The NWSL has agreed to tweak the High Impact Player rule, which offered salary cap relief for top players, as part of resolving a grievance with the union, the league announced Friday. The change will go into effect starting on Jan. 1, 2027, after the current season ends.
Also known as the HIP rule or the “Rodman Rule” after Washington Spirit star Trinity Rodman, the rule was introduced last December and allowed teams to go $1 million over the salary cap to give increased contracts to players who were designated as “high-impact.”
After resolving the grievance filed by the NWSL players’ association (NWSLPA), the rule’s framework will change: All players will be eligible to be HIPs, with their salary equalling at least 12% of the base salary cap. Previously, players had to fit a set of criteria in order to qualify for the designated contract.
Under the initial rule, the extra salary cap room could either go to one player or be spread across multiple players who fit the criteria. That will remain the case, though the league added that it will also “have the ability to establish a limit” on the number of HIP contracts signed by a club.
Notably, the adjustment announced by the league on Friday does not address the NWSLPA’s primary request, which was to simply raise the salary cap by $1 million.
The rule’s creation was triggered by Washington attempting to re-sign Rodman to a contract worth seven figures in annual salary. Rodman signed a three-year deal to stay with the Spirit in January, and became the highest-paid women’s soccer player in the world.
However, the rule was met with criticism and confusion, largely due what was required to qualify as a HIP. Under the original conceit of the rule, players had to meet one of several criteria, which included USWNT minutes, NWSL MVP finalist or Best XI First Team selections, and the presence on a number of lists ranging from performance to marketability.
That criteria turned out to be oddly restrictive: Some notable players didn’t make the cut due to injuries, or because they were coming to the NWSL from other leagues.
Critics also pointed out that overseas awards like the Ballon d’Or — a Top 30 finish in Ballon d’Or was one of the criteria for HIP — tend to undervalue U.S. players and NWSL talent. Others pointed out that lists like the ESPN FC (another potential criteria for qualification) receive votes from the NWSL’s general managers, creating a conflict of interest.
Now, under the altered rule, teams can give out HIP contracts to players who the club consideres high-impact, regardless of their place in the best-of lists.