NWSL and US Soccer’s lack of transgender policy targeted by conservative lobby groups

The National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) has confirmed that its 2021 policy on transgender athlete participation is no longer in effect and has not been since Commissioner Jessica Berman was hired in March 2022. The league currently operates with no policy on transgender players, despite widespread belief that the 2021 rules were still active.

The 2021 policy allowed male-to-female transgender athletes to compete if they declared their gender identity as female and maintained testosterone levels "within typical limits of women athletes." It barred female-to-male transgender athletes undergoing testosterone therapy from competing. While no known transgender athletes currently play in the NWSL, past players include Canadian Olympian Quinn and Japan's Kumi Yokoyama, who criticized the policy. The NWSL did not explain why the policy lapsed or if a new one is planned.

This development occurs alongside England's and Scotland's Football Associations banning transgender women from women's football following a UK Supreme Court ruling defining "woman" as biological sex. The United States Soccer Federation (USSF) also lacks a policy for national teams, citing no elite transgender players in their pool. For amateur players, USSF policy allows registration based on gender identity with supporting documentation.

The absence of clear policies from major US soccer authorities exists within a contentious national climate. The US Supreme Court recently allowed Tennessee's ban on gender-affirming care and will hear cases on transgender sports bans this fall. Advocacy organizations like Human Rights Campaign and Athlete Ally declined to comment, reflecting reduced public support. Lobby groups view this policy vacuum as an opportunity to push for bans, with a legal advisor noting "the tide is changing" in the US regarding transgender participation in sports.