Soccer player Alex Morgan recently revealed the shocking amount she made during her first 22-game season in the NWSL. She did clarify that it was about more, and money wasn’t her priority.
The former two-time FIFA World Cup winner revealed she made less than $300 per match during the first game season. The first season in the nascent soccer league earned her a total of $6,000 to play for the Portland Thorns.
In an appearance on Wednesday, September 3, on the “Call Her Daddy” podcast, Morgan discussed her goal to advance in the NWSL and the rights for women’s soccer throughout the years. She spoke about how the young stars get what they deserve, as stars like her paved the way for them.
“I look at these young players coming into the NWSL, and I’m like, ‘Yeah you have that confidence. You walk in there proudly and you ask for what you deserve,’ because in a lot of ways, that’s what we fought for. Players are getting over $500,000 now to play, and maybe in three years, a million. And maybe in three more years, $5 million. Who knows?”
Why Alex Morgan Accepted Such Low Pay To Play Professionally
Alex Morgan accepted low pay due to the limited opportunities and low wages during the early years in the National Women’s Soccer League. She focused on building her career in the nascent professional league rather than asking for a higher salary.
As she reached new heights in her career, Morgan became a powerful advocate for equal pay and better player conditions. She helped bring these rules for all women in professional soccer by using her platform to push for a huge change in this sport.
The league’s 2024 collective bargaining agreement reveals the minimum salary, which is $48,500. It is expected to grow to $82,500 by 2030. The CBA has also provided leniency on teams taking charter flights by eliminating the draft and free agency restrictions.
Her Sacrifice Aims To Advance Women’s Rights In Soccer
Morgan sacrificed a lot for women’s soccer, especially by helping grow the salaries in the past couple of years in the NWSL. She made some personal sacrifices, like moving to France to polish her skills, taking time off for motherhood, and taking a major personal stand in a lawsuit for equal pay and higher standards for football players.
She took a stand by joining her U.S Women’s National teammates in 2022 in a gender discrimination lawsuit against the U.S. Soccer Federation. The settlement provided the women’s soccer players $24 million and guaranteed that men and women would be paid equally.
The sacrifices of the former FIFA World Cup winner shall never be ignored for many years to come. Morgan announced her retirement from professional soccer last year as she focuses on being a mother to her two children. It will be interesting to see if we witness Morgan step onto the field once again in the future.
Published: Sep 4, 2025 01:20 pm