An independent arbitrator has ruled in favor of the NWSL Players Association (NWSLPA) in its dispute with the NWSL, making 22 players immediately eligible for free agency.
Among those 22 players are MVP finalist Debinha, longtime U.S. national team star Tobin Heath and all-time leading international goalscorer Christine Sinclair.
The league had been in dispute with the NWSLPA over the status of the 22 players, whom the NWSLPA argued should have been free agents as of August 26 if their clubs had not exercised their club option on their contracts.
After the arbitrator’s ruling, the 22 will join 26 other players who were already set to enter free agency, a mechanism that was enshrined under the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) signed prior to the 2022 season.
“The grievance and arbitration procedure that is contained in the Collective Bargaining Agreement is, itself, a win for collective bargaining,” read a statement from the NWSLPA. “Through this process, the NWSL and the NWSL Players Association agree to submit issues where we cannot reach agreement to a jointly selected, impartial arbitrator. The grievance and arbitration procedure is a fair, collectively bargained mechanism that provides finality and instills confidence in the outcome.”
Under the CBA, unrestricted free agency will available to all players with at least five years of service in the league in August 2023, and restricted free agency will be available to players with at least three years of service.
Newly declared NWSL free agents
- Lauren Barnes
- Katie Bowen
- Danielle Colaprico
- Jaelene Daniels
- Debinha
- Vanessa DiBernardo
- Makenzy Doniak
- Morgan Gautrat
- Tobin Heath
- Rachel Hill
- Kaitlyn Johnson
- Estelle Johnson
- Domi Richardson
- Katelyn Rowland
- Sophie Schmidt
- Christine Sinclair
- Meredith Speck
- Jasmyne Spencer
- Nicole Stanton
- Jodie Taylor
- Arin Wright
- McCall Zerboni
[lawrence-related id=8433,8406,8332]