NWSL Updates Game Policy for Life-Threatening Emergencies After Savy King Collapse

After receiving criticism for finishing a match last week despite Angel City FC defender Savy King collapsing on the field, the NWSL announced Friday that it has changed its protocols for similar situations in the future.

According to ESPN's Jeff Kassouf, the NWSL admitted its mistake and vowed to do things differently moving forward via the following statement:

"Having reviewed our protocols and how they were implemented, and in listening to feedback from our stakeholders, the Angel City vs Utah game last Friday night should not have continued. 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."

On May 9, Angel City FC hosted the Utah Royals in a league match, and play was halted during the second half when King fell to the ground.

After King was administered medical attention and stretchered off the field, the match controversially continued, and Angel City went on to win 2-0.

On Wednesday, Angel City FC and King's family released a joint statement in which it was announced that King was resting and recovering after undergoing successful surgery to repair a heart abnormality:

The NWSL Players Association later expressed its belief in a statement that the match "should not have continued."

Per Kassouf, Washington Spirit and United States Women's National Team superstar Trinity Rodman agreed, writing in an Instagram post, "In no world should that game have continued."

The 20-year-old King played collegiately at the University of North Carolina before going second overall in the 2024 NWSL draft to Bay FC. She was traded to Angel City back in February.

King has appeared in matches for the under-17 and under-20 U.S. national teams, winning a bronze medal at the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup last year.