from the 2026 season. The rule, announced on 23 December, permits each club to spend up to $1m above the cap on eligible players, with the threshold growing in line with the cap each year.
Contrary to initial perceptions, the league insists the rule was not created in response to Trinity Rodman's high-profile transfer saga. Stephanie Lee, the NWSL's vice-president of player affairs, said the league began exploring ways to keep pace with the growing women's football market in summer 2023. 'It just so happened to align with the expiration of Rodman’s previous contract,' she said, adding that she had no objection to the rule being informally called the 'Rodman Rule'.
To qualify as a HIP, a player must meet at least one of eight criteria, including inclusion in the Guardian '100 Best' top 40, the Ballon d'Or Féminin top 30, or being a recent MVP finalist. Kay Cossington MBE, CEO of the Bay Collective multi-club platform anchored by Bay FC, described the criteria as 'quite a tabulated process' designed to capture 'world superstars and global icons'.
Gotham FC, winners of the NWSL title in 2023 and 2025, have been proactive in building a star-studded roster. General Manager Yael Averbuch West noted that the club's success in attracting top players is due to transparency about salary structures. 'Anytime there’s a new rule, we see that as an opportunity,' she said, adding that the HIP rule could benefit all players by creating more cap space.
