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Players in USL Super League have reached a tentative agreement for the terms of their first-ever collective bargaining agreement, the league and its players’ union announced in a joint statement on Thursday.Known commercially as the Gainbridge Super League, the Division I women’s soccer league will begin an abbreviated 2026 fall season in August before transitioning to a new spring-to-fall format for 2027. The milestone is a significant one for players as the league continues to evolve.
“The agreement is the result of eight months of productive and collaborative discussions between the parties and reflects a shared commitment to supporting players and strengthening the Gainbridge Super League,” the joint announcement from the league and USL Players Association read.
“This milestone marks a significant moment for the Gainbridge Super League and the continued growth of professional women’s soccer in the United States. The CBA establishes a strong foundation for the league’s future and helps advance the professional game. It also provides labor stability through the 2031 FIFA Women’s World Cup, creating certainty during a pivotal period for women’s soccer.”
The tentative agreement is pending final ratification, as the league and its player union work through “remaining details”, they said. More information will be shared following that final ratification.
The Super League is the second Division I women’s professional soccer league in the United States, alongside the National Women’s Soccer League. It launched in August 2024, though league organizers have long stated the league does not directly compete with the NWSL, which next year will kick off a historic 15th season.
Shortly after its launch, Super League players announced in November 2024 they had voted to unionize and joined the USL Players Association, which also represents USL players in two of its men’s leagues, USL Championship and USL League One. The league voluntarily recognized that players had joined the union, allowing both sides to start working towards this week’s historic milestone.
While the USL Super League has enjoyed relative success in its first two seasons, one of its inaugural clubs, Spokane Zephyr, unexpectedly folded in late May, with ownership announcing it would not be returning for a third season.
The USL Players Association also represents players in USL Championship, a second-division men’s league. In early May, players in the USL Championship reached their own tentative agreement in separate negotiations with the league for their own updated CBA, after a longstanding deadlock in negotiations.
This article originally appeared in The Athletic.
USL, Women's Soccer
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