[1][2] The following year, the NWSL allowed 17-year-old Jaedyn Shaw to sign with San Diego Wave FC through discovery, with five other teams submitting bids for her rights including the Washington Spirit which she had trained with for months.
Major League Soccer allows younger players to sign contracts which occurs mostly for development purposes.
[1] The NWSL introduced the Under-18 Entry Mechanism on November 14, 2022, establishing a formal process for signing players under the age of 18.
[5] In addition to contractual protections, under-18 players are required to live with a parent or guardian and use separate showers and locker rooms.
[1] Chloe Ricketts was the first player to sign through the Under-18 Entry Mechanism, joining the Washington Spirit on March 3, 2023, at the age of 15.