Naomi Girma to Chelsea FC, Kerolin to Man City, Crystal Dunn to PSG: Why NWSL’s star departures signal growth, not decline

Women’s soccer has reached a point in which players have real options. They not only have full autonomy over where they play, but they also have professional opportunities in top divisions in multiple countries. Including the NWSL and USL Super League in the U.S. and leagues such as the Women’s Super League, Division 1 Féminine, and Serie A, there are 14 professional women’s leagues in America and Europe.

Gone are the days when U.S. Soccer subsidized NWSL salaries for USWNT players - a move that was crucial in the league’s early years to develop American stars. Today, the NWSL features a mix of top U.S. talent and international standouts such as Marta, Shinomi Koyama, and Barbra Banda. In addition, while there have been high-profile departures, there have also been plenty of stars who have joined NWSL this offseason.

Here are some of the biggest international transfers that have moved to the NWSL in 2025:

To have the opportunity to see a new country, play in a foreign environment, and get paid to do so isn't a bad deal. For many American players, the U.S. soccer system has been this routine: Grow up playing youth soccer, play club, play in college, enter the draft, and then sign with a professional team in the U.S.

With the NWSL having abolished the draft, player signings are trickling in through college soccer and international transfers. For many of the international players, the NWSL is still the place to be. There's also still a plethora of local talent to go around, such as Alyssa and Giselle Thompson. The sisters declared their contract extension with Angel City FC earlier this month.

Each player's dream is individual, and for a U.S. player who grew with soccer in this country, getting the opportunity to play in Europe at the highest division can be dreamy. There's no damage in playing abroad - if anything it adds a layer of experience and depth to an athelete's profile.

For example, USWNT star Lindsey Horan has been all-in on playing for Lyon, and she's one of the best midfielders in the world. She had a reputable career for Portland but ultimately has enjoyed more individual success playing in France. Emily Fox played three years in the NWSL before heading abroad to join Arsenal. She had experience playing with Lotte Wubben-Moy and Alessia Russo during her time at UNC-Chapel Hill, and picked their brains extensively before jumping across the pond.

“I first started talking to the club sometime last year and my first impression was just excitement that they were interested," Fox said to Telegraph Sport after signing with the Gunners. "I know Lotte and Alessia really well so I reached out to them and got to know more about the club through their lens. And now I’m here I can see it myself, that the club is really invested and wants Arsenal to be united entirely with the academy, the youth, the women’s and the men."

Girma expressed a similar sentiment when signing overseas, saying, "I’m so happy and really excited to be here. It doesn’t feel real. There are a lot of things about Chelsea that made me want to come here – the culture, the winning mentality, staff, and players. It’s a top environment to learn and grow in. Right now, that’s what I’m looking to do. It was an easy choice for me."

The NWSL continues to expand, adding franchises in Denver and Boston for the 2026 season. Commissioner Jessica Berman has said that the league won't stop at 16 teams, with the potential for more clubs a strong possibility in the coming years.

In the U.S. there are two leagues with Division 1 status, the NWSL and USL Super League. While the NWSL has been around much longer, both leagues are recognized by the U.S. Soccer Federation at the same level. Some narratives could suggest the two are in competition, however, the larger point is that the existence of two leagues allows for more opportunities for women to play professionally in the U.S.

From a global perspective, Europe has always had its share of top-tier professional leagues, but now Canada is launching a new league. It's true that there are more options for players to pursue their professional careers, so why now does it seem everyone is leaving the NWSL?

Looking just at the U.S. women's national team, it can feel like that.

But U.S. players taking their careers abroad isn't anything new. Last year eight members (current and former) of the USWNT were playing abroad for their respective club teams; Horan (Lyon), Fox (Arsenal), Catarina Macario (Chelsea), Eva Gaetino (PSG), Mia Fishel (Chelsea), Lily Yohannes (Ajax), and Kristie Mewis (West Ham). This NWSL offseason, Dunn and Girma signed with European clubs.

For a long time, American players stayed in the U.S., and players from the likes of France, England and Germany played for their local professional clubs. The NWSL is already is a hotbed for international talent - think Marta, Banda, and Temwa Chawinga to name a few. But as more local players leave, how does the NWSL continue to draw in top talent from other countries?

The league will need to continue to step up and provide players with a reason to stay. That could be investing in more player safety resources, allowing the player's association to continue to take a front seat, and potentially following a recommendation from NWSL and USWNT legend Becky Sauerbrunn and get a designated player category.

That addition in MLS was a game-changer for the league, ushered in by David Beckham and utilized to bring in the likes of Lionel Messi and Riqui Puig. It could help the NWSL stay competitive with its European counterparts.