The National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) is dropping the criteria that previously restricted eligibility under its “Rodman Rule,” also tied to the High Impact Player (HIP) designation. As a result, any player can qualify for HIP status and receive the league’s maximum salary, following a settlement involving the NWSL and the NWSL Players Association.
The rule was introduced late last year as a way for teams to spend an additional $1 million above the salary cap on certain player contracts, but only players meeting specified standards—such as achievements and media/marketability lists—could access that designation. Multiple outlets describe the settlement as removing those commercial and sporting thresholds and resolving a range of pending issues.
While outlets largely agree on what changes for eligibility and how the HIP mechanism works, their emphasis varies. Some highlight the specific categories that are being removed, while others focus more generally on the settlement and its role in settling grievances connected to the HIP rule’s implementation. No outlet shown here disputes the core outcome: criteria are eliminated and eligibility expands.
