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During 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 National Women's Soccer League had discreetly abandoned its policy of inclusion for trans and intersex athletes, leaving the organization's future stance undecided.

The following day, her opinion piece was shared in full by a different publication, providing broader attention.

“I worry that without clarity about who the league is for, it will lose its identity and its momentum,” Eddy wrote.

The article broadly advocated for a ban on trans athletes from the NWSL to preserve “the fairness of female athletics.”

Questioning the Real Threat

It remains uncertain how Eddy thinks the league's credibility has been damaged—either under its previous guidelines that permitted trans athletes or its current lack of one. The organization, now in its 13th season, has established a clear brand. It's highly competitive, commercially and culturally powerful, and an integral part of the worldwide women's soccer scene.

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

Analyzing the Evidence

Eddy references the Football Association's recent ban on transgender athletes as a positive example. However, that restriction is thought to impact only approximately twenty grassroots participants out of millions registered athletes. The effect in the United States would likely be similarly minimal.

Two years ago, when the NWSL's trans inclusion policy was implemented, there were a couple transgender athletes: Quinn and Kumi Yokoyama. They have both departed, and no out trans players currently compete 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 league history.

Unfounded Fears and Actual Harm

The article is written as if there is a pipeline of trans players set to take over the NWSL at a moment's notice. This is not the case. There are currently no out trans players playing at a elite level in the US. National laws expressly bans transgender athletes from participating in university sports. Moreover, numerous scientifically reviewed research have demonstrated that trans athletes have no inherent physical edge over cis athletes.

Without of out trans people, transphobic attacks have persisted along ethnic divisions. When a club's Barbra Banda was named a top honor, she experienced a wave of online abuse. The league was painfully slow in supporting their key athlete. Likewise, Kansas City Current's Temwa Chawinga and her sister have experienced similar mistreatment.

“That article does not represent for our club in this locker room,” team leader Sarah Gorden told the media. “We don't agree with the content for a plethora of reasons, but mostly the undertones come across as transphobic and prejudiced as well.”

Additional Urgent Problems Facing the League

Regardless if one were to overlook all that and believe that trans inclusion represents a real problem for the league, it's hard to see how it would outrank any number of other issues that have actually hindered the league's momentum and affected its reputation.

• Employment standards for staff continue to be a concern. Six former San Diego Wave employees are suing the team and the NWSL, alleging bias based on race and ability, unwanted advances, and negligence to prevent discrimination.
• Player care is a further area of concern. In May, a player Savy King collapsed on the field, requiring urgent care. The match resumed, even though teammates were clearly upset. The players' association called on the league to revisit their health procedures.
• Extreme weather guidelines have also been challenged. During a nationally televised match, the league head allegedly threatened to penalize a team over a dispute in extreme heat procedures.
• Financial competition from European leagues like the WSL is increasing, luring top talent away from the NWSL and nation where they made their careers.

Transgender players were not involved into a single one of these challenges. And it's unlikely they will, irrespective of whether the proposed changes come to pass.