When USA international Trinity Rodman signed her new long-term contract with Washington Spirit in January, it wasn’t just a record-breaking deal. It signalled a seismic shift in how value is being defined at the top of the women’s game.
The 23-year-old forward agreed a three-year deal running until the end of the 2028 season. Reports indicate the contract is worth more than $2 million per year when bonuses are included. The agreement sets a new benchmark for player earnings in women’s football and places Rodman at the top of the global salary landscape.
After her previous contract expired at the end of 2025, Rodman became one of the most closely watched free agents in the women’s game. European clubs monitored the situation closely. Washington acted. In doing so, they reshaped expectations around what elite pay now looks like.
A new benchmark for pay in the women’s game
Rodman’s contract represents a landmark moment not only for the player, but for the economics of women’s football. Elite players are increasingly aware of their market value. The Spirit’s willingness to commit to a record-breaking deal reflects growing confidence at the very top of the sport.
The scale of the agreement speaks to Rodman’s dual impact: an elite performer on the pitch and one of the most recognisable and marketable athletes in women’s football.
Why the NWSL had to change its own rules
This deal was only possible because the National Women’s Soccer League evolved how it operates.
For years, the NWSL’s tightly regulated salary cap limited what clubs could pay even their biggest stars. As leagues without comparable restrictions became increasingly attractive destinations, the league faced a clear structural decision.
The introduction of the High Impact Player rule – which allows clubs to exceed the salary cap for a small number of designated elite players – was that evolution. Washington Spirit used it decisively. The message was simple: the NWSL intends to compete at the very top of the global market.
Rodman’s rise in the NWSL
Since being drafted in 2021, Trinity Rodman has spent her entire professional career with Washington Spirit. She has established herself as one of the league’s defining players. A dynamic forward known for her pace, creativity and relentless pressing, she played a central role in the club’s NWSL Championship win in 2021 and Challenge Cup triumph in 2025.
At just 23, Rodman has already made 113 appearances for Washington, scoring 34 goals. She has also become a key figure for the United States, scoring 13 goals in 49 appearances. Her honours include Olympic gold in 2024, the CONCACAF Championship, the Gold Cup and multiple SheBelieves Cup titles.
While her surname inevitably draws attention, Rodman’s standing in women’s football has been built on performance, reliability and influence across club and country.
The wider pay reality in women’s football
According to FIFA’s Setting the Pace Women’s Football Benchmarking Report (March 2025), the global average annual salary for women players sits at around $10,900. Players at top-tier clubs average approximately $24,000.
Until now, the reference point for elite earnings had been set by players such as Aitana Bonmatí — the most celebrated player in the women’s game and a three-time Ballon d’Or winner — whose Barcelona contract has been widely reported at around €1 million per year. Rodman’s deal surpasses that figure, and does so within a league that has only recently expanded its financial framework.
In England, the Women’s Super League introduced a £40,000 salary floor for senior players in the 2024/25 season. Average pay is estimated at £45,000–£50,000, depending on club and role. Across Europe – including Germany’s Frauen-Bundesliga, Spain’s Liga F and Italy’s Serie A Women – value is structured across distinct professional tiers, shaped by league design and investment models.
So what does this deal really mean?
Rodman’s contract confirms that the ceiling has moved. Exceptional talent can now command exceptional pay – confidently, openly and on its own terms.
What follows is not a question of comparison or catch-up, but of structure. It is about how value is distributed, supported and sustained across all levels of the professional game.
The ceiling has moved. How long until the floor catches up?
For more data-led analysis and perspective on the women’s game, explore our Opinions & Insights section here
