The United States Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) was close to losing Trinity Rodman, one of its biggest stars, tempted by the European market. To prevent his departure, the NWSL activated a new mechanism that allows its clubs to exceed the salary limit exceptionally, a movement similar to the one promoted by the MLS with the ‘Beckham Rule’.
The NWSL had to see the wolf’s ears to approve this tool, officially called ‘High Impact Player Rule’ but popularized as the ‘Rodman Rule’, after months of negotiations and frustration from both the player and her club, the Washington Spirit, while million-dollar offers from foreign teams rained down.
Rodman, 23, was released on December 31 when his contract expired. The Washington Spirit could not offer him a salary commensurate with his level due to the NWSL salary limit of $3.5 million for the entire roster in 2026. Its owner, Michele Kang, had the resources, but her hands were tied.
Rodman’s departure would have been a devastating blow to the league, especially in a season that had already seen Americans Alyssa Thompson and Naomi Girma escape to Chelsea. Retaining ‘Tri’ had become a matter of national interest.
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When the NWSL saw the wolf’s ears
Thus, shortly before the New Year, the league announced the creation of its ‘High Impact Player Rule’, the so-called ‘Rodman Rule’, which allows clubs to exceed the salary limit by up to one million dollars for a select group of players.
There are eight commercial and sporting criteria to qualify, such as being among the top 30 in the Ballon d’Or, being one of the 11 players with the most minutes in the United States national team, having been part of the NWSL ideal eleven or appearing in the top 150 most commercial athletes of SportsPro Media.
Fulfilling seven of the eight possible criteria – the other is for goalkeepers – Rodman perfectly fits the parameters of the new standard.
The new rule allowed the Spirit, led by Spanish Adrián González, to present a competitive offer to Rodman, who last week sealed a contract for three more seasons, with a salary close to two million dollars annually, making her the first player to take advantage of this new mechanism.
Her agent, Mike Senkowski, of Upper 90 Sports Group, was in charge of spreading the word that Rodman became the highest-paid soccer player in the world, although it is not clear if her contract exceeds that of Aitana Bonmatí with the Fútbol Club Barcelona.
Michele Kang, the largest women’s football businesswoman in the world, who in addition to the Spirit also controls the French OL Lyonnes and the London City Lionesses of the English league, said that “Trinity is a unique generation player, but, even more importantly, she represents the future of this club and of women’s football.”
“This agreement reflects our belief that elite talent deserves elite commitment. At Spirit we are building something lasting: a club that competes for championships every season, that invests in excellence and that creates an environment where world-class players can thrive in the long term,” he said.
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From Beckham to Rodman: the rule that attracts stars
The ‘Norma Rodman’ is reminiscent of the ‘Norma Beckham’, created by the MLS in 2007 to facilitate the arrival of the English footballer to the United States, where he played for the Los Angeles Galaxy.
This regulation allows MLS clubs to have up to three players above the salary limit, with the aim of competing in the international market.
In force until today, it was used by Beckham himself, this time as co-owner of Inter Miami, to sign Lionel Messi, as well as Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets.
With information from EFE.
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