International athletes have long been an important part of college sports in the United States. Now, a new bill introduced in Congress could significantly limit how many international athletes are allowed on college rosters.
On September 14, Representative Tim Walberg (R-Mich.) and Senator Jon Husted (R-Ohio) introduced the Training and Education for American Members in University Sports and Athletics Act, or the TEAM USA Act. The bill would limit international student-athletes to 20 percent of each varsity team’s roster at colleges and universities receiving federal student aid.[1]
Supporters of the bill argue that the cap would preserve roster spots and scholarship opportunities for American athletes. But for sports that rely heavily on international recruiting, a 20 percent cap could also significantly change how teams recruit and build their rosters.
What Would the TEAM USA Act Do?
The TEAM USA Act would amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 and apply to schools participating in federal Title IV student aid programs. Under the proposal, international athletes could make up no more than 20 percent of each varsity roster. Schools would also be required to report international participation on each team annually to the Department of Education and their applicable athletic association.[2]
The bill would allow every team to roster at least one international student-athlete, even if doing so would put a smaller team above the 20 percent limit.[3]
The restriction would not take effect immediately. Instead, it would begin with the 2029-2030 academic year, giving schools several years to adjust their recruiting practices and avoiding an immediate impact on international athletes already competing in college.[4]
The proposal comes as the number of international athletes competing in the United States continues to grow. According to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, the number of international athletes receiving college scholarships has increased from approximately 8,945 in 2001 to roughly 25,000 today.[5]
Why Are Lawmakers Proposing a Cap?
Supporters of the bill argue that the growth of international recruiting has taken opportunities away from American athletes, particularly in sports where roster spots and scholarships are already limited.
Those concerns were the focus of a September 16 congressional hearing titled Who Gets the Scholarship? How the Global Shift in College Sports Affects Americans. During the hearing, lawmakers discussed sports where international athletes now make up a significant percentage of Division I participants. Supporters of the proposal have also connected the issue to Olympic development, arguing that American colleges are using resources to develop athletes who may ultimately compete for other countries.[6]
The numbers show just how international college sports have become. At the 2024 Paris Olympics, 1,036 NCAA-affiliated athletes competed. Of those athletes, 385 represented the United States, while approximately 63 percent competed for other countries.[7]
Those numbers can also be viewed another way. NCAA programs have become a destination for athletes from around the world, and international athletes have become important parts of many college teams. A cap may open additional opportunities for American athletes, but it would also change sports where international recruiting has become the norm.
What Could the Cap Mean for College Sports?
Some sports would feel the effects of the proposed cap much more than others.
College hockey provides one example. International athletes reportedly made up more than 40 percent of Division I women’s hockey rosters during the 2025-26 season, including many of my former college teammates. (Hello to my Canadian friends if you are reading this!) In fact, 37 of 45 programs exceed the TEAM USA Act’s proposed 20 percent limit.[8]
The timing is also interesting for college hockey. Division I men’s programs are already adjusting to the NCAA’s decision allowing players who participated in Major Junior hockey, including the Canadian Hockey League, to retain NCAA eligibility under certain conditions.[9] A federal restriction on international roster spots could create another major change in how programs recruit players.
Hockey is not the only sport that could be affected. Tennis, soccer, golf, and other sports with significant international participation could face similar changes. Programs above the 20 percent threshold would eventually have to rethink how they recruit and construct their rosters.
The roster cap would also add to challenges international athletes already face in college sports. For example, international athletes can face additional restrictions on NIL opportunities because many compete in the United States on student visas. The TEAM USA Act would create another distinction between domestic and international athletes, this time involving whether they can occupy a roster spot in the first place.
What Comes Next?
For now, the TEAM USA Act is only a proposal. It would still need to move through Congress and be signed into law before the 20 percent restriction could take effect.
But if the bill does move forward, its impact could be significant, particularly in sports like hockey, tennis, soccer, and golf where international athletes already make up a large portion of college rosters. Supporters see the bill as a way to preserve opportunities for American athletes. At the same time, limiting international participation would change programs that have spent years recruiting athletes from around the world.
College sports may take place at American universities, but they have become increasingly international. The TEAM USA Act puts that reality directly in front of Congress and raises a difficult question: how much, if at all, should federal law limit who gets the opportunity to compete in American college athletics?
Sources
[1] U.S. House Committee on Education and the Workforce, Chairman Walberg, Senator Husted Introduce Bill to Protect Opportunities for American Student-Athletes, Sept. 14, 2026.
[2] Id.
[3] Office of Senator Jon Husted, Husted, Walberg Lead Bicameral Bill to Protect College Sports Opportunities for American Student-Athletes, Sept. 14, 2026.
[4] U.S. House Committee on Education and the Workforce, Chairman Walberg, Senator Husted Introduce Bill to Protect Opportunities for American Student-Athletes, Sept. 14, 2026.
[5] Id.
[6] U.S. House Committee on Education and the Workforce, Hearing Recap: “Who Gets the Scholarship? How the Global Shift in College Sports Affects Americans,” Sept. 16, 2026.
[7] U.S. House Committee on Education and the Workforce, Chairman Walberg, Senator Husted Introduce Bill to Protect Opportunities for American Student-Athletes, Sept. 14, 2026.
[8] Hockey.com, Proposed US Bill Would Cap International NCAA Rosters at 20 Percent, Sept. 15, 2026.
[9] NCAA, DI Council Approves Rules Change for Preenrollment Activities in Men’s Ice Hockey, Skiing, Nov. 7, 2024.
Leave a Reply