The National Women's Soccer League has handed down additional one-game suspensions following two red-card incidents over the weekend, sending a clear message about player conduct on the pitch.
North Carolina Courage defender Feli Rauch, a German international, was shown a red card after pulling an opponent's hair while contesting an aerial ball against the Kansas City Current. Meanwhile, Angel City midfielder Maiara Niehues, a Brazilian international, received a straight red during first-half stoppage time against the Utah Royals for striking an opponent on the back following a foul on one of Niehues' teammates. Both teams were playing at home on Saturday, and both suffered losses.
According to the NWSL's official announcement, the league's Disciplinary Committee determined that both incidents violated Section 12.4.11, "Major Game Misconduct," of the League Operations Manual. As a result, each player has been issued an additional one-match suspension, bringing their total bans to two games.
Rauch will miss North Carolina's upcoming matches against the Orlando Pride on Friday and the Chicago Stars on May 16. Niehues will sit out Angel City's clash with the San Diego Wave this Saturday, followed by a suspension against the Portland Thorns on May 17.
These decisions highlight a growing concern in women's soccer: an uptick in aggressive fouls, particularly involving hair pulling. During the NWSL's opening weekend, two red cards were issued in the first six games. By the end of match week ending March 22, four more players had been sent off, including two Portland Thorns players in the same match. One of those, Reyna Reyes, received a straight red for pulling an opponent's hair during a 50-50 ball incident—strikingly similar to Rauch's recent foul.
While Reyes and Rauch received identical punishments—an additional match ban on top of the mandatory one—the league has shown it's willing to escalate consequences based on the severity of the offense. Last season, Racing Louisville forward Kay faced similar disciplinary action, underscoring the NWSL's commitment to maintaining player safety and sportsmanship on the field.