The NWSL may be taking a break during the 2023 World Cup, but a huge number of its players will be taking part in FIFA’s big show.
No fewer than 61 NWSL players made World Cup rosters, spread across 16 different national teams.
“On behalf of the National Women’s Soccer League, I extend my heartfelt congratulations to the sixty remarkable athletes who have been selected to represent their respective national teams on the world stage this summer,” said NWSL Commissioner Jessica Berman in a press release. “This is a proud moment for the NWSL as we witness the impact our players are making at the international level, and I wish every one of them luck as they embark on their journeys.”
The U.S. women’s national team will unsurprisingly pull 22 of its 23 players from the NWSL. That leaves 38 other NWSL players heading to Australia and New Zealand to represent their nations. OL Reign, thanks to Brazil’s late addition of Angelina, lead the league with eight players heading off to the World Cup, while every team has seen at least two players called up for the tournament.
Aside from the USWNT contingent, Brazil and Canada will both be represented by eight NWSL players, while Denmark, Nigeria, and the Republic of Ireland will have three apiece. There is at least one NWSL player on half of the 32 teams at this World Cup.
Team-by-team, here are the NWSL players going to the 2023 World Cup.