Highest-Paid Player in Women’s Football: Trinity Rodman Signs Record-Breaking Deal

Trinity Rodman has become the highest-paid player in women’s football after signing a record-breaking contract with Washington Spirit.

The 23-year-old became a free agent when her previous deal with the Spirit expired at the end of December.

But she will now continue with the NWSL outfit for the next three years after putting pen to paper on a contract until the end of 2028.

Highest-paid women’s footballer Trinity Rodman hails “game-changing moment”

“It feels amazing. I’m very happy. I’m very blessed,” said Rodman after signing a deal that made history.

“I think it’s a monumental and game-changing moment right now. I can’t even describe in words what it feels like.”

Washington Spirit owner Michele Kang added: “Trinity is a generational player, but more importantly she represents the future of this club and the future of women’s soccer.”

How much will Trinity Rodman earn?

It is understood that Rodman’s new contract comes with a salary worth $2 million (£1.5m) per year, including bonuses.

That equates to around $38,500 or £28,500 per week.

The new deal was signed after the NWSL board of governors approved a new ‘High Impact Player’ rule in December.

That rule allows teams to spend up to $1m over the salary cap, which was $3.5m per team in 2025.

Who was the highest-paid player in women’s football before Trinity Rodman broke the record?

Rodman replaced Barcelona and Spain star Aitana Bonmati as the top-earning female player.

Bonmati, who has won the last three editions of the Ballon d’Or Feminin, is reportedly earning around €1m (£870,000, $1.17m) per year at Barcelona.

Why is Trinity Rodman worth so much money?

Rodman’s record-breaking salary is not purely a reflection of being the most statistically dominant player in the women’s game, but rather the product of timing, market forces and star power in the United States.

From a performance standpoint, she has delivered consistently at both club and international level. Since joining Washington Spirit in 2021, she has made 116 appearances in all competitions, scoring 34 goals, including 28 in 97 NWSL league matches.

Those numbers are strong, but not unrivalled. What sets Rodman apart is her age, profile and commercial pull within the American market at a time when the NWSL is under pressure to retain its biggest stars.

At just 23, Rodman already has 47 caps for the United States and 11 international goals, including three at the 2024 Olympic Games as the USA went on to win gold.

She has also won the 2021 NWSL Championship, the 2025 NWSL Challenge Cup, the 2022 CONCACAF Women’s Championship and the 2024 CONCACAF W Gold Cup, as well as lifting three SheBelieves Cups.

Off the pitch, Rodman is one of the most marketable players in the league, with major endorsement deals and a large social media following compared to most NWSL players. With the 2027 Women’s World Cup taking place in the United States, the league and its clubs are also increasingly focused on keeping recognisable domestic stars at home rather than losing them to Europe.

That context, combined with the introduction of the NWSL’s new ‘High Impact Player’ rule, created a unique moment where Washington Spirit were both able and strongly motivated to break the salary record in order to keep one of the league’s most visible faces.

Who is the highest-paid male player in world football?

While Rodman’s new bumper contract could indeed be “game-changing”, the wage gap between men’s and women’s football remains vast.

Cristiano Ronaldo was the highest-earning male player in world football in 2025, with a total income of $280m (£207m), according to Forbes.

Meanwhile, Erling Haaland is the top-paid player in England’s Premier League. Haaland, with a weekly wage of £575,000, recently featured in FootballBlog.co.uk‘s highest-paid Premier League XI 2026.