Commentary: How the High Impact Player rule impacts the Portland Thorns

Today the NWSL announced the High Impact Player rule in order to 'provide clubs with expanded flexibility to attract and retain high impact players.'

The High Impact Player Rule is currently scheduled to go into effect on July 1, 2026.

However, the NWSLPA have responded and opposed it.

“The NWSL Players Association opposes the League’s decision to move forward without bargaining over the High Impact Player Rule,” the statement reads. “Under federal labor law, changes to compensation under the salary cap are a mandatory subject of bargaining — not a matter of unilateral discretion. Fair pay is realized through fair, collectively bargained compensation systems, not arbitrary classifications.”

If this new mechanism moves forward, it'll allow each club to exceed the league’s established salary cap by up to $1,000,000 for 'high impact players.' It can be distributed to one or multiple players - the minimum 12% of the base salary cap must be met.

In order to qualify, players must meet one of the following criteria:

• Player is on SportsPro Media Top 150 Most Marketable Athletes within the one (1) year prior to the current league season; or,
• Player is selected in the Top 30 in Ballon d’Or voting in the two (2) years prior to the current league season; or
• Player is selected in the Top 40 of the Guardian Top 100 football players in the world in the two (2) years prior; or
• Player is selected in the Top 40 of ESPN FC Top 50 football players in the world in the two (2) years prior; or
• Top 11 minutes played for the USWNT in the prior two (2) calendar years for field players for all competition types; or
• Top one (1) minutes played for USWNT in the prior two (2) calendar years for goalkeepers for all competition types; or
• Player selected as NWSL MVP Finalist within previous the two (2) league seasons; or
• Player selected to the End of Year NWSL Best XI First Team within the previous two (2) league seasons.

Clubs will be able to sign High Impact Players immediately, provided the contract terms do not require the team to utilize the rule until July 1.  

What does the High Impact Players rule mean for the Portland Thorns?

First off, the Portland Thorns have three players who qualify as High Impact Players: Sophia Wilson, Sam Coffey, and Olivia Moultrie.

The club now have a ton of options, as this could open the door for an additional $1 million of spending for the front office of GM Jeff Agoos, Lucy Rushton, and Angus McNab.

What are the actual options though?