Eligibility Criteria: In order to be eligible in the Player category an individual must have met Number 1 and either Number 2 or Number 3 of the following criteria:
1. Retired as a player for at least three years but no more than 10 years.
2. Played at least 20 full international games for the United States. This requirement is reduced to 10 games if the games were prior to 1990.
3. Played at least 5 seasons in an American first-division professional league, and won either the league championship or the U.S. Open Cup, or was selected as a league all-star at least once.

Screening Committee: The committee shall consist of approximately 16 Hall of Famers. Each member may cast up to 10 ranked votes to create the Final Ballot. The Final Ballot shall contain approximately 15 candidates.
In 2008 the Screening Committee reviewed 325 eligible Veteran Players for the Final Ballot.

Selection Committee: The committee consists of all Hall of Famers.

Election Criteria: The veteran who is named on the most ballots is elected, with a minimum of 50% required for election. More than one may be elected in the event of a tie.

Number of Ballots cast in the 2008 Veteran Election: 48 Voters