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On late October, ACFC player Elizabeth Eddy posted her first online statement in nearly two years. In it, she responded to news that the NWSL had discreetly abandoned its inclusion policy for transgender and intersex athletes, making the league's future stance undecided.

The next day, her opinion piece was republished in full by another media outlet, providing wider attention.

“I worry that lacking clear guidelines about who the league is for, it will lose its character and its growth,” Eddy wrote.

The article generally argued for a ban on transgender players from the NWSL to preserve “the integrity of women's sports.”

Questioning the Real Risk

It's unclear how Eddy thinks the NWSL's integrity has been harmed—either under its previous guidelines that allowed trans athletes or its current absence of policy. The organization, now in its 13th season, has developed a distinct brand. It's highly competitive, influential in business and culture, and an integral part of the worldwide women's soccer scene.

Its growth trajectory seems largely strong—audience numbers have grown every season, and growth to 16 teams is scheduled for the coming years.

Analyzing the Data

Eddy references the English FA's new prohibition on transgender athletes as a success story. Yet, that ban is believed to impact only approximately twenty amateur participants out of millions soccer players. The effect in the US would likely be equally negligible.

In 2021, when the league's policy of inclusion took effect, there were a couple transgender athletes: Quinn and Kumi Yokoyama. Both have since left, and no out trans players currently play in the league. On the 2025 season's first matchdays, the league celebrated its 1,000th player. That's only two openly transgender individuals out of more than a thousand in the NWSL's existence.

Baseless Fears and Actual Damage

The article is framed as if there is a pipeline of transgender athletes set to take over the league imminently. There is no such thing. There are currently no out trans players competing at a elite level in the United States. National laws explicitly bans trans players from competing in university sports. Additionally, multiple scientifically reviewed studies have demonstrated that transgender players have no inherent physical edge over cisgender competitors.

In the absence of out trans people, transphobic attacks have continued along ethnic divisions. When Orlando Pride's Barbra Banda was named player of the year, she faced a wave of online abuse. The league was slow to respond in supporting their star player. Similarly, another team's Temwa Chawinga and her sister faced similar mistreatment.

“That article does not represent for this team in our dressing room,” team leader Sarah Gorden informed reporters. “We don't agree with the things written for a multitude of reasons, but primarily the implications come across as discriminatory against trans people and prejudiced as well.”

Other Urgent Problems Facing the League

Regardless if one were to ignore all that and think that including transgender athletes constitutes a real problem for the league, it's hard to see how it would outrank multiple of other issues that have truly hindered the league's momentum and compromised its reputation.

• Working conditions for staff remain a problem. Several ex- club employees are suing the club and the league, alleging bias based on race and ability, unwanted advances, and failure to stop prejudice.
• Athlete welfare is another area of concern. In spring, a player Savy King fell on the pitch, requiring urgent care. On-field play continued, despite players were clearly upset. The NWSLPA called on the NWSL to review their health procedures.
• Extreme weather protocols have also been questioned. During a nationally televised match, the NWSL commissioner allegedly warned to penalize a team over a disagreement in extreme heat procedures.
• Economic competition from leagues abroad like the Women's Super League is growing, attracting some of the NWSL's best players away from the league and country where they built their professional lives.

Transgender players did not factor into any one of these issues. And it's unlikely they will, regardless of whether the proposed changes are implemented.