NWSL
NWSL Contracts: U18 Entry Mechanism
Any player 17 years old or younger can enter the NWSL via the U18 Entry Mechanism. The league maintains a non-public U18 Entry List. Each team is limited to four players between their U18 Entry List and Roster. Once a player turns 18, they no longer count towards that total of four. These spots are not tradeable and a player must be signed to a guaranteed contract within 30 days of being placed on the Entry List.
Fun rules:
U18 players can not be waived or traded until the player turns 18 (or with player and parent/guardian consent)
Contract length must run through the season in which the player turns 18
U18 Players are not eligible to be selected in the Expansion Process
| Player (1) | Pos | Team Signed With | Age At Signing | Start | End | Yrs Guaranteed | Signed Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| McKenna Whitham | F |
 NJNY |
13 | 2025 | 2028 | 4 | Jul 26, 2024 |
Discovery
Prior to the creation of the U18 Entry Mechanism, there was no way for minors to join the NWSL. Olivia Moultrie paved the way for these young players by suing the NWSL on antitrust grounds and was able to enter the league via the discovery process. Shaw followed suit the following year, forcing the league to take a deeper look into their policies and application to players under the age of 18
| Player (2) | Pos | Team Signed With | Age At Signing | Start | End | Yrs Guaranteed | Signed Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Olivia Moultrie | M |
 POR |
15 | 2021 | 2023 | 3 | Jun 30, 2021 |
| Jaedyn Shaw | F |
 SD |
17 | 2022 | 2023 | 2 | Jul 18, 2022 |
