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On the end of October, Angel City FC player Elizabeth Eddy made her first social media statement in almost two years. Within her message, she addressed news that the NWSL had quietly dropped its inclusion policy for transgender and intersex athletes, making the league's future stance unclear.

The next day, her writing was republished in full by another media outlet, providing broader exposure.

“I'm concerned that without clarity about the league's intended participants, it will lose its character and its momentum,” Eddy wrote.

The article broadly advocated for a prohibition on trans athletes from the NWSL to preserve “the integrity of women's sports.”

Examining the Actual Risk

It's unclear how Eddy believes the league's credibility has been damaged—whether under its previous guidelines that permitted transgender players or its present lack of one. The league, now in its thirteenth year, has established a clear identity. It's extremely contested, commercially and culturally powerful, and an essential part of the worldwide female football landscape.

Its growth trajectory seems mostly strong—audience numbers have grown each year, and expansion to sixteen clubs is planned for the coming years.

Examining the Evidence

Eddy references the English FA's new prohibition on trans players as a positive example. However, that restriction is believed to impact only approximately twenty grassroots participants out of millions soccer players. The effect in the United States would likely be similarly negligible.

Two years ago, when the NWSL's trans inclusion policy took effect, there were a couple trans players: Quinn and Kumi Yokoyama. Both have since left, and no openly transgender athletes currently compete in the league. On the 2025 season's first matchdays, the league celebrated its thousandth participant. That's only two openly transgender individuals out of more than a thousand in league history.

Baseless Fears and Real Damage

Eddy's piece is written as if there is a pipeline of trans players ready to dominate the league at a moment's notice. This is not the case. There are currently no out trans players playing at a professional level in the United States. Federal legislation expressly bans transgender athletes from competing in NCAA college soccer. Additionally, multiple peer-reviewed studies have demonstrated that trans athletes have no biological advantages over cis athletes.

Without of openly transgender individuals, discriminatory behavior have continued along ethnic divisions. When Orlando Pride's Barbra Banda was awarded a top honor, she faced a wave of online abuse. The NWSL was painfully slow in supporting their key athlete. Likewise, Kansas City Current's Temwa Chawinga and her sister faced comparable abuse.

“That article does not represent for this team in this locker room,” team leader Sarah Gorden told the media. “We don't agree with the content for a multitude of reasons, but mostly the implications come across as discriminatory against trans people and racist as well.”

Other Pressing Issues Facing the League

Regardless if one were to overlook all that and think that trans inclusion represents a real problem for the league, it's difficult to see how it would surpass any number of different challenges that have truly hindered the league's momentum and compromised its integrity.

• Working conditions for professionals continue to be a problem. Six former club employees are taking legal action against the team and the league, alleging bias based on race and ability, unwanted advances, and failure to prevent prejudice.
• Player care is a further area of concern. In spring, Angel City defender Savy King collapsed on the pitch, requiring urgent care. The match resumed, even though teammates were visibly upset. The NWSLPA called on the NWSL to revisit their medical protocols.
• Extreme weather protocols have additionally been questioned. During a nationally televised match, the league head reportedly warned to penalize a club over a disagreement in extreme heat procedures.
• Financial competition from European leagues like the Women's Super League is increasing, luring top talent away from the NWSL and nation where they made their careers.

Transgender players were not involved into any one of these challenges. And it's improbable they will, regardless of whether Eddy's suggestions come to pass.