NWSL to Implement Player Combines to Evaluate Talent
The National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) has announced its plans to launch two player combines in December, with the aim of serving as a talent scouting mechanism for teams, instead of the traditional draft.
This initiative will include a showcase for adults, aimed at university-aged players (18-23 years old), and a youth combine for young people aged 13 to 17.
This year marks the first time in the NWSL’s 12-year history that a player draft will not be held, following the adoption of a new collective bargaining agreement in 2024.
As the landscape of women’s soccer continues to evolve rapidly, a combine is a strategic platform that will allow us to support NWSL clubs in the early evaluation of talent and provide players with exposure to a professional environment.
Karla Thompson, NWSL Youth Development Director
The league made the announcement on Wednesday during the semi-annual meeting of its Board of Governors in New York City.Ally Sentnor, selected with the first pick in 2024.A league spokesperson confirmed that the events will be by invitation only and that the players will maintain their college eligibility if they do not sign with an agent or a professional contract.
Historically, NWSL teams used a draft in January to acquire the best college players, as is the case in most American sports leagues.
However, last year’s new CBA introduced significant changes to player rights, including full free agency for the first time. The NWSL also became the first American league to eliminate all types of drafts. This combination allowed NWSL teams to negotiate freely with college and youth players, just like their international counterparts.
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The league has also gradually modified its rules regarding the age limit, including the recent implementation of signing mechanisms for players under 18 years of age, which has led to signings of teenagers as young as 13 years old.
According to the NWSL, the combine for adults is intended for aspiring professional players “whose careers may have followed non-linear paths, to demonstrate their readiness for the professional level”.
The youth combine aims to identify potential professional players at an early age. The NWSL does not have a formal academy system, although some teams operate their own academies.
According to the NWSL, the three-day combines will include performance tests, competitive matches, “educational programming” for the youth, and “direct interaction with NWSL clubs” for the adult combine.
