NWSL ANNOUNCES SUPPLEMENTAL DRAFT AND DISCOVERY PLAYER PROCESS
Clubs Will Continue to Build Rosters Through Supplemental Draft on Feb. 7
CHICAGO – The National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) clubs will continue to build their rosters in preparation for the inaugural season through a Supplemental Draft that will be held on Feb. 7. The Supplemental Draft will consist of six rounds, with the draft order still to be determined, and will take place via conference call.
The clubs have been building their rosters since Jan. 9, when each team was allocated three players from the U.S. Women’s National Team (with the exception of the Western New York Flash, which received two) as well as two players from the Canada and Mexico National Teams. Each of the clubs then added four players at the 2024 NWSL College Draft in Indianapolis on Jan. 18, bringing their rosters to 10-11 players.
Following the College Draft, a two-week period commenced in which teams could sign four – and in some cases five – additional players of their choice. The teams allowed to sign five additional players during this period were the Chicago Red Stars, Seattle Reign, Washington Spirit and Western New York Flash due to due to unforeseen absences or late season arrivals of allocated players. The two-week period to sign additional players ends today, at which time each NWSL roster will be at a maximum of 15 players.
Each of the eight NWSL clubs will now submit a list of 8-10 players who will be eligible for the Supplemental Draft. Domestic and international players are eligible for the Supplemental Draft. Each team is allowed two international players in addition that were allocated.
“The next week is crucial to team-building, as the additional signings and the Supplemental Draft picks will help to define each club,” said NWSL Executive Director Cheryl Bailey. “At this point, the fans and media will begin to get a look at the diverse group of talented athletes who will play in NWSL’s inaugural season.”
After the Supplemental Draft, clubs may claim up to four Discovery Players, securing the rights to sign those players heading into preseason training camps. Discovery Players may be either international or domestic. Players who were eligible for but not selected in the Supplemental Draft may be claimed as Discovery Players. The rights to Discovery Players will be allocated to a team on a “date of submission priority” basis. If two teams submit the same player, the team that submitted the player first will have the opportunity to sign that player.
Teams will be allowed to carry 18-20 players on their regular season rosters.
The NWSL is an eight-team league organized and administered by the U.S. Soccer Federation that will begin play in the spring of 2024. U.S. Soccer is subsidizing the salaries of the 23 American players, while the Canadian Soccer Association and the Federation of Mexican Football will each do the same for 16 players. The eight founding clubs are the Boston Breakers, Chicago Red Stars, FC Kansas City, Portland Thorns FC, Seattle Reign FC, Sky Blue FC (New York/New Jersey), the Washington Spirit and the Western New York Flash.
NWSL Roster-Building Process
Jan. 9: USA, Canada and Mexico National Team Players are allocated to clubs
Jan. 18: NWSL College Draft
Jan. 18-31: Clubs can sign up to four additional players*
Feb. 1: Clubs submit up to 8-10 players for Supplemental Draft
Feb. 7: NWSL Supplemental Draft
Feb. 8: Discovery Players can be signed
*Western New York, Chicago and Seattle are allowed to sign up to five players
