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On late October, Angel City FC athlete Elizabeth Eddy made her initial social media statement in nearly two years. Within her message, she responded to reports that the NWSL had quietly dropped its policy of inclusion for transgender and intersex athletes, making the league's position undecided.

The following day, her writing was republished in full by another media outlet, giving it broader attention.

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

Her piece broadly advocated for a ban on trans athletes from the NWSL to protect “the fairness of women's sports.”

Examining the Actual Risk

It remains uncertain how Eddy thinks the league's credibility has been harmed—either under its previous guidelines that allowed transgender players or its present lack of one. The organization, now in its 13th season, has established a clear brand. It's extremely contested, commercially and culturally powerful, and an integral part of the worldwide female football scene.

The league's momentum seems largely strong—viewership have grown each year, and growth to sixteen clubs is planned for the coming years.

Examining the Evidence

Eddy references the Football Association's recent ban on transgender athletes as a positive example. Yet, that ban is thought to impact only approximately twenty grassroots participants out of 5.5 million soccer players. The impact in the United States would likely be similarly negligible.

Two years ago, when the NWSL's trans inclusion policy was implemented, there were a couple trans players: Quinn and Kumi Yokoyama. They have both departed, and no openly transgender athletes presently compete in the league. On the current season's first matchdays, the NWSL celebrated its thousandth participant. That's only two out trans players out of over 1,000 in league history.

Unfounded Concerns and Real Damage

Eddy's piece is written as if there is a stream of trans players ready to dominate the league imminently. This is not the case. There are currently no openly transgender players competing at a professional level in the United States. Federal legislation expressly prohibits trans players from participating in NCAA college soccer. Additionally, numerous peer-reviewed research have shown that trans athletes have no inherent physical edge over cisgender competitors.

In the absence of openly transgender individuals, discriminatory behavior have continued along racial lines. When a club's Barbra Banda was named a top honor, she experienced a surge of online abuse. The NWSL was painfully slow in supporting their star player. Similarly, another team's Temwa Chawinga and her sister faced similar mistreatment.

“That article does not represent for our club in this locker room,” team leader Sarah Gorden told reporters. “We don't agree with the content for a multitude of causes, but primarily the implications come across as discriminatory against trans people and prejudiced as well.”

Additional Urgent Issues Confronting the NWSL

Regardless if one were to overlook all that and think that trans inclusion constitutes a genuine issue for the league, it's hard to see how it would surpass multiple of other issues that have actually blunted the league's momentum and compromised its reputation.

• Working conditions for professionals remain a problem. Several ex- club employees are suing the club and the NWSL, alleging bias based on race and ability, sexual harassment, and negligence to prevent discrimination.
• Player care is another area of concern. In May, a player Savy King collapsed on the pitch, requiring emergency medical treatment. The match resumed, even though teammates were visibly distraught. The players' association called on the league to review their medical protocols.
• Extreme weather protocols have also been challenged. During a broadcast match, the league head allegedly warned to penalize a team over a disagreement in extreme heat procedures.
• Financial competition from European leagues like the Women's Super League is increasing, attracting some of the NWSL's best players away from the league and country where they built their professional lives.

Transgender players did not factor into a single one of these issues. And it's improbable they will, irrespective of whether the proposed changes come to pass.