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What the new CBA means for the USWNT and the NWSL

By Nathan Reynolds

November 9, 2016; San Jose, CA, USA; Team USA forward Alex Morgan (13) during training before a friendly match against Romania at Avaya Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
November 9, 2016; San Jose, CA, USA; Team USA forward Alex Morgan (13) during training before a friendly match against Romania at Avaya Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports /
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After lengthy negotiations US Soccer and the USWNT have come to terms on a new collective bargaining agreement. What are the implications?

2015 marked another high point for the USWNT, as they finally claimed their third World Cup title. A great lead-up run, strong squad and dramatic tournament, was an ideal way to get back to the summit for the first time since 1999.

2016 on the other hand was much more disappointing. A poor run in the Summer Olympics saw the US knocked out early. Legendary goalkeeper Hope Solo was suspended from the team (once the federation no longer had any meaningful games to play). Then the year ended on fears of a player strike after CBA talks broke down.

2017’s Shaky Start

The first few months of this calendar year weren’t kind to the outlook either. The team underwhelmed during the SheBelieves Cup, and saw three major stars jump to Europe on full or loan deals.

Alex Morgan, Carli Lloyd, and Crystal Dunn are all currently playing in Europe, however the first two scheduled to return to the NWSL this summer. With CBA disagreements and top players looking at the major European leagues, there was concern on the long term impact for the NWSL

The Next Five Years Secured

On Wednesday, US Soccer released a statement that a new deal had been ratified which would be good through the end of 2021. This removes any concerns over the next World Cup and Olympic cycles, as well as the USWNT’s involvement with the NWSL.

The statement had only one quote, which leaves a lot of detail level questions remaining:

"“We are pleased to announce that U.S. Soccer and the U.S. Women’s National Team Players Association have ratified a new collective bargaining agreement which will continue to build the women’s program in the U.S, grow the game of soccer worldwide, and improve the professional lives of players on and off the field. We are proud of the hard work and commitment to thoughtful dialogue reflected through this process, and look forward to strengthening our partnership moving forward.”"

  • What does the new payment and bonus system look like for the team?
  • With US Soccer continuing to pay for player salaries in the NWSL, what are the requirements the league must reach to elevate the level of conditions, and by when?
  • How will the pending complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission pan out, and will it force adjustments to this new deal?

While the statement from US Soccer and the players was extremely brief, this is great news for the state of the women’s game in America. The team can now focus on the two upcoming friendlies against Russia, and then the start of the 2017 NWSL campaign.

Next: USWNT: 16-year-old called in to replace Tobin Heath for Russian friendlies

There should no longer be a threat of a strike before an upcoming major event, and US Soccer finally seems to understand that it needs to reward the three time world champions. As for the NWSL, this seems to open up more questions about what was agreed to and when we will find out those details.

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