Per the NWSL, in order to be eligible for the 2023 NWSL Draft, a player must: 

• Be 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; 

• Be an individual who has exhausted, lost, or renounced their remaining collegiate eligibility during the 2022 calendar year, including high school graduates choosing to forego; 

• Be at least 18 years old on or before January 1, 2023; 

• Not be under a current professional contract, nor have previously signed a contract to play soccer professionally; 

• Players must register for the 2023 NWSL Draft by 11:59 pm ET on Monday, January 9, 2023. 

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The NWSL also introduced a new entry mechanism into the league for players under the age of 18. Per the NWSL, the criteria for players to join the Under-18 Entry list, with the consent of the player and their parent or legal guardian, are as followed: 

• Each team is limited to two Under-18 players between its senior roster and the Entry List; 

• Players must be signed to a guaranteed contract within 30 days of being placed on the list and the contract term must run through the season in which the player turns 18; 

• Players will occupy a full roster spot;  

• Players may be placed on or called up from the list at any time during the season; 

• Players may not be waived or traded until the player has turned 18 or the team has received consent from both the player and parent or legal guardian; 

• Players may not be selected in the expansion process; 

• Players must reside with a parent or legal guardian until their 18th birthday; 

• Players must be citizens or permanent residents of the United States. 

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Under-18 Entry List slots are not tradeable.