Since 2022, the National Women’s Soccer League in the United States (NWSL) has implemented an unprecedented mental health leave in professional sports, the result of the league’s first collective bargaining agreement with its players’ association. This policy not only allowed some players to take a much-needed break mid-season, but also set a new standard for addressing psychological well-being in women’s soccer worldwide.

The holistic mental health approach emerged in response to reports of systemic abuse within the NWSL in 2021 and has evolved significantly. In the renegotiated 2024 agreement, new requirements were added, such as the mandatory inclusion of mental health professionals and performance psychology advisors on every team. The impact is already noticeable, and players are starting to feel the benefits of a policy centered on human care beyond the field.

A player-centered model

Defender Madison Pogarch, vice president of the NWSLPA, emphasizes that this progress has shattered the myth that players must always be available and at their peak. “It’s okay to take a break,” she says. Today, every franchise has certified experts working confidentially with players, either in individual sessions or group workshops. For clubs like Gotham FC and Bay FC, this is just the beginning: both have full-time mental performance coaches who even travel with the team on match days.

This new approach also reflects a deeper view of well-being, integrating emotional, spiritual, and mental health as pillars of performance. Specialists like Agustina de Giovanni, from Bay FC, reinforce this idea through constant support. “The brain is used more than any muscle; it needs training too,” she notes. Beyond supporting players during their careers, the NWSLPA offers lifetime memberships so retired athletes can continue accessing these services. For many, like Dorsey, the leave wasn’t just a pause in the calendar—it was the starting point to understand and heal the accumulated pressure since their professional debut.