CIES: 33% of expatriate players in the Top 10 women's leagues in 2021 (21.7% in 2017)

"The economic development of women's club football has had as a corollary the increase in the international mobility of players. The growth in the percentage of expatriate footballers, those who grew up in a different association than that of their employer club, is an expression of this process. From 21.6% in June 2017, the percentage of expatriates increased to 33% in June 2021," according to the CIES Football Observatory in its Monthly Report entitled "The demographic evolution of the principal women's football leagues (2017-2021)" published on 21/06/2021.

The report examines the composition of club squads in "ten of the principal (women's) competitions worldwide" namely eight European leagues (Germany, England, Spain, France, Italy, Norway, the Netherlands and Sweden), the NWSL (USA) and the W-League (Australia). The report compiles information on the 2020-21 season (or 2020 for the calendar year leagues), including the age of players, proportion of expatriate players in the squad, and the proportion of players already selected for a senior national team.

"With regard…