Seven NWSL general managers told ESPN they are concerned that clubs remain expected to accommodate U.S. Soccer’s demands over player availability and physical workloads, despite the league’s independence from the federation. Interviews for ESPN’s annual survey of general managers revealed frustrations over international commitments, with several executives seeking greater influence in decisions affecting their players. ESPN granted the executives anonymity to discuss sensitive issues.
The relationship reflects the league’s origins. U.S. Soccer helped establish the NWSL in 2013 and paid national team players’ salaries to support its sustainability. That arrangement ended after the 2020 season, as the league became independent and USWNT players began moving to contracts funded by the NWSL and its clubs. Several general managers said expectations from the earlier arrangement persist, even as some players now receive annual salaries exceeding $1 million.
A recent dispute over the U20 World Cup intensified those concerns. Because the tournament took place outside an official FIFA international window, clubs were not required to release players. With teams pursuing NWSL playoff places, some withheld eligible players. The United States roster was announced without several prominent options, including Claire Hutton, Lily Yohannes and Kimmi Ascanio. North Carolina Courage midfielder Erica Meg Parkinson was also not released to represent England.
Senior U.S. coach Emma Hayes argued that participation mattered for players’ long-term development. In August, she told ESPN she was “massively worried” about players missing that experience and warned of potential consequences for the senior team. U20 coach Vicky Jepson also expressed disappointment over unavailable players. One general manager said the discussions damaged relations between clubs and the national team, although all parties agreed that resolving the availability problem ultimately required FIFA’s involvement.
Views among club executives were mixed. One general manager criticized colleagues who declined releases, arguing that World Cup participation was part of their responsibility to develop players. Others praised Hayes for supporting clubs and described positive relationships with U.S. Soccer. NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman said in October that the league had allowed clubs in August to decline releases when participation did not make sense for them. She advocated placing such tournaments within FIFA windows.
The next concern is a January U.S. training camp and friendly, also scheduled outside a FIFA window. Clubs can begin preseason on Jan. 2 ahead of the NWSL’s Feb. 11 start to its 2027 season, the earliest opening in league history. The schedule accommodates a roughly six-week summer World Cup break. Players attending national team camp will therefore miss part of an already shortened club preseason.
Executives also questioned how physical preparation is coordinated. One general manager said players who attend national team camps without playing can return insufficiently conditioned for their clubs’ demands. Another source argued that rest during those camps is necessary because leading players face heavy workloads throughout the year. Clubs and U.S. Soccer exchange monitoring data, but several sources identified workload management as a continuing source of tension.
January presents an additional challenge because players will be returning from their main annual break. The NWSL Championship is scheduled for Nov. 22, and the U.S. World Cup qualifying tournament ends Dec. 5. Several general managers nevertheless said they would release players for January camp. One acknowledged that commercial commitments also put pressure on U.S. Soccer to stage matches, with sponsorship agreements predating FIFA’s recent reduction in international windows.
