NWSL
NWSL CBA: Glossary
SEI (Season Ending Injury)
Teams get salary cap relief and team roster relief (doesn’t count toward 26 player active player limit) as long as a player remains on the SEI list and that relief can continue into the next season until the player is cleared by the team physician.
An injured international player does give the team the ability to replace the player with an international player
Players with SEI’s from the previous league season can become an active player after medical clearance and as long as there is room on the active roster limit and in the salary cap (relief will stop immediately).
If a player recovers from a SEI in the season in which they got the designation, they can join the active roster as long as the team didn’t use the roster or salary cap relief for the player. (There is a 2 player limit to do this)
Maternity Leave
Like SEI injuries, maternity leave comes with team roster relief and salary cap relief and just as similarly as soon as the player is cleared for participation, the relief ends.
45-Day Injury/Illness list
A player with this designation must stay on the IL for a minimum of 45 days but may remain longer than 45 days if needed. Teams will receive team roster relief (can sign an additional player) but no salary cap relief and any new player signed must fit within the team’s salary cap.
45-Day IL replacement players must be signed prior to the roster freeze date except in ‘exceptional circumstances.’
National Team Replacement Player
If a player is called up for national team duty, the team can add NTRP’s to count towards the 22-player roster minimum.
Salary for said player will be the league minimum and does not count against the salary cap.
Must be registered as a professional player with USSF (domestic player).
Unrestricted Free Agent
Free agency is currently available to any player with at least five NWSL service years and whose contract is expiring. Unrestricted free agency is basically what is considered traditional free agency in other leagues.
Restricted Free Agent
Starting in the 2023-24 offseason as a part of the expanding free agency in the NWSL CBA, players with at least three NWSL Service Years whose contract is expiring can negotiate with other teams after the Roster Freeze Date. However, the originating team can keep the player’s rights if they match the salary offer within seven days of receiving written notice of the offer.
If a Restricted Free Agent's contract expires on December 31 without receiving a new offer from their current club, then they become an unrestricted Free Agent.
NWSL Service Years
If a player was rostered at any point in a year - even if only for 1 day - then it counts as an NWSL Service Year towards free agency but if a player is loaned out for the entire year, it doesn't count as a service year.
A player who is on SEI or maternity leave for an entire year is still on a roster and therefore credited with a service year.
U18 Entry Mechanism
Any player 17 years old or younger can enter the NWSL via the U18 Entry Mechanism. The league maintains a non-public U18 Entry List. Each team is limited to four players between their U18 Entry List and Roster. Once a player turns 18, they no longer count towards that total of four. These spots are not tradeable and a player must be signed to a guaranteed contract within 30 days of being placed on the Entry List.
Fun rules:
U18 players can not be waived or traded until the player turns 18 (or with player and parent/guardian consent)
Contract length must run through the season in which the player turns 18
U18 Players are not eligible to be selected in the Expansion Process
International Spot
Any Player who is not a Domestic Player shall count as an International Player, meaning any player not holding U.S. citizenship or green card. Any international player will occupy an international spot with the exception of the eight grandfathered in Canadian Allocated players.
International Roster spots may be traded for the current League Season plus three additional League Seasons.
