The National Women’s Soccer League announced today that the 2023 NWSL Draft presented by Ally is set for Thursday, January 12 at 6 p.m. ET, and will be held during the United Soccer Coaches Convention at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia. The NWSL has also opened player registration for the NWSL Draft.
Interested players can access the online registration form here.
In order to be eligible for the 2023 NWSL Draft, a player must:
- Be a citizen or permanent resident of the United States or a foreign national who is currently or was enrolled at a university in the United States during the 2022-23 academic year
- Be an individual who has exhausted, lost, or renounced their remaining collegiate eligibility during the 2022 calendar year, including high school graduates choosing to forego;
- Be at least 18 years old on or before January 1, 2023;
- Not be under a current professional contract, nor have previously signed a contract to play soccer professionally;
- Players must register for the 2023 NWSL Draft by 11:59 pm ET on Monday, January 9, 2023.
Additionally, the NWSL has introduced a new entry mechanism for players under the age of 18 wishing to enter the league. With the consent of the player and their parent or legal guardian, teams may place eligible players on an Under-18 Entry List to be selected under the following criteria:
- Each team is limited to two Under-18 players between its senior roster and the Entry List
- Players must be signed to a guaranteed contract within 30 days of being placed on the list and the contract term must run through the season in which the player turns 18;
- Players will occupy a full roster spot
- Players may be placed on or called up from the list at any time during the season
- Players may not be waived or traded until the player has turned 18 or the team has received consent from both the player and parent or legal guardian
- Players may not be selected in the expansion process
- Players must reside with a parent or legal guardian until their 18th birthday;
- Players must be citizens or permanent residents of the United States.
Under-18 Entry List slots are not tradeable.
For the full list of draft rules and regulations please click here.
Players who register for the draft but are not selected will become discovery eligible on the day following the 2023 NWSL Draft.
The league’s current draft order can be seen here.
Coverage of the NWSL Draft presented by Ally will begin on CBS Sports Network from 6 to 7 p.m. ET. The draft will then stream live on Paramount+ and CBS Sports HQ, the free 24/7 streaming sports news network, from 7 to 11 p.m. ET.
Additional details regarding the 2023 NWSL Draft presented by Ally will be announced in the coming weeks.
