Report: NWSL, union agree to long-term CBA

The National Women's Soccer League and its players have agreed to a collective bargaining agreement that will run through at least 2030, Sportico reported Friday.

Per the report, the league owners approved the deal "in the last few weeks" but both sides have kept the deal quiet, with details sparse. The upcoming CBA is said to allow for higher pay and a greater ability for players to change teams in free agency.

The new deal will take over following the expiration of the current one after the 2026 season. That CBA was a landmark for NWSL players, who never had such an agreement. With that initial CBA, players got pay raises as well as expanded employee benefits, including health care, life insurance and 401(k) accounts.

By extending the agreement now, the NWSL ensures there will be labor peace as it looks to negotiate new television contracts when the current ones expire after the 2027 season.

Since the signing of the first CBA in January 2022, the interest in and value of NWSL franchises has exploded. According to Sportico, most NWSL franchises were worth a number in the single-digit millions of dollars then.

Now, the number is up to $66 million, with buyers of the San Diego Wave and Angel City FC investing in franchises valued in the triple-digit millions in the past year.

--Field Level Media