National Womens Soccer League commissioner Jessica Berman made her first public comments Saturday in response to an Oct. 27 opinion column in the New York Post, in which Angel City FC defender Elizabeth Eddy criticized the leagues lack of a gender eligibility policy and called for the league to adopt a clear standard.
When we think about our policy, what I can say is that every single player who plays in this league is eligible to play in this league, Berman said during a press conference at halftime of the NWSL quarterfinal between Racing Louisville and the Washington Spirit. Otherwise, they would not be playing. And we are proud of every single player who plays in our league.
The NWSL doesnt currently have a public policy relating to gender eligibility and transgender athletes, but previously instituted a policy in 2021 that permitted transgender athletes to compete if they had maintained testosterone levels below a certain threshold. The league nixed that rule sometime in early 2022, before Berman was named commissioner on April 20 of that year.
Since Eddy published the op-ed, some NWSL players have become targets of hateful speech. Earlier this week, Orlando Pride forward Barbra Banda faced racist and transphobic harassment after she was named to her second FIFPRO World 11, which honors the most outstanding players around the globe. The New York Post ran an image of Banda with Eddys story, along with a caption that read, Orlando Pride forward Barbra Banda faced harassment from spectators over past gender eligibility issues.
Banda has not faced any eligibility issues in the NWSL, nor with any other athletic governing body. She has never broken any policy, nor been required to undergo gender verification tests.
We support, stand by and are proud of every single player who plays in our league, Berman said on Saturday. They deserve our collective kindness, professionalism and respect, and we celebrate them now and every day and through the championship.
Earlier this week, the NWSL released a statement defending Banda after her selection for the World 11 award prompted hateful online commentary.
Any harassment or hateful attacks toward Barbra are unacceptable and have no place in our sport, league or our communities, the statement reads. We stand unequivocally with Barbra and with every NWSL player.
In her comments this weekend, Berman noted that the NWSL and NWSL Players Association will continue discussing potential updates to league policy.
We are doing everything we can to educate ourselves, Berman said. To listen, to learn, to speak with subject-matter experts, to make sure that we have an informed and educated perspective. Our sport deserves that. Our policy is our current practice, which is that every single player who plays in our league is eligible to play, and we should collectively rally around them, protect them, and ensure that theyre treated with kindness and professionalism.
This article originally appeared in The Athletic.
Orlando Pride, NWSL, Women’s Soccer
2025 The Athletic Media Company