The National Women's Soccer League announced the 2021 college draft, player registration, and selection order on Tuesday.
The 2021 NWSL Draft will take place via the United Soccer Coaches digital convention. The event will stream live exclusively on the NWSL's Twitch channel on Wednesday, January 13, 2021 at 7pm EST.
The league also announced the draft order for the upcoming event. The order was determined by the reverse order of standings after the preliminary stage of the 2020 NWSL Challenge Cup, with the exceptions of Louisville taking the first selection as the league's expansion team and Orlando slotting into the fourth spot as agreed by the board of governors.
Player registration is now open for prospects interested in participating in the NWSL college draft, with the deadline being 8:00 pm ET on Monday, January 11, 2021. Additional qualifications include:
- Be a citizen or permanent resident of the United States, or a foreign national who is currently enrolled at a University in the United States or was enrolled at a University in the United States during the fall 2020 semester (or quarter), and;
- Not be under a current professional contract nor have previously signed a contract to play professionally; and;
- Be a player who has exhausted, lost, or renounced their remaining NCAA eligibility, including high school graduates choosing to forego college, and;
- Be at least 18-years old by the conclusion of the 2021 NWSL season (November 21, 2021)
The league's announcements also included a waiver request to NCAA. With Fall college soccer impacted by the pandemic, a 2021 spring season is in place. The NWSL has requested NCAA allow student-athletes who register for the NWSL Draft to decide by Friday, January 22, 2021 if they will report to their NWSL club before or after the spring collegiate season.
If the waiver is denied players will have the option to either participate in the 2021 NWSL Draft and forfeit their remaining collegiate eligibility if selected or, withdraw from the draft registration and play the spring collegiate season, but they will be ineligible to participate in the NWSL during the 2021 season.
With the inclusion of Louisville, there will now be ten teams making selections over four rounds in the 2021 draft. Here is the draft order:
Round 1
1. Racing Louisville FC
2. Washington Spirit
3. Sky Blue FC
4. Chicago Red Stars
5. Racing Louisville FC
6. Chicago Red Stars
7. Houston Dash
8. Chicago Red Stars
9. Washington Spirit
10. North Carolina Courage
Round 2
11. Racing Louisville FC
12. Portland Thorns FC
13. Sky Blue FC
14. Orlando Pride
15. Utah Royals FC
16. Utah Royals FC
17. Utah Royals FC
18. Orlando Pride
19. Washington Spirit
20. North Carolina Courage
Round 3
21. Racing Louisville FC
22. Portland Thorns FC
23. Sky Blue FC
24. Orlando Pride
25. Chicago Red Stars
26. Houston Dash
27. Houston Dash
28. OL Reign
29. Washington Spirit
30. North Carolina Courage
Round 4
31. Racing Louisville FC
32. Portland Thorns FC
33. Sky Blue FC
34. Orlando Pride
35. Chicago Red Stars
36. Utah Royals FC
37. Houston Dash
38. OL Reign
39. Washington Spirit
40. Sky Blue FC
