National Women's Soccer League (NWSL)
Similar to other U.S. professional sports, foreign-born players in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) have also had an impact on the game.
The NWSL was established in 2012 and has a total of 14 teams. The NWSL was formerly the Women's Professional Soccer (2007–2012) and the Women's United Soccer Association (2001–2003). The Women's United Soccer Association (WUSA) was formed after the United States won the 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup. The WUSA had eight teams and featured foreign-born players from 15 different countries: Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Czech Republic, England, Finland, France, Germany, Guyana, Japan, Mexico, Norway, Scotland, and Sweden.
Two decades later, in October 2025, 31 percent of NWSL players were foreign-born. Foreign-born NWSL players were born in 36 different countries. More than one-third (36%) of foreign-born NWSL players were born in Brazil, Canada, or Japan.
Additionally, while the 2025 NWSL MVP award has not been announced yet, last year Temwa Chawinga who is from Malawi, won the 2024 the NWSL MVP award and in 2023, Kerolin Nicoli who is from Brazil, won the 2023 NWSL MVP award. In fact, of the eleven MVP awardees, six or 55 percent were awarded to foreign-born athletes.
For more information regarding NWSL players during in the 2024 season, click on the below link:
For more information regarding NWSL players in prior seasons, click on the below link: