Draft 101: Everything You Need to Know

When is the Draft?
The 2023 NWSL Draft presented by Ally is set for Thursday, January 12 at 6 p.m. ET, and will be held during the United Soccer Coaches Convention at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia.

How can I watch the Draft?
Coverage of the NWSL Draft presented by Ally will begin on CBS Sports Network, Paramount+ and CBS Sports HQ, the free 24/7 streaming sports news network, 6 to 7 p.m. ET. The draft livestream will continue on Paramount+ and CBS Sports HQ from 7 to 11 p.m. ET.  Fans tuning in outside the U.S. can watch the entirety of the draft on NWSLSoccer.com and the NWSL’s YouTube channel.  

Can I attend the Draft?
The Draft is free and open to the public. There will be general admission seating on a first-come, first-served basis for the general public.

How does the Draft work?
This year, there will be 48 total selections at the NWSL Draft from Gotham FC’s No. 1 pick to selection No. 48, which is currently held by Portland. Players eligible to be selected are those who have registered for the Draft and have been vetted as meeting the eligibility requirements by the League, which include:

1. being a citizen or permanent resident of the United States OR a foreign national who is currently or was enrolled at a university in the United States during the 2022-23 academic year; and
2. being an individual who has exhausted, lost, or renounced their remaining college eligibility during the 2022 calendar year, including high school graduates choosing to forego college eligibility; and
3. turning at least 18-years-old on or before December 31, 2022; and
4. not being under a current professional contract, nor having previously signed a contract to play soccer professionally.

The Draft will see 12 selections in all four rounds until completed. In Round 1, each team will have five minutes to announce its pick while Rounds 2-4 will see each side allotted three minutes to make its selection. Teams are also eligible to request up to three time-outs during the Draft for further discussion, rule clarification, or trade discussion, and all time-outs taken regardless of round will be three minutes in length.

Finally, below is the list of how many and what selection each NWSL side holds heading into the 2023 Draft as of December 23:

1. NJ/NY Gotham FC (4): No. 1*, 10*, 13, 44
2. Orlando Pride (8): No. 2*, 3, 21*, 25, 29, 34, 39, 41
3. Racing Louisville FC (6): No. 4, 16, 17, 28, 31, 40
4. Angel City FC (2): No. 5, 27
5. North Carolina Courage (4): No. 6, 9, 11, 30
6. Chicago Red Stars (3): No. 7, 19, 43
7. Houston Dash (3): No. 8, 20, 22
8. Portland Thorns FC (4): No. 12, 24, 36, 48
9. Washington Spirit (3): No. 14*, 26, 37
10. Kansas City Current (7): No. 15, 18, 23, 35, 38, 42, 47
11. OL Reign (2): No. 32, 46
12. San Diego Wave FC (2): No. 33, 45  

The most recent draft order can be seen here.