CHICAGO, IL–On Thursday, the National Women’s Soccer League Players’ Association (NWSLPA) released a list of potential free agents for the 2023 season. In a press release, the NWSLPA declared that the free agency window would ‘open’ at 12:01am ET on Friday, August 26th.
The mechanism for free agency was included in the Collective Bargaining Agreement, the first in league history, that was ratified on Feb. 1. However, while the NWSL list 26 players as eligible for free agency, which includes players who have played in the league for at least six seasons and have contracts expiring in 2022, the player’s association insists that 22 more be added.
The disagreement is based on the league’s interpretation of its agreement with the NWSLPA, players who have option-years on their contracts held by their respective clubs are not eligible for free agency until and unless the option year(s) is not exercised by the club which will occur by no later than November 15, 2022.”
The NWSLPA contends that Lu Barnes, Christine Sinclair, Jasmyne Spencer, and McCall Zerboni should be included on that list having played every single season thus far in the league. Arbitration looms once the league formally denies the NWSLPA’s grievance. Once it goes to arbitration, the arbitrator will have 30 days to make a decision.
“As a player who has played in the NWSL for 10 years, free agency is a massive step forward for the League and the Players. Free agency is the standard in every other soccer league around the world, and it will help attract top talent. NWSL should embrace that,” said Sinclair in the press release.
Below is the NWSLPA’s list of 2023 free agents with those marked with an asterisk as those whose free agency status is in dispute.
NWSL Players Association: List of 2023 Free Agents
- Lauren Barnes* (10)
- Nicole Barnhart (10)
- Katie Bowen* (7)
- Amber Brooks (9)
- Allysha Chapman (8)
- Danielle Colaprico* (8)
- Jaelene Daniels* (7)
- Debinha* (6)
- Vanessa DiBernardo* (9)
- Makenzy Doniak* (7)
- Megan Dougherty Howard (6)
- Elizabeth Eddy (8)
- Kristen Edmonds (9)
- Cali Farquharson (7)
- Mandy Freeman (6)
- Morgan Gautrat* (8)
- Tobin Heath* (8)
- Rachel Hill* (6)
- Tori Huster (10)
- Kaitlyn Johnson* (6)
- Estelle Johnson* (9)
- Cheyna Matthews (6)
- Yuki Nagasato (6)
- Kelley O’Hara (10)
- Ifeoma Onumonu (6)
- Toni Pressley (10)
- Megan Rapinoe (10)
- Brittany Ratcliffe (7)
- Domi Richardson* (9)
- Katelyn Rowland* (8)
- Becky Sauerbrunn (10)
- Sophie Schmidt* (6)
- Desiree Scott (8)
- Christine Sinclair* (10)
- Abby Smith (7)
- Taylor Smith (7)
- Havana Solaun (7)
- Meredith Speck* (7)
- Jasmyne Spencer* (10)
- Nicole Stanton* (9)
- Jodie Taylor* (7)
- Erika Tymrak (9)
- Michele Vasconcelos (6)
- Marta Viera da Silva (6)
- Kealia Watt (9)
- Arin Wright* (8)
- McCall Zerboni* (10)
