Nation Women’s Soccer League fans have had the luxury of watching the United States’ best homegrown women’s players for much of the league’s existence. Now, as the NWSL limps through its eighth (unofficial) season as the COVID-19 pandemic grips the U.S., the women’s soccer league has watched some of its stars sign contracts with European clubs. The NWSL may have lost some key players, but the league will start its Fall Series in September. Fans of NWSL soccer can use the Comeon Bonuskoodi 2020 before wagering on the games in the Fall Series 2020.
The NWSL has already lost players Samantha Mewis, Rose Lavelle and Emily Sonnett – all three are U.S. Women’s National Team players. There is a real fear that more American national players could leave, strengthening European clubs while weakening the NWSL overall. According to Caitlin Murray of YAHOO SPORTS, Mewis, Lavelle, and Sonnett are just the tip of the iceberg. She cited a source informing her of the impending departures of more U.S. Women’s National Team players from the league.
With the potential for so many NWSL players to move to Europe, many fans are wondering what has brought on the sudden interest to play abroad?
Unlike men’s professional soccer where players earn more money, the women’s game featured a lot of player movement during the shutdown of sports. Female players sought new contracts and better deals with clubs causing quite a lot of movement. The UEFA Women’s Champions League is currently being finalized in Europe. The teams that competed in the quarterfinals of the tournament had all seen quite a bit of turnover in the playing staff.
The coronavirus pandemic is at the heart of player movement. There is a fear amongst players in the NWSL that America won’t return to pre-pandemic levels for some time. Right now, the options for playing soccer in the U.S. aren’t appealing. Compared to the U.S., Europe has the coronavirus more under control.
To limit travel on teams and exposure to the coronavirus, NWSL teams played a 25-game Challenge Cup tournament in Utah during July. The competition lasted just 10 days and as it was a single-elimination tournament, some teams only played once. The league’s Fall Series will allow teams to play more matches with each guaranteed four games. Even then, there isn’t enough soccer to go around to satiate players.
Major League Baseball has shown that having a regular season in which teams travel cross-country leaves players open to contracting the coronavirus. As of August 22nd, MLB had cancelled 37 baseball games due to teams having players with the virus. In some cases, players have freely broken protocol mixing and mingling with the public. The St. Louis Cardinals had players leave their hotel against rules and attend a casino.
The coronavirus has turned players onto the prospects of playing in Europe even though they would rather play in the U.S. For U.S. Women’s National Team members, moving abroad can be a significant financial move. They are paid $100,000 by U.S. Soccer and due to the NWSL not having an “official season” in 2020, they can go abroad to play without giving up the salary.
