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Women's Soccer Confronts Significant Threats, Yet Why the Panic About Trans Athletes?
On the end of October, ACFC athlete Elizabeth Eddy posted her initial social media post in almost two years. Within her message, she addressed news that the NWSL had quietly abandoned its inclusion policy for trans and intersex athletes, making the league's position unclear.
The following day, her writing was republished in full by a different publication, giving it wider attention.
“I worry that without clarity about who the league is for, it will lose its character and its momentum,” Eddy wrote.
Her piece broadly advocated for a ban on trans athletes from the NWSL to preserve “the fairness of female athletics.”
Examining the Actual Threat
It remains uncertain how Eddy believes the NWSL's credibility has been damaged—whether under its former policy that allowed trans athletes or its present absence of policy. The organization, now in its thirteenth year, has developed a distinct brand. It's highly competitive, commercially and culturally powerful, and an essential part of the worldwide female football landscape.
The league's momentum appears mostly fine—audience numbers have increased each year, and growth to sixteen clubs is planned for 2026.
Examining the Evidence
Eddy cites the Football Association's recent ban on transgender athletes as a success story. Yet, that ban is believed to affect only approximately twenty grassroots participants out of 5.5 million soccer players. The impact in the United States would likely be equally negligible.
In 2021, when the NWSL's policy of inclusion took effect, there were two transgender athletes: one player and Kumi Yokoyama. Both have since left, and no openly transgender athletes currently play in the league. On the 2025 season's first matchdays, the league celebrated its thousandth player. That's just two openly transgender individuals out of more than a thousand in league history.
Unfounded Concerns and Real Damage
Eddy's piece is written as if there is a stream of trans players set to take over the league imminently. This is not the case. At present, there are no out trans players competing at a professional level in the US. National laws expressly bans transgender athletes from competing in NCAA college soccer. Moreover, multiple peer-reviewed research have shown that trans athletes have no biological advantages over cis athletes.
In the absence of out trans people, discriminatory behavior have continued along racial lines. When Orlando Pride's Barbra Banda was awarded player of the year, she faced a surge of online abuse. The league was painfully slow in defending their key athlete. Similarly, Kansas City Current's Temwa Chawinga and her sister have experienced comparable abuse.
“The piece does not represent for this team in this locker room,” Angel City FC captain Sarah Gorden informed the media. “We don't agree with the content for a multitude of reasons, but mostly the implications come across as transphobic and racist as well.”
Additional Pressing Issues Confronting the League
Regardless if one were to ignore all that and believe that including transgender athletes represents a genuine issue for the league, it's difficult to see how it would surpass multiple of different challenges that have actually hindered the league's momentum and affected its reputation.
- Working conditions for professionals remain a problem. Several ex- club employees are taking legal action against the club and the league, alleging bias based on race and ability, sexual harassment, and failure to prevent prejudice.
- Player care is another area of concern. In spring, a player Savy King collapsed on the pitch, requiring emergency medical treatment. The match resumed, even though teammates were clearly upset. The players' association called on the league to review their health procedures.
- Severe climate guidelines have also been challenged. During a nationally televised match, the NWSL commissioner reportedly warned to penalize a team over a dispute in extreme heat procedures.
- Financial competition from European leagues like the Women's Super League is increasing, attracting top talent away from the league and nation 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 Eddy's suggestions are implemented.
James Shepherd
A seasoned business strategist with over a decade of experience in digital marketing and corporate growth initiatives.
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