The 10 most expensive NWSL signings of all time

Despite the recent growth of England’s Women’s Super League, the National Women’s Soccer League remains the place to be for footballers.

The top division of American women’s soccer has consistently produced some of the finest players in the sport. Thanks to the US college system, which churns out talent after talent, the NWSL has been able to dominate the women’s football landscape.

European leagues are undoubtedly catching up, and some big names have headed across the pond for record-breaking fees in recent years, but this is not necessarily down to the superior quality of the product in Europe.

The NWSL operates with a salary cap, so players can potentially earn more at clubs like Arsenal and Chelsea, backed by Premier League powerhouses, than at franchises in the US.

In order to remain financially competitive with Europe, the NWSL has implemented a new High Impact Player Rule that allows clubs to exceed the salary cap by $1 million for stars that fall into this category.

Meanwhile, the NWSL is stronger than ever when it comes to spending on players. NWSL clubs boast some of the largest fees paid for soccer players, and the league currently holds the world record for the largest transfer fee in women’s football history.

Below, FootballTransfers runs through the 10 most expensive incoming transfers in NWSL history…

10. Jaedyn Shaw – $450,000 (San Diego Wave to NC Courage, 2025)

Young USWNT star Jaedyn Shaw made headlines when she left the San Diego Wave for the NC Courage in early 2025, joining the Cary-based club for $450,000 in a notable intra-league trade.

Shaw had been amazing for San Diego as a teenager, so this looked like money well spent. Indeed, it didn’t take long for the Courage to turn a handsome profit on the attacker – but more on that later.

9. Tarciane – $485,000 (Corinthians to Houston Dash, 2024)

A rising star in Brazil, defender Tarciane was snapped up by the struggling Houston Dash in 2024 for a fee of $485,000, a record figure for Brazilian women’s football. Though she was restricted to just a few appearances that year, she impressed in limited minutes.

As a result, Lyon came calling and signed her after less than 12 months in Houston for a fee that can rise to as high as $979,000, making her one of the most expensive players in women’s football history.

8. Maria Sanchez – $500,000 (Houston Dash to San Diego Wave, 2024)

Maria Sanchez held the record for the most expensive intra-league trade for a little over a year after moving from Houston to San Diego in 2024, just months after signing what was the most lucrative contract in league history at the time.

Although she had her moments in a San Diego shirt, she was unable to consistently impress. The Wave missed the playoffs in 2024, and by June 2025, she had been sold to Tigres.

7. Emily Sams – $650,000 (Orlando Pride to Angel City, 2026)

Angel City strengthened their backline with Orlando Pride defender Emily Sams ahead of the 2026 season, transferring $650,000 to their intra-league rivals.

After being drafted in the first round in 2023, Sams established herself as one of the best in her position in the NWSL. She was named defender of the year in 2024 after winning the NWSL Shield with the Pride and setting a new unbeaten record.

6. Ally Sentnor – $700,00 (Utah Royals to KC Current, 2025)

A No.1 draft pick by the reborn Utah Royals in 2024, Ally Sentnor went on to briefly set the NWSL intra-trade record when she was acquired by the KC Current for $700,000 in August 2025.

Sentnor was a Rookie of the Year finalist in 2024, so it was clear that she would be worth the money. She helped the Current clinch the NWSL Shield in her first half-season with the club.

5. Barbra Banda – $740,000 (Shanghai Shengli to Orlando Pride, 2024)

Despite only briefly playing in Spain, Zambia international Barbra Banda was one of the most recognisable names in women’s football in the early 2020s, thanks to her absolutely absurd scoring record.

A player who is netting at a rate of almost a goal per game at the international level, Orlando paid $740,000 to Shanghai Shengli to finally bring Banda into the spotlight, and it was a decision that has been handsomely rewarded.

She scored 17 goals in 25 games in 2024 and eight goals in 16 games in 2025.

4. Racheal Kundananji – $862,000 (Madrid CFF to Bay FC, 2024)

A world-record transfer at the time, Bay FC sent shockwaves throughout the world of women’s football when they acquired Zambia international Racheal Kundananji ahead of their inaugural season in the NWSL.

Bay FC paid Spanish side Madrid CFF $862,000 to sign the striker, but Kundananji has not been quite as impactful as expected. She scored five goals in 2024 and four in 2025.

3. Ludmila – $1m (Chicago Stars to San Diego Wave, 2026)

Ahead of the 2026 season, the San Diego Wave acquired Brazil international Ludmila in a $1m trade from the Chicago Stars. The move came off the back of an encouraging 2025 season during which she scored the fastest hat-trick in league history.

It appears to have been a smart trade, as Ludmila has looked incredibly dangerous so far in the 2026 season.

2. Jaedyn Shaw – $1.25m (NC Courage to Gotham FC, 2025)

In September 2025, the aforementioned Jaedyn Shaw made NWSL history when her trade from the NC Courage to Gotham FC set a new league record at $1.25m.

After a few months in Cary, following her $450,000 move from San Diego in early 2025, title-chasing Gotham broke the bank to bring Shaw to New Jersey. It was a shrewd decision. The forward scored twice and provided one assist in the playoffs as Gotham won the championship.

1. Jacqueline Ovalle – $1.5m (Tigres to Orlando Pride, 2025)

Mexico international Jacqueline (or Lizbeth) Ovalle is the most expensive player in women’s football history, courtesy of her record-breaking $1.5m transfer from Tigres to the Orlando Pride in August 2025.

Ovalle had been an unbelievable player for Tigres, and her move came just a few months after she netted a stunning scorpion kick for which she later won the Marta Award, the women’s counterpart of the Puskas Award, named after her legendary Orlando teammate.

She scored once and provided two assists in her first half-season in the NWSL.

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