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During the end of October, Angel City FC athlete Elizabeth Eddy made her first social media post in almost two years. Within her message, she responded to news that the NWSL had discreetly abandoned its inclusion policy for trans and intersex athletes, leaving the league's position unclear.

The next day, her writing was shared 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 identity and its growth,” Eddy wrote.

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

Examining the Actual Threat

It remains uncertain how Eddy believes 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 thirteenth year, has developed a distinct identity. It's highly competitive, commercially and culturally powerful, and an integral part of the worldwide female football landscape.

Its growth trajectory seems largely strong—audience numbers have increased every season, and growth to sixteen clubs is planned for the coming years.

Examining the Evidence

Eddy references the Football Association's new prohibition on transgender athletes as a positive example. Yet, that ban is thought to affect only approximately twenty grassroots players out of 5.5 million registered athletes. The impact in the US would likely be similarly negligible.

In 2021, when the NWSL's policy of inclusion was implemented, there were two trans players: one player and Kumi Yokoyama. They have both departed, and no openly transgender athletes currently compete in the NWSL. On the current season's first matchdays, the NWSL welcomed its thousandth participant. That's just two out trans players out of over 1,000 in league history.

Unfounded Concerns and Actual 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. There is no such thing. There are currently no openly transgender players playing at a professional level in the United States. National laws explicitly bans transgender athletes from participating in university sports. Moreover, numerous scientifically reviewed research have demonstrated that transgender players have no biological advantages over cisgender competitors.

In the absence of openly transgender individuals, transphobic attacks have persisted along ethnic divisions. When Orlando Pride's Barbra Banda was awarded player of the year, she faced a wave of digital harassment. The NWSL 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 speak for our club in our dressing room,” Angel City FC captain Sarah Gorden informed the media. “We disagree with the content for a multitude of reasons, but mostly the implications come across as discriminatory against trans people and racist as well.”

Other Urgent Problems Facing the NWSL

Even if one were to ignore all that and think that trans inclusion represents a real problem for the league, it's difficult to see how it would outrank multiple of different challenges that have truly blunted the league's momentum and affected its reputation.

• Working conditions for professionals continue to be a concern. Six former San Diego Wave employees are suing the team and the NWSL, alleging racial and disability discrimination, sexual harassment, and failure to stop discrimination.
• Player care is a further area of concern. In May, Angel City defender Savy King fell on the pitch, requiring urgent care. On-field play resumed, even though teammates were visibly distraught. The NWSLPA called on the league to review their medical protocols.
• Severe climate protocols have also been questioned. During a nationally televised match, the NWSL commissioner allegedly warned to fine a team over a dispute in extreme heat procedures.
• Economic rivalry from European leagues 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.

Trans athletes were not involved into any one of these challenges. And it's unlikely they will, irrespective of whether Eddy's suggestions come to pass.