NWSL teams are extending key player contracts, with the Current announcing the re-signing of captain Lo'eau LaBonta on a contract extension through the 2028 NWSL season this week.
"From baseball field to NWSL Shield, I've seen how far we've come and I'm hyped to see how far we can go," the 32-year-old said in the club's contract extension announcement on Thursday. "I've grown with this club and this city, and I've seen how belief turns into history. This new contract is about more than just soccer — it's about building a legacy, one celly at a time."
The top-seeded Current weren't the only team locking down their locker room ahead of this week's 2025 NWSL Playoffs kick off, with Kansas City's quarterfinals foe No. 8-seed Gotham FC also getting in on the deal-making action.
The Bats inked rising star midfielder Jaedyn Shaw to a new multi-year contract extension on Thursday, signing the 20-year-old phenom through the 2029 season less than two months after securing her from the North Carolina Courage in a record-breaking $1.25 million midseason transfer deal.
"Whether we're winning games or losing games, just being around the girls and stuff, I feel like everyone has been so welcoming to me and has made this place feel like home," Shaw told JWS after Thursday's news.
How to watch LaBonta, Shaw in the 2025 NWSL Playoffs
While Thursday saw their respective clubs go all in on their NWSL futures on Thursday, both LaBonta and Shaw will be battling against each other for their team's 2025 success this weekend, as the No. 1 Kansas City Current hosts No. 8 Gotham FC in a win-or-go-home clash on Sunday.
The pair's quarterfinal kicks off at 12:30 PM ET, with live coverage airing on ABC.
NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman is sticking around, with Sportico reporting last Friday that the NWSL Executive Committee voted for a three-year contract extension for the league leader through the 2028 LA Olympics.
The 48-year-old inked her initial four-year deal in 2022, quickly driving commercial growth after joining an NWSL still reeling from a period of league scandals.
Under her purview, Berman led the NWSL through successful CBA negotiations and inked a blockbuster $60 million-per-year media deal, boosting team valuations from the low single-digit millions to upwards of $250 million.
Berman also helped drive the league's ongoing expansion, seeing 12 clubs in action during her debut 2022 season before growing to 14 in the 2024 campaign — with additional expansion sides Boston Legacy FC and Denver Summit FC ballooning the field to 16 squads beginning next year.
Despite those successes, Berman recently faced backlash surrounding the league's handling of on-field medical incidents, with Sportico's sources noting that the board of governors' decision to move forward with the NWSL commissioner's contract extension was not unanimous.
"We're proud to have Jessica Berman's continued leadership," executive committee chair and Gotham FC owner Carolyn Tisch Blodgett said in a league statement. "Under her guidance, the NWSL has reached new heights in attendance, revenue, and global visibility. This extension ensures we can continue building on that momentum."