Jessica Berman Confirms Her Continued Leadership of the NWSL
The commissioner of the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL), Jessica Berman, has expressed her intention to continue leading the league. Although she did not offer concrete details about the renewal of her contract, which ends in the coming months, her commitment to the future of professional women’s soccer is clear.
“My intention is to be here,” Berman told the media from the league headquarters. “I joined this league because I believe in the future of women’s sports and professional women’s soccer, and that’s all I can say.”
Jessica Berman
Berman assumed the commissioner’s position in 2022 after signing a four-year contract.
Berman’s statements came after two days of meetings in New York of the league’s board of governors, where Berman’s future and the possible renewal of his contract were central topics.
These meetings were held weeks after the league lost one of its most prominent players, US forward Alyssa Thompson, who joined Chelsea. This transfer sparked debate about the NWSL’s ability to compete globally while maintaining a salary cap of $3.5 million per team.
Berman addressed the salary cap issue, noting that the players’ decisions are complex and are evaluated comprehensively. He stated that the league offers an attractive value proposition to attract and retain the best players.The safety of the players was another important topic in Berman’s press conference, following several incidents in the matches this season.
The second serious medical incident of the season occurred when Racing Louisville FC midfielder Savannah DeMelo collapsed on the field during halftime of a match against Seattle Reign FC. The match was suspended and completed two days later.
Berman explained that the decision to suspend the match was his, although there are other people authorized to make similar decisions in his absence. “The decision not to continue the match was obvious and did not require contemplation,” Berman said. “Now we know how to handle these situations and we hope we don’t have to do it again.”
In addition, Berman announced that the league’s expansion process, which currently has 16 teams, is open, but will be carried out on an ongoing basis rather than through a bidding process with specific deadlines.
The NWSL will expand to 16 teams next year with the addition of Boston Legacy FC and Denver Summit FC. Berman has mentioned that the league could reach 32 teams, although now it seems more like an idea than a concrete goal.
Berman also confirmed that the second division that the NWSL plans to operate will not launch next year, as initially indicated. The league is now focused on launching this second division in 2027.
