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Rose Lavelle re-signs with Gotham FC through 2029
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- Rose Lavelle re-signs with Gotham FC through 2029
Rose Lavelle re-signs with Gotham FC through 2029
United States women's national team midfielder Rose Lavelle has re-signed with Gotham FC through the 2029 season, multiple sources who spoke under condition of anonymity because the deal had not been announced confirmed to The Athletic .
ESPN first reported the news . The outlet also reported that Gotham, which is operating at the maximum of the NWSL's salary cap, is expected to use the new High Impact Rule to tap into funds to fit the 31-year-old into its roster.
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Lavelle first joined the club alongside Emily Sonnett in early 2024 following Gotham's first NWSL championship. Her contract was set to expire at the end of the 2026 season, which would have made Lavelle one of the most high-profile free agents on the market this offseason. The new deal guarantees the midfielder will be with the club for its first season at NYCFC's Etihad Park in Queens in 2028.
The Cincinnati native has been a key part of Gotham's roster since joining the team, helping the club lift their second NWSL championship last year. Lavelle, who regularly comes through in big moments for her club, scored the championship-winning goal in its 1-0 win over Washington Spirit at PayPal Park in November.
The World Cup and Olympic champion is also a regular in Emma Hayes' USWNT rotation and is considered a lock for the 2027 World Cup. Lavelle remains one of the most-capped active players with the senior team, scoring 29 goals and recording 29 assists across 122 appearances.
Gotham currently sits atop the NWSL table, with 45 points across 22 matches and a 13-3-6 (win-loss-draw) record. That's in no small part due to Lavelle's contributions, who has scored four goals across 19 appearances this season. The club is currently on a 10-match unbeaten streak, as it pushes to secure its first NWSL shield in club history.
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Lavelle was absent from the pitch in Gotham's 1-1 draw against the Portland Thorns last week. She entered the NWSL's concussion protocol after suffering a head injury on Aug. 23 , when she exited Gotham's scoreless draw against Angel City in the 37th minute.
It is unclear when the midfielder will return to the pitch, though The Athletic observed hertraining with the team Tuesday during warm-up passing drills. When the team moved to drills with more contact, Lavelle shifted to individual training on an adjacent pitch. Gotham will be on the road for the next three weeks, with its next match against Denver Summit FC slated for Sunday.
Lavelle's decision to remain at Gotham is a massive win for the 2025 defending champions, who have mastered navigating the NWSL's salary cap under club president Yael Averbuch West and brought in some of the most sought-after players in the world.
The team salary cap for NWSL teams is $3.5 million for the 2026 season, as outlined in the league's Collective Bargaining Agreement. The salary cap will increase each season, rising to $3.7 million next year and reaching $5.1 million for the 2030 season. The CBA gives the NWSL discretion to increase the cap in any given year, as long as the league consults with the NWSL Players Association, which has long advocated for a higher cap.
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The cap remains a highly debated topic in the NWSL, as teams like Gotham continue to push its boundaries. Other leagues, like England's Women's Super League, considered one of the biggest rivals to the NWSL on the global stage, are not bound by caps and can offer higher salaries.
The High Impact Rule was created in part to help keep Washington Spirit and USWNT star Trinity Rodman in the NWSL last year. In December, when the league announced the rule, the NWSL said it would help "strengthen talent attraction and retention" in the league. Referred to by some as "the Rodman rule," it allows teams up to $1 million in additional funds outside of the team salary cap to pay their top players. Players must meet certain "commercial or sporting" criteria to qualify for HIP funds.
Earlier this year, Gotham also secured a multi-year contract extension with Sonnett. The veteran defender will miss the remainder of the year after suffering a season-ending knee injury in July. Like with Lavelle, the club tapped into HIP funds to re-sign the World Cup winner and Olympic gold medalist, according to ESPN.
This article originally appeared in The Athletic .
Gotham FC, Women's Soccer, NWSL
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