The 10 most expensive NWSL signings of all time

Analysis

Tom Weber | Writer

Despite the recent growth of England's Women's Super League, the National Women's Soccer League remains the place to be for footballers.

The top division of American women's soccer has consistently produced some of the finest players in the sport. Thanks to the US college system, which churns out talent after talent, the NWSL has been able to dominate the women's football landscape.

European leagues are undoubtedly catching up, and some big names have headed across the pond for record-breaking fees in recent years, but this is not necessarily down to the superior quality of the product in Europe.

The NWSL operates with a salary cap, so players can potentially earn more at clubs like Arsenal and Chelsea, backed by Premier League powerhouses, than at franchises in the US.

In order to remain financially competitive with Europe, the NWSL has implemented a new High Impact Player Rule that allows clubs to exceed the salary cap by $1 million for stars that fall into this category.

Meanwhile, the NWSL is stronger than ever when it comes to spending on players. NWSL clubs boast some of the largest fees paid for soccer players, and the league currently holds the world record for the largest transfer fee in women's football history.

Below, FootballTransfers runs through the 10 most expensive incoming transfers in NWSL history...

10. Ally Sentnor - $850,000 (KC Current to Angel City, 2026)

A No.1 draft pick by the reborn Utah Royals in 2024, Ally Sentnor went on to briefly set the NWSL intra-trade record when she was acquired by the KC Current for $700,000 in August 2025.

Sentnor was a Rookie of the Year finalist in 2024, so it was clear that she would be worth the money. She helped the Current clinch the NWSL Shield in her first half-season with the club.

In June 2026, Sentnor was traded again, this time to Angel City for $850,000.

9. Racheal Kundananji - $862,000 (Madrid CFF to Bay FC, 2024)

The largest fee ever paid for a woman at the time, and the first time an African player had set the record, Bay FC sent shockwaves through the world of women's football when they acquired Zambia international Racheal Kundananji ahead of their inaugural season in the NWSL.

Bay FC paid Spanish side Madrid CFF $862,000 to sign the striker, but Kundananji failed to be as impactful as expected. She scored five goals in 2024 and four in 2025. She was traded to the Chicago Stars for $700,000 shortly before the roster freeze date in October 2026.

8. Claudia Martinez - $950,000 (Club Olimpia to Washington Spirit, 2026)

Teenage sensation Claudia Martinez became the first Paraguayan in the NWSL when she joined the Washington Spirit from Club Olimpia in early 2026. Her $950,000 transfer fee made her one of the most expensive international transfers of all time.

Martinez had starred for Paraguay at the youth and senior levels prior to her move, including making her debut for the first team at just 16 years of age in 2024.

7. Ludmila - $1m (Chicago Stars to San Diego Wave, 2026)

Ahead of the 2026 season, the San Diego Wave acquired Brazil international Ludmila in a $1m trade from the Chicago Stars. The move came off the back of an encouraging 2025 season during which she netted the fastest hat-trick in league history.

However, despite looking dangerous, she has struggled to score consistently for her new team and has been overshadowed by the stunning impact of Trinity Byars in the 2026 regular season.

6. Croix Bethune - $1m (Washington Spirit to KC Current, 2026)

Croix Bethune had an eventful first year in the NWSL after getting drafted by the Washington Spirit in 2024. She suffered a freak meniscus injury while throwing the ceremonial first pitch at a baseball game but was still named Rookie of the Year despite missing the final weeks of the season.

The following year, after being out of action for eight months, she helped the Spirit reach the playoff final. Bethune then departed in an eye-catching trade in early 2026, joining the KC Current for $1m, where she established herself as one of the best playmakers in the NWSL.

5. Claire Hutton - $1.1m (KC Current to Bay FC, 2026)

Midfielder Claire Hutton initially planned to go to college, but she changed her mind after trialling with the KC Current, who signed her to a professional deal in late 2023 and helped her become a senior USWNT international.

In February 2026, she was part of a blockbuster deal with the Washington Spirit and Bay FC, which also involved the aforementioned Croix Bethune. The latter joined the Current from the Spirit. In turn, Hutton moved to Bay FC for $1.1m and was immediately named vice-captain.

4. Amanda Gutierres- $1.1m (Palmeiras to Boston Legacy, 2026)

2026 NWSL expansion side Boston Legacy started off with a bang when, in October 2025, they announced the signing of Palmeiras attacker Amanda Gutierres, who had been nominated for the Ballon d'Or that year.

She officially linked up with the newly-formed club in January 2026, joining for a reported $1.1m, a record fee for a Brazilian player at the time. The Legacy struggled in their inaugural season, but Gutierres managed to score fairly regularly.

3. Jaedyn Shaw - $1.25m (NC Courage to Gotham FC, 2025)

In September 2025, Jaedyn Shaw made NWSL history when her trade from the NC Courage to Gotham FC set a new league record at $1.25m.

After a few months in Cary, following her $450,000 move from San Diego in early 2025, title-chasing Gotham broke the bank to bring Shaw to New Jersey.

It was a shrewd decision. The forward scored twice and provided one assist in the playoffs as Gotham won the championship.

2. Jacqueline Ovalle - $1.5m (Tigres to Orlando Pride, 2025)

Mexico international Jacqueline (or Lizbeth) Ovalle was previously the most expensive player in women's football history, courtesy of her record-breaking $1.5m transfer from Tigres to the Orlando Pride in August 2025.

Ovalle had been an unbelievable player for Tigres, and her move came just a few months after she netted a stunning scorpion kick for which she later won the Marta Award, the women's counterpart of the Puskas Award, named after her legendary Orlando teammate.

She scored once and provided two assists in her first half-season in the NWSL.

1. Clara Luvanga - $2m (Al-Nassr to Washington Spirit, 2026)

At just 21, Clara Luvanga ostensibly became the most expensive player in women's football history when the Washington Spirit signed her from Al-Nassr in September 2026.

After tearing up the Saudi League, the striker became the first Tanzanian player in the history of the NWSL, but it is a transfer that has divided opinions since. The question is: is she actually the world-record holder?

Her fee was not officially disclosed when her transfer was announced, nor was there consistent reporting on it. Some have put the figure at close to $2m, others have claimed it was actually $2.3m

Both would be a new high-water mark, but still others have argued that she isn't actually the record holder, which would mean her fee was lower than $1.9m. They claim that she merely makes the top five of biggest fees in women's soccer history.

Whatever the exact value of her deal, Luvanga is almost certainly the most expensive player in NWSL history.

Written by

Tom Weber | Writer

Tom Weber is an experienced, multilingual sports writer who specialises in European football and American soccer as part of his freelance work for FootballTransfers.

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