US star set to become world’s highest-paid female player
Rodman rejected ‘compelling’ overseas offers
Debate arose over NWSL’s ability to retain top talent
Trinity Rodman, forward for the US national team, has secured a new three-year contract with the Washington Spirit, reportedly making her the highest-paid female soccer player globally.
This landmark deal, revealed on Thursday, resolves months of speculation over the 23-year-old’s future. Her former $1.1 million four-year contract ended in December, during which she received enticing offers from European clubs that the Spirit initially struggled to match under the NWSL’s salary cap restrictions.
The new contract, effective until the 2028 season, follows the NWSL’s introduction of a “High Impact Player Rule” allowing teams to exceed the salary cap by up to $1 million if the player meets certain criteria demonstrating their star status, such as being in the Guardian’s Top 100 women’s footballers for the past two years or placing in the top 30 of the Ballon d’Or for the last two years.
Rodman’s retention was deemed vital for the NWSL in light of recent high-profile exits of top players, like Naomi Girma and Alyssa Thompson’s transfers to Chelsea and Sam Coffey’s noteworthy move to Manchester City.
“We are all incredibly thankful that she chose to remain with us, despite enticing alternatives,” said Spirit owner Michele Kang at a Los Angeles press conference on Thursday, later adding, “I’m just very happy to tell you, I did deliver, didn’t I?”
An Olympic gold medalist with the US in 2024, Rodman signed her contract on stage alongside Kang, dressed in a jacket and tie. She has spent her entire professional career with the Spirit, since being drafted in the 2021 NWSL draft, helping them win a championship that season and reaching the final twice.
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