The National Women’s Soccer League Draft order was determined by the reverse order of standings after the preliminary stage of the 2020 NWSL Challenge Cup. The only exceptions are Orlando, which was slotted into the fourth spot as agreed by the board of governors, and Louisville taking the first selection as the league’s expansion team.

Eligibility for the 2021 NWSL Draft

• 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;
• 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 (Nov. 21, 2021), and;
• Not be under a current professional contract nor have previously signed a contract to play professionally; and;
• Register for the 2021 NWSL Draft by 8:00 pm ET on Monday, Jan. 11, 2021.

Players who register to the draft but are not selected will become Discovery Eligible on the day following the draft.

Due to the NCAA spring season in 2020, the NWSL requested a waiver from the NCAA that will allow student-athletes who register for the NWSL Draft to decide by Friday, Jan. 22, 2021, if they want to 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, according to the league.

The league will release more information about the 2021 NWSL Draft in the coming weeks.

Draft order as of Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2021