NWSL drops eligibility criteria for ‘Rodman Rule’ in settlement with players’ union

NWSL drops eligibility criteria for ‘Rodman Rule’ in settlement with players’ union

The NWSL will remove its merit-based eligibility criteria for High Impact Player contracts as part of a settlement with the NWSL Players Association over a union grievance. The change takes effect Jan. 1, 2027. Under the revised rule, any player can be designated a High Impact Player, with a salary of at least 12% of the base salary cap.

Introduced last December and nicknamed the “Rodman Rule” after Washington Spirit star Trinity Rodman, the provision lets teams spend up to $1 million above the salary cap on qualifying players. The league can still set a limit on how many High Impact Player contracts a club signs. The settlement does not grant the union’s request to raise the salary cap by $1 million.

The union had argued the rule changed the salary-cap system outside the collective bargaining process. The settlement also eases restrictions on players displaying non-Nike footwear brands when they have existing deals, rescinds fines issued under the prior policy and adds negotiable performance bonuses, including for appearances and minutes played.

Utah Royals reach NWSL playoffs for first time

The Utah Royals clinched their first NWSL playoff berth after playing Seattle Reign to a 0-0 draw on Oct. 23 and getting help from Portland’s 1-0 win over North Carolina. Utah, which finished 11th in 2024 and 12th last season, improved to 14-10-5 and 47 points, according to the Salt Lake Tribune and the club.

Utah had an 11-9 advantage in shots and a 4-1 edge in shots on goal, but Seattle goalkeeper Claudia Dickey and Utah goalkeeper Mandy McGlynn each recorded a clean sheet. The Royals have one regular-season match remaining, against Gotham on Nov. 1, and can improve their playoff seeding.

Portland beats North Carolina as playoff race tightens

Marie Müller scored in the 60th minute to give Portland a 1-0 home win over North Carolina and clinch the Thorns’ playoff place. Portland moved to sixth in the standings, while the Courage fell to 13-13-3 after losing five of their last six matches.

North Carolina needs to beat Denver on Nov. 1 and have Seattle lose to Orlando to claim the final playoff spot, WRAL reported. Seattle sit eighth after a 0-0 draw with Utah and have not yet secured their postseason place.

U.S. cerebral palsy team reaches World Cup final

The U.S. Men’s Cerebral Palsy National Team beat Spain 2-0 on Oct. 22 to reach the 2026 IFCPF World Cup final for the first time in the program’s modern-era tournament history. Jonah Meyer-Crothers scored in the 40th minute and Cameron DeLillo added a goal in the 59th.

The U.S. will face England for the title on Oct. 24. Through five matches, the Americans have scored 20 goals and conceded one, with Meyer-Crothers and DeLillo each scoring six.

Joe Scally scores and assists in Gladbach’s first win

United States defender Joe Scally had a goal and an assist as Borussia Mönchengladbach beat Stuttgart 3-2 on Friday, earning its first points of the Bundesliga season and avoiding a seventh consecutive loss to open the campaign. Scally equalized with a backheel before setting up Wael Mohya’s second-half goal, ESPN reported.

Gladbach had trailed 1-0 after six minutes and remained at the bottom of the table after the victory. Yahoo Sports reported Scally’s backheel redirected a volley past Stuttgart goalkeeper Dennis Seimen.

Alex Morgan announces birth of third child

Former U.S. women’s national team star Alex Morgan announced Thursday that she and her husband, former soccer player Servando Carrasco, had welcomed their third child. Morgan shared a photo and the name Tiago V Carrasco on Instagram, Bleacher Report reported.

Morgan, 37, ranks fifth on the USWNT’s career goals list and has won two FIFA Women’s World Cup titles and an Olympic gold medal.