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During late October, ACFC player Elizabeth Eddy posted her initial online post in nearly two years. Within her message, she addressed reports that the National Women's Soccer League had quietly abandoned its inclusion policy for trans and intersex athletes, making the league's future stance unclear.

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

“I worry that lacking clear guidelines about who the league is for, it will sacrifice its identity and its momentum,” stated Eddy.

Her piece generally argued for a ban on trans athletes from the NWSL to protect “the fairness of female athletics.”

Examining the Real Threat

It remains uncertain how Eddy believes the NWSL's integrity has been harmed—either under its previous guidelines that permitted trans athletes or its present lack of one. The league, now in its thirteenth year, has developed a clear identity. It's highly competitive, commercially and culturally powerful, and an essential part of the worldwide female football scene.

The league's momentum appears largely fine—audience numbers have grown each year, and expansion to sixteen clubs is planned for the coming years.

Examining the Evidence

Eddy cites the Football Association's recent ban on trans players as a success story. Yet, that ban is thought to impact only 20 or so amateur participants out of millions soccer players. The effect in the United States would likely be similarly minimal.

Two years ago, when the league's trans inclusion policy took effect, there were two 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 opening weekend, the league celebrated its 1,000th participant. That's just two out trans players out of over 1,000 in league history.

Baseless Concerns and Real Damage

Eddy's piece is written as if there is a stream 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 competing at a elite level in the US. National laws explicitly prohibits transgender athletes from participating in NCAA college soccer. Moreover, multiple peer-reviewed studies 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 faced a wave of digital harassment. The league was slow to respond in supporting their star player. Similarly, Kansas City Current's Temwa Chawinga and her sister faced comparable mistreatment.

“That article does not speak for our club in our dressing room,” team leader Sarah Gorden told reporters. “We disagree with the things written for a plethora of reasons, but primarily the undertones come across as transphobic and prejudiced as well.”

Other Pressing Problems Confronting the League

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

• Working conditions for staff continue to be a concern. Six former San Diego Wave employees are taking legal action against the club and the NWSL, alleging racial and disability discrimination, unwanted advances, and negligence to stop prejudice.
• Athlete welfare is another area of concern. In spring, Angel City defender Savy King collapsed on the pitch, requiring urgent care. The match resumed, despite teammates were visibly upset. The players' association called on the league to revisit their health procedures.
• Severe climate protocols have additionally been questioned. During a nationally televised match, the league head reportedly threatened to fine a club over a dispute in extreme heat procedures.
• Economic competition from leagues abroad like the WSL is growing, luring top talent away from the league and country where they built their professional lives.

Trans athletes did not factor into any one of these challenges. And it's improbable they will, irrespective of whether Eddy's suggestions are implemented.