Adam Minter, Columnist

Trinity Rodman or a Salary Cap? The NWSL Has an Easy Choice

November 22, 2025 at 1:00 PM UTC

Adam Minter is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering the business of sports. He is the author, most recently, of “Secondhand: Travels in the New Global Garage Sale."

Pay her what she’s worth.
Photographer: Ric Tapia/Getty Images North America

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Trinity Rodman, one of the brightest young stars in American soccer, will take center stage on Saturday when her Washington Spirit face Gotham FC in the National Women’s Soccer League Championship.

It’s an exciting event, but it’s being overshadowed by the possibility that the match could also be Rodman’s last in the league. She’s reportedly received offers from English clubs and the US-based Gainbridge Super League that can pay her more than the NWSL’s strict salary cap, which is set at $3.5 million per team for a roster of up to 26 players.