Internationals are raising the bar in the NWSL

Photo Copyright Nick Tre. Smith for USA TODAY Sports

The 2024 National Women’s Soccer League season is the first of its kind to have a record-high of seven international roster spots for each team in the league. With the wide variety of players in the league, international players are now taking the NWSL season by storm with a new caliber of competition.

Internationals set the bar

Previously, the NWSL had allowed five international players per roster, which was increased to seven players ahead of the 2024 season with approval from U.S. Soccer.

In the opening weeks of the regular season, the competition for the Golden Boot race is already off to a strong start. Overall, players from across the league have tallied over 100 goals in a little over a month since the start of the season. As the level of play increases, so do the stakes for the Golden Boot as four international players are currently tied for second place in the most goals scored in the NWSL rankings after Sophia Smith with seven goals.