Trinity Rodman becomes world’s highest-paid women’s soccer player with historic Spirit contract

One of women’s soccer’s biggest names is remaining in the United States and is becoming the highest-paid women’s soccer player in the world in one fell swoop.  

Trinity Rodman agreed to a new contract with the NWSL’s Washington Spirit to keep her with the team through 2028. It comes with an annual salary of over $1 million, her agent Mike Senkowski of Upper 90 Sports Group told ESPN.

“I’ve made the DMV my home and the Spirit my family, and I knew this was where I wanted to enter the next chapter of my career,” Rodman said in a statement. “I’m proud of what we’ve built since my rookie season, and I’m excited about where this club is headed. We’re chasing championships and raising the standard, and I can’t wait to keep doing that with my teammates and the best fans in the NWSL.”

Washington Spirit forward Trinity Rodman (2) reacts after being fouled in the second half against Gotham FC at PayPal Park. Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

Rodman had been a free agent since the end of 2025 when her contract expired, and there was an ongoing saga to try to sign the star to a new deal. 

Rodman, the daughter of Bulls great Dennis Rodman, was sought after by some of the biggest clubs across the globe. 

ESPN previously reported that teams — namely in England — made offers to Rodman that the Spirit would have struggled to match due to the constraints of the NWSL’s salary cap. 

The Spirit and Rodman attempted to get creative to make a deal work in November by backloading a four-year deal worth over $1 million per year, but commissioner Jessica Berman stepped in to cancel the contract. 

Trinity Rodman of the Washington Spirit wipes a tear as team owner Michele Kang comforts her during a press conference at BMO Stadium. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Berman said that the deal “violated the spirit of the league.”

In an attempt to keep Rodman in the NWSL, the league’s board of governors approved a new rule dubbed the High Impact Player rule, allowing teams to spend up to $1 million over the cap on contracts for star players who meet specific performance and marketability criteria. 

“Trinity is a generational player, but more importantly, she represents the future of this club and the future of women’s soccer,” Washington Spirit Michele Kang said in a statement. This agreement reflects our belief that elite talent deserves elite commitment. At the Spirit, we are building something enduring: a club that competes for championships every year, invests in excellence and creates an environment where world-class players can thrive long-term. Trinity choosing to continue her career in Washington is a powerful statement about what we are building here.”

Rodman was selected second overall in the 2021 NWSL Draft at 18 years old and has become one of the biggest names in the league and for the U.S. Women’s National Team.