NWSL to introduce player combines to give teams scouting opportunities

By: Anne M. Peterson, The Associated Press Posted: 6:01 PM CDT Wednesday, Sep. 17, 2025

The National Women's Soccer League is introducing a pair of combines for prospective players at both the college and youth levels.

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The National Women's Soccer League is introducing a pair of combines for prospective players at both the college and youth levels.

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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 17/09/2025 (380 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The National Women’s Soccer League is introducing a pair of combines for prospective players at both the college and youth levels.

The combines will give players a chance to showcase their talents while giving teams scouting opportunities in the absence of a draft.

The NWSL collective bargaining agreement reached with its players’ union in 2024 eliminated the league draft, which was traditionally held in January. This year was the first without one. The CBA also included unrestricted free agency for all players.

The combines will take place over three days in December. The dates and location have not been released by the league.

One combine will be for players ages 18 to 23, and the other will be for players ages 13 to 17. About 60 players will be invited to each combine, the league said.

The players will be selected based on input from a network of scouts and experts across all levels of soccer as well feedback from clubs, the league said.

The youth combine is meant to identify potential professional players. While the league currently does not have an academy system or formal development pathway, some individual teams have academies.

“As the women’s soccer landscape continues to rapidly evolve, a Combine is a strategic platform that will allow us to support NWSL clubs in early talent evaluation and provide players with exposure to a professional environment,” Karla Thompson, the NWSL’s director of youth development, said in a statement. “This initiative is about widening the lens of who gets seen and ensuring that talent, wherever it resides, has a continued pathway to our league.”

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer