United States forward Trinity Rodmanfuture with Washington Spirit — and in NVSL – not sure as she accepts better offers from overseas, meaning Saturday's NWSL semi-final at Audi Field could potentially be her last home game for the Spirit.
Rodman's contract with Spirit ends next month and she has received interest from Europe since the summer. She told ESPN Futbol W. earlier this year she had “always thought about playing overseas at some point in her career” and “it's just a matter of time.”
Negotiations to keep Rodman in Washington (or the NWSL in general) have stalled due to the league's salary cap restrictions.
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The Spirit and other NWSL teams cannot compete for Rodman financially under current salary cap rules, and Rodman's agent has spoken directly with NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman about decisions, a source confirmed to ESPN.
Multiple sources have confirmed to ESPN that Rodman has several serious offers from clubs abroad, including in England. These clubs are not limited by a salary cap, meaning they can offer exponentially higher salaries.
The NWSL salary cap is currently $3.5 million per team with up to 26 players.
Rodman, 23, is perhaps the NWSL's most recognizable star and its most prominent American player.
Rodman returned after a month's absence dislocated MCL as a late replacement in Washington's semifinal victory over Portland Thorns with a score of 2:0. on Saturday to reach a second straight NWSL championship.
An NWSL spokesperson provided ESPN with the following statement:
“The salary cap, which has increased significantly over the last five years, is an important part of our competitive system and one of the reasons why last weekend's quarter-finals were so great. Anyone can win on any day.
“The league is doing everything possible to ensure Trinity remains in the NWSL. She's a great player and an important part of our league.”
The Athletic first reported that Rodman's agent spoke directly with Berman.
The NWSL salary cap is set to gradually increase to $5.1 million in 2030 under the terms of the collective bargaining agreement signed last year. The biggest jump from last year, from 2026 to 2027, coincides with the elimination of team-provided housing and the expectation that players will receive more direct compensation.
Limit changes are possible within the CBA. The annual base salary cap can increase through income sharing, as happened this year when the original cap of $3.3 million was increased to $3.5 million. The CBA also states that the NWSL, in consultation with the NWSL Players Association, may increase the salary cap in any year or “reduce or eliminate salary cap credits from the team salary cap for certain roster categories.”
The wording of that last point opens up the possibility that the NWSL could create a rule to pay marquee players above the salary cap, like MLS's longstanding rule for designated players.
ESPN reported last month that while the idea of such a rule regarding exempt players has been discussed, there is no indication that the rule is anywhere close to being finalized, according to multiple sources.
Such a major change would require support not only from Berman, but also from the team owners who make up the league's Board of Governors and vote on such matters.
The NWSL has already lost another young star in USWNT forward. Alyssa Thompsonin September, when the English champions Chelsea burst in to take her away Angel City FC.
Chelsea paid a $1.4 million transfer fee and offered a significantly higher salary, multiple sources confirmed to ESPN.
Earlier this year, USWNT defender Naomi Girma left San Diego Wave for Chelsea in the first $1 million transfer in women's football. Berman spoke to reporters a week after Thompson's surprise move to Chelsea.
When asked by ESPN whether the salary cap would be increased or new rules created to pay players over the cap, Berman once again pointed to the NWSL's “value proposition” beyond salaries, as she has previously done.
“We're always looking at the entire ecosystem, looking at inflows and outflows of players, assessing the quality of talent in the league,” Berman said.
“While I can understand the emphasis on the salary cap, the way players make decisions about where to play is a complex set of considerations and we will always look at it holistically rather than myopically.
“We are extremely confident that the value proposition we offer players is compelling and will continue to attract and retain top players.”
