The National Women's Soccer League Players Association (often known as NWSL Players Association or NWSLPA) is the officially recognized union of players in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL).

History

The NWSLPA was formed in May 2017 under the leadership of

Yael Averbuch Yael Averbuch West (born Yael Friedman Averbuch; November 3, 1986) is a former American professional soccer player. She was formerly the executive director of the National Women's Soccer League Players Association and is the current general ma ...

and represented by lawyer and former WPS player

Meghann Burke Meghann Kay Burke (born October 11, 1980) is an American professional soccer goalkeeper. She was most recently a player and coach for Women's Premier Soccer League club Asheville City SC. She currently serves as the Executive Director of the ...

. The NWSLPA officially unionized in November 2018. Until the end of the 2021 season, the NWSLPA membership excluded United States federation players because those players were contracted with the US Soccer Federation (USSF) for their play in the NWSL. In December 2021, the USSF and the union representing the U.S. national team (USWNT) agreed to end the

NWSL federation players The National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) federation players were players whose salaries for playing in the NWSL were paid for by their respective national federations from 2013 to 2021. American federation players were contracted to the United Sta ...

system, which means that USWNT players playing in the NWSL are now contracted directly to their NWSL teams and that those players will also be represented in their club employment by the NWSLPA.

Leadership

the NWSLPA is led by executive director

and president

Tori Huster Victoria Lauren Huster (born September 23, 1989) is an American soccer midfielder currently playing for Washington Spirit of the NWSL. In 2020, she was elected president of the National Women's Soccer League Players Association. Early life Bo ...

. The executive team is advised by an advisory board and a group of player representatives of two players per each NWSL team.

Awards

The NWSL Players Association began awarding its own NWSL Players' Awards, voted on by the players of the NWSL, in 2019. These awards are considered one of the major end-of-season awards for NWSL players alongside the league's own awards. As there are often differences between the league's own awards and the NWSL Players' Awards, many NWSL players consider the NWSL Players' Awards to be more prestigious as they are decided by only players themselves. The inaugural edition of the NWSL Players' Awards included three categories: Players' Player of the Year, Players' Rookie of the Year, and Players' Team of the Year.

References

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:National Women's Soccer League Players Association Sports trade unions of the United States Trade unions established in 2017 Players Association football trade unions Soccer organizations in the United States 2017 establishments in the United States