A new era of 'Soccer Warz'? USL tries to poach NWSL, USWNT star Trinity Rodman

Tom Weber

• 22 Nov 2025 16:01 CST
• 6 min read

News

The future of USWNT superstar Trinity Rodman is threatening to overshadow Saturday's NWSL final between the Washington Spirit and Gotham FC.

The 23-year-old's stint in the NWSL appears to be coming to an end. Rodman is out of contract after Saturday's final between her Washington Spirit and Gotham FC, and the signs are pointing towards an exit.

She became the highest-paid player in the NWSL when she signed a three-year contract extension in 2022, but salary cap restrictions now mean that the Spirit are struggling to renew her deal on satisfactory terms.

Because of these limitations, it is the NWSL, in the form of commissioner Jessica Berman, that is negotiating with Rodman directly rather than the Spirit. Progress on that front appears to be minimal, with the player insisting that she is only concentrating on the final.

According to The Athletic, Rodman is fielding high-profile interest from Europe and could become the latest NWSL star to hop across the pond, following in the footsteps of Naomi Girma and Alyssa Thompson.

Rodman receives bumper offer from USL

European clubs are not operating under a salary cap and can offer Rodman a much more beneficial deal than the NWSL. However, the report states that the attacker has also received a shock offer from USL.

USL Super League franchise DC Power has made Rodman a contract offer that is said to be "significantly larger" than the proposal the NWSL has tabled. The Super League, USL's Division I women's league formed in 2021, does not have a salary cap.

USL's founding of the Super League caused a stir at the time because it was viewed as unnecessary to have two top-tier leagues when women's soccer is still very much in its growth phase. It was feared that the two leagues would cannibalize each other.

Two seasons into its existence, the Super League is still a fringe competition compared to the globally recognized NWSL, but the signing of Rodman would be a game-changer for the young league.

Although she would join a smaller, less competitive league, she would be better paid and could remain in the DC area. In fact, the Power actually shares some facilities with the Spirit.

Angel Reese, Crystal Renee Hayslett and other athletes and celebrities co-own the Power. There is potential for the franchise to develop into a household name in the US soccer landscape, but history has shown that this doesn't happen overnight.

Earlier this year, USL announced that it would establish a new Division I men's league in 2028 that will operate on the same level as MLS. Promotion and relegation is also slated to be implemented, although that could already start in the USL Championship and USL League One in 2027.

The situation is reminiscent of the so-called 'Soccer Warz' era when MLS, USL and the NASL vied for supremacy, although USL nominally accepted its place in the food chain when it signed an affiliate agreement with MLS in 2013, which lasted until the late 2010s.

Since the slow, farcical demise of the NASL, MLS has been the undisputed top dog within US Soccer, while the NWSL hasn't had a serious competitor since its founding in 2012.

USL is seeking to change that by building a holistic, European-style footballing ecosystem. Only time will tell if this endeavour is successful, but the optimism and ambition are commendable. Signing a player of Rodman's stature - although surely unlikely - could prove transformative.

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