The 2021
NWSL Draft was the ninth annual meeting of National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) franchises to select eligible
college players. It was held on January 13, 2021. Due to the
COVID-19 pandemic, it was the first NWSL Draft to be held virtually via
videoconferencing and web streaming.
Format
All 10 teams of the
National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) take turns making their selections over four rounds, with 10 picks per round. Draft order in each round was determined by the reverse order of
standings after the preliminary stage of the
2020 NWSL Challenge Cup, with the exceptions being
Racing Louisville FC taking the first selection as an expansion team and
Orlando Pride slotting into the fourth spot as decided by the board of governors after the team was unable to participate in the Challenge Cup.[1]
The
Kansas City expansion team took over all player-related assets (including draft picks) of defunct team
Utah Royals FC.[2]
The draft was broadcast live via the NWSL's official
Twitch channel.
Final list of players who registered was released on January 12, 2021.[3]
COVID-19 pandemic
Due to the
COVID-19 pandemic, the NWSL made the following changes to the draft regulations that apply only to the 2021 NWSL Draft:
Due to the disruption of college soccer and resulting
NCAA D-I spring season in 2021, the NWSL applied for and received a waiver from the
NCAA so that D-I players who are drafted could choose to report immediately for the
2021 NWSL season and forfeit their remaining collegiate eligibility, or remain with their collegiate teams until the conclusion of the NCAA D-I spring season in May 2021.[4]
The NWSL waived registration requirements so that all D-I players who had exhausted three years of collegiate soccer eligibility prior to the 2020–21 academic year were automatically eligible to be drafted.[5]
The NWSL playing rights of drafted players will be held until the start of the
2022 preseason rather than the end of the
2021 season as was the case previously.[6]
^Houston Dash → Portland Thorns FC → Chicago Red Stars.
Chicago Red Stars acquired the No. 7 and No. 32 picks in the 2021 NWSL Draft and an international slot in 2021 from
Portland Thorns FC in exchange for the No. 6 pick in the 2021 NWSL Draft.[13]Portland Thorns FC acquired the 7th and 37th picks in the 2021 NWSL Draft from
Houston Dash in exchange for
Emily Ogle and
Gabby Seiler.[15]
^OL Reign → Chicago Red Stars → Sky Blue FC → Washington Spirit.
Washington Spirit acquired the No. 8 pick in the 2021 NWSL Draft from
Sky Blue FC in exchange for $100,000 in allocation money and Washington's natural second-round pick in the 2022 NWSL Draft.[16]Sky Blue FC had acquired the No. 4 and No. 8 picks in the 2021 NWSL Draft, a conditional first round pick in the
2022 NWSL Draft, and an international slot for 2021 and 2022 from
Chicago Red Stars in exchange for
Mallory Pugh and
Sarah Woldmoe.[10]Chicago Red Stars had previously acquired the natural first-round pick in the 2021 NWSL Draft and natural third-round pick (No. 24) in the
2020 NWSL College Draft from
OL Reign in exchange for a first-round pick (No. 9) in the 2020 NWSL College Draft.[17]
^OL Reign → Orlando Pride → Chicago Red Stars.
Chicago Red Stars acquired the lowest second-round pick in the 2021 NWSL Draft held by
Orlando Pride under the terms of a June 21, 2020 trade.
Orlando Pride had acquired the natural second-round pick in the 2021 NWSL Draft from
OL Reign in exchange for
Dani Weatherholt.[22]
^Portland Thorns FC → Chicago Red Stars.
Chicago Red Stars acquired the No. 7 and No. 32 picks in the 2021 NWSL Draft and an international slot in 2021 from
Portland Thorns FC in exchange for the No. 6 pick in the 2021 NWSL Draft.[13]