Women's Football Faces Serious Challenges, Yet Why the Panic About Trans Athletes?

During the end of October, ACFC player Elizabeth Eddy made her initial social media statement in almost two years. In it, she addressed news that the National Women's Soccer League had quietly dropped its policy of inclusion for transgender and intersex athletes, making the organization's future stance undecided.

The following day, her writing was shared in full by a different publication, giving it broader exposure.

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

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

Examining the Real Threat

It's unclear how Eddy believes the league's credibility has been harmed—either under its previous guidelines that permitted trans athletes or its present absence of policy. The league, now in its 13th season, has developed a distinct identity. It's highly competitive, influential in business and culture, and an integral part of the worldwide women's soccer scene.

The league's momentum appears mostly fine—viewership have grown each year, and expansion to sixteen clubs is planned for 2026.

Analyzing the Data

Eddy cites the English FA's new prohibition on trans players as a success story. However, that ban is believed to impact only approximately twenty amateur players out of 5.5 million soccer players. The impact in the United States would likely be similarly negligible.

In 2021, when the league's policy of inclusion was implemented, there were two trans players: Quinn and Kumi Yokoyama. Both have since left, and no out trans players presently play in the NWSL. On the 2025 season's first matchdays, the NWSL 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 pipeline of trans players ready to take over the league imminently. This is not the case. At present, there are no openly transgender players competing at a elite level in the United States. Federal legislation explicitly bans transgender athletes from participating in NCAA college soccer. Additionally, multiple peer-reviewed studies have shown that trans athletes have no biological advantages over cisgender competitors.

In the absence of out trans people, transphobic attacks have continued along racial lines. When Orlando Pride's Barbra Banda was awarded a top honor, she faced a surge of online abuse. The NWSL was slow to respond in supporting their key athlete. Similarly, Kansas City Current's Temwa Chawinga and her sister have experienced similar mistreatment.

“The piece does not speak for our club in this locker room,” Angel City FC captain Sarah Gorden told reporters. “We don't agree with the content for a multitude of reasons, but primarily the implications come across as transphobic and prejudiced as well.”

Additional Pressing Problems Facing the NWSL

Even if one were to ignore all that and think that trans inclusion represents a real problem for the NWSL, it's difficult to see how it would surpass multiple of other issues that have truly blunted the league's momentum and compromised its integrity.

• Employment standards for professionals continue to be a problem. Six former club employees are taking legal action against the club and the NWSL, alleging racial and disability discrimination, sexual harassment, and negligence to stop discrimination.
• Athlete welfare is another issue. In spring, Angel City defender Savy King collapsed on the field, requiring urgent care. On-field play resumed, even though teammates were visibly upset. The players' association called on the NWSL to revisit their health procedures.
• Extreme weather protocols have also been challenged. During a broadcast match, the NWSL commissioner reportedly threatened to penalize a team over a dispute in hot weather policies.
• Financial rivalry from European leagues like the Women's Super League is growing, attracting some of the NWSL's best players away from the NWSL and nation where they built their professional lives.

Transgender players were not involved into a single one of these challenges. And it's unlikely they will, irrespective of whether Eddy's suggestions are implemented.