NIL & Revenue Sharing – NCAA Soccer

Estimated 2026 Revenue Sharing – NCAA I Soccer teams:

Football and Men’s basketball will account for close to 90% of revenue sharing payments at most Power 4 schools. The remaining 10% results in an average payout of around $ 5,187 per athlete in all other sports including soccer:

Revenue Sharing Estimates
Power 4 Schools: 2025-26 *
Operating
Revenue %
Allocation
to Team ($)
# of eligible
Athletes *
Average per
Athlete ($)
Football72.7%14,910,614105142,006
Men's Basketball15.1%3,084,21515205,614
All Other Sports12.2%2,505,171483
5,187
2025-26 Average 100%20,500,000603

* These estimates are based on 2025 team specific operating revenues as reported to the NCAA. In almost all cases, the maximum $ 20.5 million revenue sharing allocation will ultimately be reduced by the $ 2.5 million dollar for dollar offset for new scholarships. Eligible athletes are based on the new roster limits effective July 1, 2025.

These are averages, a few players may receive much more, while most will likely receive less. These estimates are for revenue sharing payments only (i.e. Institutional NIL), they do not include third-party NIL compensation. Most sports will likely receive no revenue sharing allocation, but will be eligible for greater scholarship awards.

Big potential increase in athletic scholarship awards for NCAA I Soccer players:

While soccer players will not receive substantial revenue sharing payments, most will be eligible for significantly higher athletic scholarship awards. As part of the House v NCAA settlement, scholarship limits have been removed, and roster limits have been established for each sport. For participating schools this would result in every player effectively being eligible for a full scholarship.  For women’s soccer, the athletic scholarship limit has been increased from 14 to 28, doubling the available scholarship money at most NCAA I schools:

2025 Scholarship Awards
Women's Soccer Teams *
Conference2025
Roster
# of Player
awards 2025
Total Team ($)
Awards 2025
Average Player
Award 2025 ($)
Maximum Player
Award 2026 ($)
Roster
Limit **
Out-of-State
Average Cost of
Attendance ($)
AkronMAC3933284,9708,63526,1202838,126
Appalachian StateSun Belt2826397,13315,27442,7482843,766
ArizonaBig 123434889,62626,16559,3882864,681
Arizona StateBig 123028911,55032,55566,5362854,724
ArkansasSEC3743914,68621,27259,0122851,292
Ball StateMAC2727480,03317,77936,7842844,228
Boise StatePac-123936615,13417,08738,6632821,650
Bowling GreenMAC3033481,76514,59930,8032839,657
BuffaloMAC2623618,18126,87741,1572855,216
CaliforniaACC3331698,81422,54246,6502878,189
Central FloridaBig 123034615,17218,09338,5202841,924
Central MichiganMAC3233362,05710,97129,5322830,709
CharlotteAmerican3630405,75713,52528,9212841,522
CincinnatiBig 123235707,41520,21252,5962852,212
ClemsonACC27341,065,21331,33079,6122861,126
ColoradoBig 122429895,67530,88563,9772864,778
Colorado StatePac-123625634,18425,36744,1942855,378
ConnecticutBig East3124755,76531,49052,0862864,478
Eastern MichiganMAC3645655,74714,57242,4982835,804
FloridaSEC3439731,14018,74747,7562845,808
Florida StateACC2631670,71021,63641,3252839,830
Fresno StatePac-123030465,43915,51528,6782843,274
GeorgiaSEC3541709,90417,31538,1262850,050
Georgia SouthernSun Belt2924479,11619,96335,1002842,668
Georgia StateSun Belt3538635,90416,73445,5852853,360
HawaiiMW2926520,62120,02437,5362856,622
HoustonBig 123238571,99115,05236,4332852,907
IllinoisBig Ten3027986,95336,55466,1502838,128
IndianaBig Ten3333868,01626,30458,3342860,348
IowaBig Ten3632719,39022,48144,7382851,329
Iowa StateBig 122628664,45023,73041,9482843,219
James MadisonSun Belt3625624,54624,98242,9542850,630
KansasBig 123031705,86622,77045,5402847,882
Kansas StateBig 123837547,11314,78740,3182844,903
Kennesaw StateCUSA3430458,95815,29928,3482843,648
Kent StateMAC3231529,34117,07638,0822841,126
Louisiana LafayetteSun Belt3838633,46716,67043,0642845,751
LSUSEC3232677,55221,17448,4312854,118
MarshallSun Belt3125531,81521,27335,8612838,934
MarylandBig Ten3230795,67226,52250,6802866,762
MassachusettsMAC3330793,34526,44556,8302859,759
Miami of OhioMAC3127750,29827,78953,5932864,426
MichiganBig Ten32301,081,98636,06675,6102882,277
Michigan StateBig Ten3232806,18625,19357,5852865,563
MinnesotaBig Ten2931778,44825,11154,0212857,074
MississippiSEC3447817,99017,40450,2452847,267
Mississippi StateSEC3242964,01822,95368,8582847,748
Missouri StateCUSA3033472,19214,30935,6642836,642
NebraskaBig Ten3028713,13625,46947,1962847,968
NevadaMW3227522,66919,35847,3002848,512
New MexicoMW3434585,24717,21343,8062850,843
New Mexico StateCUSA3527502,29818,60441,3412844,898
North CarolinaACC2725871,22034,84957,8502860,040
North Carolina StateACC2925685,25927,41046,1142851,635
North Dakota StateSummit League3129394,37813,59929,9452829,416
North TexasAmerican3330446,58014,88630,2972841,452
Northern IllinoisHorizon League2827504,35118,68036,5212841,057
OhioMAC3128479,23317,11535,5782842,884
Ohio StateBig Ten32301,073,35135,77876,6682859,528
OklahomaSEC29391,077,81127,63676,9872861,770
Oklahoma StateBig 123035470,35813,43934,1582847,320
OregonBig Ten2933946,97928,69662,3012866,531
Oregon StatePac-122929618,62921,33250,0512859,135
Penn StateBig Ten36261,050,14840,39070,5742862,884
PurdueBig Ten3632812,27425,38458,0202847,044
RutgersBig Ten3834820,10124,12158,7892859,000
Sam Houston StateCUSA2727352,88813,07025,5162840,576
San Diego StatePac-122827600,37922,23642,8842847,704
South FloridaAmerican3638572,20915,05836,8692837,460
Southern MissSun Belt2625363,51914,54126,6902827,180
TennesseeSEC33361,478,22641,06292,0442855,920
TexasSEC3134542,54115,95734,1652866,681
Texas StatePac-123224617,74125,73944,8942842,200
Texas TechBig 122934577,26416,97836,9092841,865
ToledoMAC3719774,37440,75741,4772841,747
UCLABig Ten3835982,86028,08267,5042881,851
UtahBig 122628820,99129,32148,4652861,640
Utah StatePac-124034279,4068,21817,7292840,210
UTEPMW3030473,90715,79730,3402837,226
UTSAAmerican3028499,90017,85432,9972845,598
VirginiaACC29251,170,37546,81581,1632884,446
WashingtonBig Ten3227781,98128,96255,8562863,806
Washington StatePac-122935935,82526,73867,2772851,910
West VirginiaBig 123230646,32621,54443,4072847,967
Western KentuckyCUSA2725383,30715,33234,2242844,015
Western MichiganMAC3333462,05014,00230,8652835,765
WisconsinBig Ten3523841,53536,58860,1102863,268
WyomingMW3130554,58918,48636,9482842,888
Averages - 89 Women's teams *3231672,58622,17946,4382850,281

For Men’s soccer, the athletic scholarship limit has been increased from 9.9 to 28, almost tripling the available scholarship money at most NCAA I schools:

2025 Scholarship Awards
Men's Soccer Teams *
Conference2025
Roster
# of Player
awards 2025
Total Team ($)
Awards 2025
Average Player
Award 2025 ($)
Maximum Player
Award 2026 ($)
Roster
Limit **
Out-of-State
Average Cost of
Attendance ($)
AkronMAC3723445,91919,38840,2452838,126
Bowling GreenMAC2626286,61611,02431,5312839,657
CaliforniaACC4235451,86612,91052,9742878,189
Central FloridaBig 122734551,97716,23549,2402841,924
CharlotteAmerican3720414,56620,72838,1392841,522
ClemsonACC3435903,18825,80591,2312861,126
ConnecticutBig East3123498,63121,68047,3982864,478
Georgia SouthernSun Belt3923396,83517,25437,0182842,668
Georgia StateSun Belt2929371,59712,81437,5352853,360
IndianaBig Ten3533621,15618,82358,4342860,348
James MadisonSun Belt3017415,80224,45942,1712850,630
MarshallSun Belt3127738,71127,36060,6992838,934
MarylandBig Ten2929906,22631,24972,7312866,762
MassachusettsMAC2818245,78913,65548,7682859,759
MichiganBig Ten3025894,44135,77886,6712882,277
Michigan StateBig Ten2829525,44418,11953,1292865,563
Missouri StateCUSA2633430,34813,04143,5182836,642
North CarolinaACC4127552,29020,45549,8462860,040
North Carolina StateACC3225563,05522,52249,7842851,635
Northern IllinoisHorizon 2718391,38421,74439,7342841,057
Ohio StateBig Ten2925528,59021,14454,4942859,528
Oregon StatePac-123826653,17725,12266,3802859,135
Penn StateBig Ten2721727,67434,65169,2362862,884
RutgersBig Ten2826630,73824,25963,8402859,000
San Diego StatePac-122827412,81015,28947,7242847,704
South FloridaAmerican2926397,91815,30534,7832837,460
UCLABig Ten3433663,72520,11364,2522881,851
VirginiaACC4128958,93034,24892,7402884,446
WashingtonBig Ten3630562,16518,73956,7842863,806
West VirginiaBig 123036465,80012,93943,8612847,967
Western MichiganMAC3128343,41012,26531,3042835,765
WisconsinBig Ten2728687,41524,55169,4362863,268
Averages - 33 Men's teams *3227541,09120,39852,9722855,065

* These averages are for NCAA I public Universities for which we have compiled data from available reporting.
*
* Roster limits are not mandatory. However, schools opting not to be subject to roster limits must adhere to the prior (lower) scholarship limits. Participating schools must submit certified rosters to the College Sports Commission.

These are potential increases as athletic scholarship awards are optional. Schools can fully fund a sport, or award less than the maximum allowed. However, schools will be pressured to fully fund their sports for both competitive and equity considerations. Scholarships remain one of the primary recruiting tools, and programs offering less than the maximum awards allowed will likely be at a recruiting disadvantage to competitors who are fully funding their teams.

Additionally, one of the objectives of the new NCAA model is to provide enhanced monetary awards for those student-athletes in limited revenue sports. While Football and Men’s basketball will receive close to 90% of revenue sharing payments at most FBS schools, conversely, about 90% of the new potential scholarship awards will go to athletes in Women’s and Men’s sports other than football and basketball.

Number of US College Soccer teams:

NCAA I teams represent about 18% of all US College soccer teams. There are also many opportunities to play college soccer at schools in other divisions and athletic associations:

Intercollegiate Soccer
Programs 2025-26
Total
Members
Men's
Teams
Women's
Teams
NCAA I 365213350
NCAA II299203260
NCAA III429407419
NAIA 226194195
NJCAA433253232
CCCAA1048291
Other Associations13610079
Totals1,9921,452
1,626


Questions on our data? Contact us at: NIL-NCAA.com

Statistics compiled & edited by Patrick O’Rourke, CPA Washington, DC