Female Football Faces Significant Threats, So Why the Alarm About Transgender Athletes?

During late October, Angel City FC player Elizabeth Eddy posted her first online statement in nearly two years. In it, she addressed news that the NWSL had quietly abandoned its policy of inclusion for transgender and intersex athletes, leaving the league's future stance undecided.

The next day, her opinion piece was republished in full by another media outlet, giving it wider exposure.

“I'm concerned that without clarity about who the league is for, it will sacrifice its identity and its growth,” stated Eddy.

The article broadly advocated for a ban on transgender players from the league to preserve “the integrity of women's sports.”

Questioning the Actual Risk

It's unclear how Eddy thinks the league's credibility has been harmed—whether under its former policy that permitted trans athletes or its current lack of one. The league, now in its thirteenth year, has established a clear brand. It's highly competitive, commercially and culturally powerful, and an integral part of the global women's soccer landscape.

Its growth trajectory appears mostly fine—audience numbers have grown every season, and expansion to 16 teams is scheduled for 2026.

Analyzing the Evidence

Eddy references the English FA's new prohibition on transgender athletes as a positive example. Yet, that restriction is thought to impact only 20 or so amateur participants out of 5.5 million soccer players. The effect in the US would likely be equally minimal.

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 openly transgender athletes currently play in the league. On the 2025 season's first matchdays, the league celebrated its thousandth participant. That's just two out trans players out of over 1,000 in the NWSL's existence.

Baseless Concerns and Actual Harm

The article is written as if there is a stream of trans players ready to dominate the NWSL imminently. There is no such thing. At present, there are no out trans players competing at a elite level in the US. National laws explicitly bans trans players from competing in university sports. Moreover, numerous peer-reviewed studies have shown that trans athletes have no inherent physical edge over cis athletes.

In the absence of openly transgender individuals, discriminatory behavior have persisted along ethnic divisions. When Orlando Pride's Barbra Banda was awarded player of the year, she faced a surge of online abuse. The NWSL was slow to respond in defending their key athlete. Likewise, Kansas City Current's Temwa Chawinga and her sister faced similar mistreatment.

“The piece does not speak for our club in this locker room,” Angel City FC captain Sarah Gorden told the media. “We disagree with the content for a multitude of reasons, but mostly the implications come across as transphobic and racist as well.”

Additional Pressing Issues Facing the NWSL

Even if one were to ignore these points and believe that trans inclusion constitutes a genuine issue for the league, it's hard to see how it would surpass multiple of different challenges that have actually blunted the league's momentum and compromised its integrity.

• Employment standards for staff remain a problem. Six former San Diego Wave employees are taking legal action against the club and the league, alleging racial and disability discrimination, sexual harassment, and failure to stop discrimination.
• Athlete welfare is a further issue. In spring, Angel City defender Savy King fell on the pitch, requiring urgent care. The match continued, even though players were visibly upset. The players' association called on the league to revisit their health procedures.
• Extreme weather guidelines have also been questioned. During a nationally televised match, the league head reportedly warned to penalize a team over a dispute in extreme heat procedures.
• Economic competition from leagues abroad like the Women's Super League is increasing, attracting top talent away from the NWSL and nation where they built their professional lives.

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