DC Attorney General Brian L. Schwalb, alongside New York Attorney General Letitia James and Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul, today announced a landmark settlement with the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) after numerous players came forward with allegations of harassment and sexual misconduct and an independent investigation subsequently found that emotional abuse, discrimination, and sexual coercion were systemic across the League. Following these reports, the Attorneys General launched a joint investigation that found widespread violations of players’ fundamental rights. This settlement requires the NWSL to create a $5 million fund to compensate players who were abused and continue implementation of comprehensive reforms to improve player safety and well-being. Additionally, it gives the three state Attorneys General the ability to oversee and enforce new League protocols and protections for players.

“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,” said Attorney General Schwalb. “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.”

“For too long, the hardworking and talented women of the National Women’s Soccer League were forced to endure an unacceptable culture of abuse, harassment, and retaliation,” said Attorney General James. “This settlement sends a clear message that such misconduct will not be tolerated and ensures players receive the compensation and protections they deserve. 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.” 

“I commend the current and former players whose courage and leadership off the field was critical to reaching today’s settlement. 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. Because they spoke up for themselves and their teammates, they have brought about reform that will protect future players,” said Attorney General Raoul. “I am proud to collaborate with Attorney General Schwalb and Attorney General James to hold the league accountable and put an overdue end to the unprofessional and toxic practices that have plagued the league.”

“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, Executive Director of the National Women’s Soccer League Players Association. “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. We appreciate Attorneys General Brian L. Schwalb, Letitia James, and Kwame Raoul for their commitment to standing with Players and to bringing the power of their offices to bear on enforcing the recommendations of our Joint Investigation. Accountability is not a one-time event—it is an ongoing commitment that never ends. The NWSLPA will continue to ensure that this league never again prioritizes silence over safety.”

“This investigation was Player-led because, for too long, people in power refused to listen. Players suffered in silence – ignored by those in a position to prevent this harm. Only through their bravery—speaking out, demanding change, and refusing to back down—did the full scale of the league’s failures come to light,” said Tori Huster, Deputy Executive Director of the National Women’s Soccer League. “This settlement is a testament to their courage and a step toward the accountability they have always deserved. We appreciate Attorneys General Brian L. Schwalb, Letitia James, and Kwame Raoul for recognizing the gravity of these injustices and ensuring that legal protections are now in place. I want to be clear: this was possible because Players demanded it. Their strength continues to drive this league forward, and the NWSLPA will always stand beside them in that fight.”

"We remain grateful to the many brave individuals who came forward to share their experiences, which has informed our approach to systemic reform. The NWSL is proud of the work we have done, in partnership with the NWSL Players Association, to set the standard for professional sports leagues,” said NWSL Commissioner Jessica Berman. “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. We will continue to do the work necessary to maintain the trust of our players.”

In 2021, players from across the NWSL, including on the Washington Spirit, went public with allegations of misconduct and abuse at the hands of coaches and officials dating back over ten years. Many of these complaints had been reported to the League but were largely ignored. Two separate investigations—one commissioned jointly by the NWSL and NWSL Players’ Association (NWSLPA) and one by the United States Soccer Federation, conducted by former US Deputy Attorney General Sally Q. Yates—found systemic, League-wide failures that facilitated verbal abuse, sexual assault, harassment, coercion, and discrimination by coaches, with no clear mechanisms in place for player safety. The findings of these two investigations resulted in extensive recommendations from players and attorneys to improve how the NWSL handles allegations of abuse, sexual harassment, and discrimination.

By the end of the 2021 season, in the wake of player complaints and media reports, five of the NWSL’s ten existing teams had fired their coaches. The investigation by the Attorneys General further confirmed these allegations: the NWSL was permeated by a culture of abuse and neglect. Coaches verbally abused players, sexually assaulted players, coerced them into inappropriate relationships, and retaliated against those who resisted or spoke out. The investigation further uncovered that some teams failed to conduct background checks, allowing coaches previously terminated for misconduct to be rehired by other teams.

In 2021, the NWSL’s longest-tenured coach resigned after a sports psychologist found he had created a culture of fear and engaged in emotional and verbal abuse. The NWSL had been aware of this coach’s conduct since at least 2014, with players reporting that the coach repeatedly made sexualized remarks about their appearances, texted them after hours, and pressured them to attend inappropriate one-on-one meals with him. At least one player who complained was swiftly traded to another team. Despite knowledge of these issues, the NWSL failed to take reasonable measures to protect its players. In another instance, a team hired a new head coach and almost immediately received reports of previous abusive behavior. Allegations were made publicly and directly to the NWSL, but neither the team nor the league ever investigated these reports. This coach made racist jokes using racial epithets, including the N-word; used a surgical mask to mimic religious headwear; called a game the team was losing a “Holocaust;” and referred to a passing drill as a “Jew star.” He remained in his position for nearly three years.

Today’s settlement, following the joint investigation conducted by the Offices of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia, New York, and Illinois, requires the League to:

• Create a $5 million restitution fund for impacted players. Any unclaimed funds will be donated to the NWSLPA’s emergency and charitable fund.
   
• Implement League-wide policy changes to protect players. With oversight from the Attorneys General, NWSL must continue to comply with extensive changes to its protocols including:
   
  • Conducting rigorous vetting of prospective coaches, general managers, athletic trainers, and player safety officers.
     
  • Implementing multiple mechanisms for players to report misconduct.
     
  • Prohibiting coaches from having exclusive control over player housing or medical decisions.
     
  • Adopting a policy that teams may not investigate themselves regarding coach misconduct and player safety.
     
  • Establishing a league safety officer.
     
  • Requiring teams to employ dedicated HR personnel and at least one mental health professional.
     
  • Mandating annual training for all players and staff on how to prevent bullying, harassment, sexual misconduct, racism, and retaliation, and the reporting mechanisms available to players.
     
  • Providing the attorneys general with the results of annual, anonymous player surveys of coach conduct and team culture.
     
  • Providing unlimited free and confidential counseling services to all players.
     
• Submit bi-annual reports to the Attorneys General for the next three years, detailing the implementation of the settlement terms and noting any complaints alleging misconduct involving player or staff safety.
   
• Pay a $2 million civil penalty if it materially defaults on the terms of the settlement.

Players can anticipate receiving a letter from all three Attorneys General in the near future with further details on the claims administration process.

The settlement agreement is available here.

This matter was handled for the District by Assistant Attorney General Jess Feinberg and Civil Rights & Elder Justice Section Chief Alicia M. Lendon.