NWSL Players Association executive director Meghann Burke said the new collective bargaining agreement with the NWSL brought “relief and joy,” with the elimination of player drafts and amendments to parental leave and childcare benefits two of the key changes.
The new CBA went into effect on July 30 when it was approved by players, but not all provisions, like the new salary caps, will start in the middle of the season. Additionally, free agency begins on Sept. 1 this year, while it will start on July 1 in future seasons.
Burke said the results from the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia was one of the catalysts for the new deal.
The [United States], Canada and Brazil, the countries that produce the largest number of internationals in our league, were knocked out prematurely in our view,” Burke said.
“They [NWSL] came to us and said ‘we acknowledge that some of the things you guys have been saying are undeniably true, the world is passing us by and we need to make significant changes if we’re going to keep up.'”
The removal of the player draft makes the NWSL the first major American professional sporting league not to have a draft, meaning players must consent to transfers.
