Today the NWSL announced that this upcoming December the league would be launching their first Combines to showcase talent. It will take place over three days ahead of the 2026 Preseason. As a reminder, starting in 2025 the NWSL removed the Collegiate Draft and players coming from college would have free agency to sign with any team they wanted. 

The Combine will be split into an adult (U18-23) and youth (U13-17) segments and will present an meaningful opportunity for players to showcase and teams to identify top talent. The adult Combine will include performance testing, competitive matches, and an opportunity for players to have direct interaction with NWSL clubs. The youth Combine will act more as a bridge in the league's development ecosystem with training sessions, match play, and off-field educational programming to prepare them for a professional environment. 

“As the women’s soccer landscape continues to rapidly evolve, a Combine is a strategic platform that will allow us to support NWSL clubs in early talent evaluation and provide players with exposure to a professional environment,” said Director of Youth Development Karla Thompson. “This initiative is about widening the lens of who gets seen and ensuring that talent, wherever it resides, has a continued pathway to our league.”

The league is hoping with the Combines to expand avenues for player discovery, and elevate the scouting process.