We are counting down the days until Thursday's NWSL Expansion Draft as the league welcomes Angel City FC and San Diego Wave FC into the fold as the 11th and 12th franchises. The draft begins at 7 p.m. ET simulcast on Paramount+ and CBS Sports HQ. After a busy transfer window, several teams engaged in deals with the two California newcomers to trade out of the expansion draft for ether full or partial roster protection ahead of the expansion draft.
In the Expansion Draft, Angel City FC and San Diego Wave FC will get to pick one player from each NWSL team and no more than one U.S. allocated player in total from all teams. Let's take a look at which teams have full or partial roster protection, and which players teams have protected and left unprotected in the upcoming expansion draft.
Which teams have roster protection?
Full Roster Protection from both Angel City FC and San Diego Wave FC
- Chicago Red Stars
- Kansas City Current
- North Carolina Courage
- NJ/NY Gotham FC
Full Roster Protection from Angel City
- Racing Louisville FC
- Portland Thorns FC
Full roster protection from San Diego Wave FC
- Washington Spirit
Partial Roster Protection from Angel City
- Washington Spirit - No allocated players can be selected
- OL Reign - No forwards can be selected
Partial Roster Protection from San Diego
- N/A
No Immunity
- Houston Dash
- Orlando Pride
Protected and unprotected player lists
Chicago Red Stars:
Full Roster Protection
Houston Dash:
Protected: Jane Campbell (U.S. Federation Player), Rachel Daly (International - ENG), Makamae Gomera-Stevens, Shea Groom, Haley Hanson, Katie Naughton, Nichelle Prince (CAN Federation Player), Maria Sanchez, Gabby Seiler
Unprotected: Michaela Abam, Michelle Alozie, Joelle Anderson (College Protected Player), Bridgette Andrzejewski (Playing Rights), Allysha Chapman, Taylor Comeau (Playing Rights), Nikki Cross (Playing Rights), Amanda Dennis (Playing Rights), Hannah Diaz, Marissa Diggs (Playing Rights), Lindsey Harris, Melissa Henderson (Playing Rights), Bianca Henninger (Playing Rights), Savannah Jordan (Playing Rights), Veronica Latsko, Kristie Mewis (U.S. Federation Player), Christine Nairn (Playing Rights), Emily Ogle, Megan Oyster, Ally Prisock, Annika Schmidt, Sophie Schmidt, Jasmyne Spencer, Brianna Visalli
Kansas City Current:
Full Roster Protection
NJ/NY Gotham FC:
Full Roster Protection
North Carolina Courage:
Full Roster Protection
OL Reign:
Protected: Bethany Balcer, Alana Cook, Angelina, Jessica Fishlock, Sofia Huerta, Rose Lavelle (U.S. Federation Player), Quinn (CAN Federation Player), Phallon Tullis-Joyce, Ally Watt
Unprotected: Lauren Barnes, Amber Brooks, Maria Bullock (Playing Rights), Stephanie Catley (Playing Rights), Stephanie Cox (Playing Rights), Kiersten Dallstream, Ella Dederick, Madison Hammond, Kelcie Hedge, Sam Hiatt, Celia, Adrienne Jordan (Playing Rights), Tziarra King, Alyssa Kleiner (Playing Rights), Jimena Lopez (International - MEX), Kristen McNabb, Sinclaire Miramontez, Cosette Morche, Theresa Nielsen (Playing Rights), Morgan Proffitt (Playing Rights), Leah Pruitt, Megan Rapinoe, Nikki Stanton, Rumi Utsugi (Playing Rights), Abby Wambach (Playing Rights), Dani Weatherholt, Lydia Williams (Playing Rights), Beverly Yanez (Playing Rights)
Orlando Pride:
Protected: Mikayla Colohan (College Protected Player), Taylor Kornieck, Sydney Leroux, Phoebe McClernon, Alex Morgan (U.S. Federation Player), Courtney Petersen, Amy Turner (International - ENG), Marta, Viviana Villacorta
Unprotected: Kerry Abello (College Protected Player), Kaylie Collins Claire Emslie (Playing Rights), Joanna Fennema (Playing Rights), Caitlin Farrell (Playing Rights), Megan Dougherty Howard, Gunnhildur Jonsdottir, Abi Kim, Carrie Lawrence, Camila Martins Pereira (Playing Rights), Erin McCleod (CAN Federation Player), Jade Moore (International - ENG), Toni Pressley, Ali Riley, Parker Roberts, Kylie Strom, Erika Tymrak, Emily Van Egmond (Playing Rights), Marisa Viggiano, Chelsee Washington, Brittany Wilson, Shelina Zadorsky (Playing Rights)
Portland Thorns FC:
Protected: Bella Bixby, Crystal Dunn, Lindsey Horan, Natalia Kuikka (International - FIN), Emily Menges, Olivia Moultrie, Raquel Rodriguez (International - CRC), Sophia Smith (U.S. Federation Player), Morgan Weaver
Unprotected: Ali Amirah (College Protected Player), Nadine Angerer (Playing Rights), Hannah Betfort, Celeste Boureille, Samantha Coffey (College Protected Player), Marian Dougherty (Playing Rights), Britt Eckerstrom (Playing Rights), Marissa Everett, Shelby Hogan, Kelli Hubly, Meghan Klingenberg, Andressa Machry (Playing Rights), Nikki Marshall (Playing Rights), Meagan Morris (Playing Rights), Meaghan Nally, Madison Pogarch, Hayley Raso (Playing Rights), Katherine Reynolds (Playing Rights), Yazmeen Ryan, Angela Salem, Becky Sauerbrunn, Christine Sinclair, Katarina Tarr (Playing Rights), Rachel Van Hollebeke (Playing Rights), Christen Westphal, Sandra Yu (Playing Rights)
Racing Louisville FC:
Protected: Gemma Bonner (International - ENG), Kristen Davis (College Protected Player), Emina Ekic, Emily Fox, Cece Kizer, Katie Lund, Nadia Nadim (International - DEN), Freja Olofsson (International - SWE), Ebony Salmon (International - ENG)
Unprotected: Julia Ashley, Janine Beckie (Playing Rights), Caitlin Foord (Playing Rights), Parker Goins (College Protected Player), Tobin Heath (Playing Rights), Alanna Kennedy (Playing Rights), Nealy Martin, Cheyna Matthews, Savannah McCaskill, Addisyn Merrick, Lauren Milliet, Yuki Nagasato (International - JPN), Taylor Otto, Kaleigh Riehl, Erin Simon, Emily Smith (College Protected Player)
Washington Spirit:
Protected: Dorian Bailey, Aubrey Bledsoe, Bayley Feist, Ashley Hatch, Tara McKeown, Julia Roddar (International - SWE), Trinity Rodman, Ashley Sanchez, Sam Staab
Unprotected: Taylor Alymer, Camryn Biegalski, Averie Collins, Jordan DiBiasi, Morgan Goff, Anna Heilferty, Tori Huster, Devon Kerr, Lori Lindsey (Playing Rights), Joanna Lohman (Playing Rights), Paige Nielsen, Kelley O'Hara (U.S. Federation Player), Kariana Rodriguez, Sydney Schneider, Emily Sonnett (U.S. Federation Player), Andi Sullivan (U.S. Federation Player), Saori Takarada (International - JPN), Kumi Yokoyama (International - JPN)
