Signing of U18 players in US women's soccer league
The Under-18 Entry Mechanism sets the rules for how soccer players below the age of 18 may sign professional contracts in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL), the top division of women's soccer in the United States.
Background
The NWSL had a minimum age requirement of 18 until 2021, when 15-year-old Olivia Moultrie filed an antitrust lawsuit against the league. She reached a settlement that allowed her to sign with Portland Thorns FC after going through a league discovery process that involved her rights being acquired by OL Reign and traded to the Thorns.[1][2] The following year, the NWSL allowed 17-year-old Jaedyn Shaw to sign with San Diego Wave FC through discovery, with five other teams submitting bids for her rights including the Washington Spirit which she had trained with for months.[2][3] Other sports leagues in the United States continue to have minimum requirements, such as 18 in the National Hockey League and Major League Baseball. Major League Soccer allows younger players to sign contracts which occurs mostly for development purposes.[1]
The NWSL introduced the Under-18 Entry Mechanism on November 14, 2022, establishing a formal process for signing players under the age of 18.[2][4] As of 2024[update], the NWSL allows teams to have up to four under-18 players between their private entry list and roster. Players must be signed within a month of being named to the entry list, and their contracts must last through the season in which they turn 18. Until coming of age, under-18 players may not be cut from their team's roster nor traded (unless the player and her parent or guardian consents) nor selected in an expansion draft.[5] In addition to contractual protections, under-18 players are required to live with a parent or guardian and use separate showers and locker rooms.[1]
Chloe Ricketts was the first player to sign through the Under-18 Entry Mechanism, joining the Washington Spirit on March 3, 2023, at the age of 15.[6]
