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

On the end of October, ACFC athlete Elizabeth Eddy made her initial online post in almost two years. Within her message, she addressed news that the NWSL had discreetly dropped its inclusion policy for transgender and intersex athletes, leaving the organization's position unclear.

The next day, her opinion piece was shared in full by a different media outlet, giving it broader attention.

“I worry that without clarity about who the league is for, it will sacrifice its character and its growth,” Eddy wrote.

The article broadly advocated for a prohibition on transgender players from the league to preserve “the integrity of female athletics.”

Questioning the Real Risk

It's unclear how Eddy believes the league's integrity has been damaged—either under its former policy that allowed trans athletes or its current absence of policy. The organization, now in its thirteenth year, has established a distinct identity. It's highly competitive, commercially and culturally powerful, and an essential part of the global female football scene.

Its growth trajectory seems mostly strong—viewership have grown each year, and expansion to 16 teams is scheduled for 2026.

Analyzing the Data

Eddy cites the Football Association's new prohibition on transgender athletes as a positive example. Yet, that restriction is believed to impact only approximately twenty grassroots participants out of 5.5 million registered athletes. The effect in the US would likely be similarly negligible.

In 2021, when the NWSL's trans inclusion policy was implemented, there were two transgender athletes: one player and Kumi Yokoyama. Both have since left, and no openly transgender athletes currently compete in the league. On the 2025 season's opening weekend, the league celebrated its 1,000th player. That's just two out trans players out of more than a thousand in league history.

Unfounded Fears and Actual Damage

Eddy's piece is framed as if there is a pipeline of transgender athletes set to take over the league imminently. This is not the case. At present, there are no openly transgender players playing at a elite level in the United States. National laws expressly prohibits trans players from competing in university sports. Moreover, multiple scientifically reviewed research have shown that transgender players have no biological advantages over cis athletes.

Without of out trans people, transphobic attacks have persisted along racial lines. When Orlando Pride's Barbra Banda was named a top honor, she faced a wave of online abuse. The NWSL was painfully slow in defending their star player. Similarly, Kansas City Current's Temwa Chawinga and her sister have experienced comparable mistreatment.

“The piece does not speak for our club in this locker room,” team leader Sarah Gorden told reporters. “We don't agree with the content for a plethora of causes, but mostly the undertones come across as discriminatory against trans people and racist as well.”

Other Pressing Issues Facing the NWSL

Even if one were to overlook all that and think that trans inclusion constitutes a real problem for the NWSL, it's difficult to see how it would outrank any number of other issues that have actually hindered the growth and affected its integrity.

• Working conditions for professionals remain a problem. Several ex- club employees are suing the team and the league, alleging racial and disability discrimination, unwanted advances, and negligence to stop prejudice.
• Athlete welfare is another area of concern. In spring, a player Savy King fell on the field, requiring urgent care. On-field play continued, even though teammates were visibly distraught. The players' association called on the NWSL to review their medical protocols.
• Extreme weather protocols have also been questioned. During a broadcast match, the NWSL commissioner reportedly threatened to fine a team over a disagreement in hot weather policies.
• Economic rivalry from leagues abroad like the Women's Super League is growing, luring some of the NWSL's best players away from the NWSL and country where they built their professional lives.

Trans athletes did not factor into any one of these issues. And it's improbable they will, irrespective of whether Eddy's suggestions come to pass.