NWSL says game should not have continued after Savy King collapsed on the field

A game between Angel City and the Utah Royals should not have continued after Savy King collapsed on the field and had to be hospitalized, the National Women's Soccer League said Friday.

The league said it came to the conclusion after reviewing its protocols and listening to feedback from stakeholders. There were persistent questions this week about the league's procedures.

A league statement expressed regret for allowing last Friday's match in Los Angeles to go on after the 20-year-old Angel City defender was carted off the field while shaken players and fans looked on.

''The health and well being of the entire NWSL community remains our top priority, and in any similar situation going forward the game should and would be abandoned," said the statement.

King underwent surgery on Tuesday after doctors discovered a heart abnormality. The team announced she is recovering and her prognosis is good.

The NWSL Players Association was among those that said the match should have been suspended after King's collapse in the 74th minute. The players' union issued a statement Friday saying it was grateful the league listened to the concerns.

''The league's acknowledgement that the game should have ended — and its commitment to adopting this protocol for the future, should it ever be needed — represents a meaningful step forward,'' the NWSLPA said. ''It's a change made possible by the strength and unity of our players. Player safety is not a slogan. It is a practice."

NWSL rules for 2025 state that the league ''recognizes that emergencies may arise which make the start or progression of a Game inadvisable or dangerous for participants and spectators. Certain event categories automatically trigger the League Office into an evaluation of whether delay or postponement is necessary.''

Angel City interim coach Sam Laity said Friday it had been a challenging week for the team, but he was grateful for the medical professionals who treated King and all those from around the league who reached out in support.

''I think everybody's very relieved to hear that Savy's surgery was successful and the outlook for the future is very positive,'' he said. ''And in terms of the game continuing, I agree with the statements that the league recently made, and they're working to ensure that this type of situation is dealt with in a different fashion moving forward.''

King was the second-overall pick in the 2024 NWSL draft by expansion Bay FC and played 18 games for the club. She was traded to Angel City in February and had started in all eight games for the team this season.

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