The National Women’s Soccer League will establish a $5 million fund for players as part of a settlement that stemmed from allegations of emotional and sexual misconduct that rocked the league in 2021.
Attorneys general from Illinois, Washington, D.C., and New York announced the settlement with the league on Wednesday.
The funds will go to players who experienced abuse. The settlement also requires the league to maintain safeguards put into place following a pair of investigations released in late 2022 that found widespread misconduct that impacted multiple teams, coaches and players.
It also gives the attorneys general, Kwame Raoul of Illinois, Brian L. Schwalb of Washington, D.C., and Letitia James of New York, the ability to oversee changes that the NWSL made after the scandal broke, and the ability to fine the league if it fails to uphold those changes.
Raoul, in a joint virtual press conference with the other AGs on Wednesday, detailed allegations against former Chicago Stars coach Rory Dames, who resigned in 2021.
Dames stayed in his coaching role despite player concerns dating back to 2014, Raoul said. In surveys and complaints, players said Dames made sexual remarks about player appearances; referred to Black players as thugs; and pressured players to attend one-on-one meals where he made inappropriate comments, Raoul said.
Then-Stars majority owner Arnim Whisler in 2022 told the Tribune that Dames was allowed to resign because the club “didn’t have any reason to believe that there was a safety issue in our environment.”
Now, in addition to the opportunity for player compensation, the league has come to an agreement with the goal of giving players a better avenue to report concerns and ensure abuse doesn’t continue — relief that Raoul said is “as important or more important” than the settlement fund itself.
Chicago Red Stars fined $1.5 million and ex-coach Rory Dames permanently banned from NWSL
The attorneys general on Wednesday thanked players for coming forward with their experiences.
“Despite having the most to lose, these players came forward to expose abuse and a lack of accountability by those at the top of the league,” Raoul said. “Because they spoke up for themselves and their teammates, they have brought about reform that will protect future players.”
In Springfield, Gov. JB Pritzker welcomed the news of the settlement, saying that while the impact of the agreement won’t be known for some time, the women who’ve been subjected to this kind of behavior “deserve all the protections in the world that we can provide.”
“You never know if a settlement was really enough until we see what the results are in the years going forward,” Pritzker said during an unrelated news conference at the Illinois State Capitol. “I will say that many of the owners of those teams have stepped forward and are doing good work including, as you know, (Stars owner) Laura Ricketts, to try to protect the players and, you know, stand on their side in this moment. So, I’m glad to hear that an agreement has been reached.”
A pair of former players — Sinead Farrelly and Mana Shim — came forward in 2021 and accused longtime NWSL coach Paul Riley of sexual harassment and coercion.
Riley, who has denied the allegations, was fired by the North Carolina Courage in the aftermath. He was among five head coaches in the league who were either fired or resigned in 2021 amid claims of misconduct. The NWSL commissioner at the time also resigned.
Both the NWSL and U.S. Soccer launched investigations into the allegations. The U.S. Soccer report was led by former acting U.S. Attorney General Sally Q. Yates, who found emotional abuse and sexual misconduct were “systemic” in the sport.
Following the investigation, the NWSL implemented changes to protect players. The NWSL Players Association also negotiated safeguards in the league’s collective bargaining agreement.
“This investigation was initiated by the NWSLPA because players refused to stay silent in the face of systemic abuse. The human rights and civil rights violations they endured were enabled by a system that failed in its most basic duty: to protect its players,” said Meghann Burke, NWSLPA executive director. “This settlement not only acknowledges those failures but, for the first time, establishes enforcement mechanisms under the law to hold NWSL accountable and to prevent future harm.”
Among the safeguards that are mandated to continue include comprehensive vetting of certain team personnel, mechanisms for players to report abuse, player access to free and unlimited counseling, access to a league safety officer and policies that prevent teams from investigating themselves.
“We have worked collaboratively with the NWSLPA and the attorneys general to add greater strength to the programmatic changes we adopted in 2023 in light of the joint investigative reports, and we look forward to supporting the administrator in distributing the Players’ Restitution Fund,” current NWSL Commissioner Jessica Berman said in a statement. “We will continue to do the work necessary to maintain the trust of our players.”
The NWSL played its inaugural season in 2013. The professional women’s league now has 14 teams, with two more joining in 2026.
“This settlement sends a clear message that such misconduct will not be tolerated and ensures players receive the compensation and protections they deserve,” James said in a statement. “Every athlete should be able to compete in a safe, supportive environment, and I thank the brave individuals who came forward to share their experiences.”
The Tribune’s Olivia Olander and Jeremy Gorner contributed to this report
The National Women’s Soccer League will establish a $5 million fund for players as part of a settlement that stemmed from allegations of emotional and sexual misconduct that rocked the league in 2021.
The National Women’s Soccer League will establish a $5 million fund for players as part of a settlement that stemmed from allegations of emotional and sexual misconduct that rocked the league in 2021.
Attorneys general from Illinois, Washington, D.C., and New York announced the settlement with the league on Wednesday.
The funds will go to players who experienced abuse. The settlement also requires the league to maintain safeguards put into place following a pair of investigations released in late 2022 that found widespread misconduct that impacted multiple teams, coaches and players.
It also gives the attorneys general, Kwame Raoul of Illinois, Brian L. Schwalb of Washington, D.C., and Letitia James of New York, the ability to oversee changes that the NWSL made after the scandal broke, and the ability to fine the league if it fails to uphold those changes.
“Today’s settlement is only possible because of the players who courageously stepped forward to tell their stories and expose the league’s systemic failures. While NWSL has made critical improvements, the victims never received any compensation for the sexual and emotional abuse they endured on the league’s watch,” Schwalb said in a statement Wednesday. “No dollar amount could ever fully address the damage that was inflicted, but now my office, together with New York and Illinois, will have oversight authority to ensure that the league’s new safety policies are implemented and that current and future players are protected.”
A pair of former players — Sinead Farrelly and Mana Shim — came forward in 2021 and accused longtime NWSL coach Paul Riley of sexual harassment and coercion.
Riley, who has denied the allegations, was fired by the North Carolina Courage in the aftermath. He was among five head coaches in the league who were either fired or resigned in 2021 amid claims of misconduct. The NWSL commissioner at the time also resigned.
Both the NWSL and U.S. Soccer launched investigations into the allegations. The U.S. Soccer report was led by former acting U.S. Attorney General Sally Q. Yates, who found emotional abuse and sexual misconduct were “systemic” in the sport.
Chicago Red Stars fined $1.5 million and ex-coach Rory Dames permanently banned from NWSL
Following the investigation, the NWSL implemented changes to protect players. The NWSL Players Association also negotiated safeguards in the league’s collective bargaining agreement.
“This investigation was initiated by the NWSLPA because players refused to stay silent in the face of systemic abuse. The human rights and civil rights violations they endured were enabled by a system that failed in its most basic duty: to protect its players,” said Meghann Burke, NWSLPA executive director. “This settlement not only acknowledges those failures but, for the first time, establishes enforcement mechanisms under the law to hold NWSL accountable and to prevent future harm.”
Among the safeguards that are mandated to continue include comprehensive vetting of certain team personnel, mechanisms for players to report abuse, player access to free and unlimited counseling, access to a league safety officer and policies that prevent teams from investigating themselves.
“We have worked collaboratively with the NWSLPA and the attorneys general to add greater strength to the programmatic changes we adopted in 2023 in light of the joint investigative reports, and we look forward to supporting the administrator in distributing the Players’ Restitution Fund,” current NWSL Commissioner Jessica Berman said in a statement. “We will continue to do the work necessary to maintain the trust of our players.”
The NWSL played its inaugural season in 2013. The professional women’s league now has 14 teams, with two more joining in 2026.
“This settlement sends a clear message that such misconduct will not be tolerated and ensures players receive the compensation and protections they deserve,” James said in a statement. “Every athlete should be able to compete in a safe, supportive environment, and I thank the brave individuals who came forward to share their experiences.”
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