The 2025 National Women’s Soccer League season kicks off Friday, and the big on-field question is an unfamiliar one: Is there a big four pulling away from the rest of the pack?
That was abundantly clear last season, and the top squads from 2024 have all bolstered their sides with strong additions in the offseason. Several teams look like they are improved, however, and they will hope to restore the NWSL’s much-lauded parity in 2025.
Did the North Carolina Courage, who finished a distant fifth, make arguably the biggest intraleague acquisition of the offseason by landing U.S. star Jaedyn Shaw? Is Angel City ready to compete? What exactly is happening in San Diego? And what should we make of the Houston Dash and Utah Royals?
– Stream LIVE: Kansas City Current vs. Portland Thorns, Saturday, 12:30 p.m. ET, ESPN+
Here’s a look at what to expect from each of the teams this season with ESPN’s Cesar Hernandez, Ryan Rosenblatt, Megan Swanick and Joseph Lowery contributing. The intro is by Jeff Kassouf.
2024 regular-season record: 12th place, 7-6-13, 24 points
Biggest offseason moves: Plenty of changes for a team that has brought in Mark Parsons as sporting director, moved on from coach Becki Tweed and signed some eye-catching names such as Julie Dufour, Miyabi Moriya, Savy King and Alanna Kennedy. Over the winter and during its ongoing rebuild, it has also moved into the “largest dedicated performance center” in the NWSL.
Biggest question heading into the season: Who will be the permanent coach? When Tweed was sacked in December, Eleri Earnshaw was selected as interim coach before Parsons stepped in and hired Sam Laity as the new interim. Regarding when a permanent coach will be selected, Angel City’s sporting director has noted that he’s willing to take his time.
“If the right person is available sooner rather than later, fine,” Parsons told the L.A. Times. “If we have to wait for that right person and they’re not available until the summer, then we’re open to that as well.”
2025 will be a success if … they qualify for the playoffs. The bar should be higher for a team that’s the most valuable club in women’s sports, but there is no doubt that it is still shaking off a 2024 that not only had just seven wins and changes on and off the field but also points deductions and a fine due to salary cap violations.
The good news is that a youthful renaissance isn’t out of the question. King and U.S. Young Female Player of the Year finalist Kennedy Fuller are ones to keep an eye on — as are a few players added from the NCAA — but the biggest impact should arrive through the Thompson sisters, Alyssa and Gisele. In February, they made history as just the second pair of sisters to be featured in the same USWNT XI. — Hernandez
2:06
Could Gareth Taylor be a perfect fit for the Angel City job?
Ali Krieger explains why former Man City coach Gareth Taylor could be a good fit to take over Angel City FC.
2024 regular-season record: 7th place, 11-1-14, 34 points
Biggest offseason moves: Bay FC finished the season so well that they didn’t want to make major changes in the offseason. Alex Loera and Savy King departed, with Kelli Hubly coming into the defense and Taylor Huff leading a crop of exciting rookies, but Bay mostly decided to let their core keep growing around Racheal Kundananji, Asisat Oshoala and Abby Dahlkemper.
Biggest question heading into the season: Who is going to play in goal? Katelyn Rowland made the surprising decision to retire during preseason training, leaving Bay with a trio of goalkeepers in Emmie Allen, Melissa Lowder and Jordan Silkowitz who have played a combined zero NWSL minutes in their careers. Lowder and Silkowitz at least have a little experience playing abroad, but all three are untested and Bay are now unexpectedly desperate for one of the trio to step up. If not, they may have to dive into the transfer market at an inopportune time.
2025 will be a success if … they look like the team that finished last season. Bay were a bit of a mess for the first few months, trying to figure out who they were and really struggling at the back, but the addition of Dahlkemper turned things around. After acquiring the center back, Bay went from the worst defensive team in the league to one that allowed more than one goal in just two of its last nine matches. That allowed Bay to go 5-1-3 down the stretch, make the playoffs and nearly knock off the Spirit in the postseason. If that is the team that starts this season, then it is in for an exciting sophomore season. — Rosenblatt
2024 regular-season record: 8th place, 10-2-14, 32 points
Biggest offseason moves: Chicago didn’t make any marquee moves in the offseason. It did pick up some reinforcements in the midfield, including 29-year-old Spanish midfielder, Maitane Lopez, from Gotham, as well as 20-year-old Japanese midfielder Manaka Hayashi. Hayashi captained Young Nadeshiko in their runner-up performance at the 2024 Under-20 World Cup. Another notable new addition is U.S. forward Micayla Johnson, who joins the Stars via the U18 entry mechanism. Seventeen-year-old Johnson made three starts in six games for the US at the 2024 U17 World Cup.
Biggest question heading into the season: Will Mallory Swanson be ready to play? The star USWNT forward — who scored a team-high four goals at the Olympic Games, including the game-winning goal in the gold medal match, and was joint top scorer for Chicago last season– didn’t report to training camp at the end of January due to personal reasons. Her present status remains unclear, and while the club and fans respect the immense talent’s time away, Chicago would face serious questions without her. Beyond Swanson, fans may wonder whether the club capitalized this offseason, signing the necessary talent to stay competitive in this league. That said, Brazilian forward Ludmila and Canadian midfielder Julia Grosso will both be entering their second season in NWSL, and could make a difference if they have a second-year boost.
2025 will be a success if … Chicago returns to the postseason. The club was the eighth and final team to make the playoffs last season, and another postseason appearance is the benchmark for success, though doing so isn’t guaranteed. The Stars (rebranded from Chicago Red Stars late last year) have had a difficult few years, and after a handful of disappointing seasons, building on 2024’s postseason berth is pivotal for the direction of the club.. — Swanick
2024 regular-season record: 3rd place, 17-5-4, 56 points
Biggest offseason moves: Gotham saw some high-profile names depart in the offseason. That includes USWNT gold medalists Crystal Dunn, Jenna Nighswonger and Lynn Biyendolo, who left for Paris Saint-Germain, Arsenal and Seattle, respectively. That also includes forward Yazmeen Ryan, who has made a number of impressive appearances for the U.S. post-Olympics. As part of their deal that sent Biyendolo to Seattle, they signed 25-year-old midfielder Jaelin Howell. Their biggest incoming acquisition is Brazilian forward Gabi Portilho, who was key to Brazil‘s Olympic silver medal and was nominated for the 2024 Ballon d’Or. As for Gotham’s rookie class, they signed both the 2024 Big Ten Forward of the Year, Khyah Harper (University of Minnesota), and the 2024 Big Ten Defender of the Year, Lilly Reale. Ghanaian forward Stella Nyamekye, 19, will also come aboard.
Biggest question heading into the season: Can they stay a top-four team amid a season rife with changes? They started last year riddled with injuries and navigated a tough schedule as they worked to support a slew of big names with big international duties. Gotham’s Spanish manager, Juan Carlos Amoros, enters Year 3 in NWSL navigating significant adjustments to his personnel. Maintaining the team’s success with a notably different roster is his next big challenge.
2025 will be a success if … they maintain their spot as one of the elite teams in the top four. In 2024, the NWSL’s top-four teams were a significant step above the rest of the table. Gotham’s lofty aspirations require them to stay there. Despite all their departures, they’re still deep and talented, and they brought in a few exciting names in the offseason. With Midge Purce returning from injury, the ingredients are certainly there to maintain their spot toward the top and potentially, compete for a spot in the championship. — Swanick
2:23
Is the NWSL becoming a two-tier league of competitiveness?
Jeff Kassouf wonders if the top four NWSL teams are in danger of becoming uncatchable for the rest of the league.
2024 regular-season record: 14th place, 5-5-16, 20 points
Biggest offseason moves: The Dash were aggressive this winter, starting with the big-money acquisition of Yazmeen Ryan. They also added Messiah Bright, Danielle Colaprico, Delanie Sheehan, Abby Smith, Christen Westphal and one of the stars of the rookie class, Maggie Graham. Some of that was funded by the transfer of Tarciane to Lyon in one of the most expensive sales in NWSL history, while Andressa also departed.
Biggest question heading into the season: How quickly can Fabrice Gautrat instill his style of play? The new coach will likely try to build the Dash into a more possession-minded team, and the signings they made in the offseason should help him do that, but there’s been so much turnover throughout the squad that it’s probably going to take some time for everyone to get comfortable together. With Houston hoping to squeeze into the playoffs, it is going to have to come sooner rather than later, which is a tall task for a first-time head coach.
2025 will be a success if … they are a competitive side with a strong foundation. That’s a low bar, but this is a club that didn’t really have a head coach last season, fired its general manager, whose ownership is exploring a sale and is coming off of a last place finish. They did a good job bringing in a ton of proven veterans who should be able to stabilize things and help move them into a more proactive style of play, but there’s still a lack of punch up front outside of Ryan and a full overhaul is tough to do in just one season. If the Dash come out of 2025 looking like they have an identity and direction, with a real foundation to build off of, they’ll be really happy. And that doesn’t mean they can’t make the playoffs too, because if things click early then that is very much on the table. — Rosenblatt
2024 regular-season record: 4th place, 16-7-3, 55 points
Biggest offseason moves: The Current went from one of the league’s worst, most dysfunctional teams in 2023 to one of the best in 2024, their first year under Vlatko Andonovski. This offseason has primarily been about retaining the core, led by a new contract that will keep Temwa Chawinga in Kansas City through 2028, but they have made a couple of notable additions. Rocky Rodríguez came over in a trade with Angel City to boost a midfield that was thin at times last season, and the Current filled their hole at goalkeeper by signing Brazil’s No. 1, Lorena.
Biggest question heading into the season: The idealized version of the Current can absolutely win the NWSL Shield and championship, but there are some pretty hefty health concerns in Kansas City. Gabrielle Robinson was rounding into one of the league’s best center backs before tearing her ACL, while Bia Zaneratto looked like an early MVP contender before suffering a foot injury. You can’t compete with the very best without elite talent in the center of defense and up top, and K.C. could have that if Robinson and Zaneratto are at full fitness. How they return from injury could hold the key to the Current’s season.
2025 will be a success if … the Current claim their first major trophy. Whether that’s the Shield or championship, the expectations in Kansas City are rightfully very high. After all, they were one of the best teams in the league a year ago and finished third. Now they should be healthier, with Robinson and Zaneratto returning, plus Alex Pfeiffer is also making her way back from injury. Claire Hutton, who was sensational as an 18-year-old rookie, should take another step forward and Rodríguez and Lorena are well-targeted signings to shore up weaknesses. All of that should strengthen a team that, when things get tough, can still give Chawinga the ball and watch her work. The sky’s the limit for the Current, which is why it’s all about silverware in 2025. — Rosenblatt
2024 regular-season record: 5th place, 12-3-11, 39 points
Biggest offseason moves: North Carolina made one of the most notable offseason moves when it signed 20-year-old USWNT midfielder/forward Jaedyn Shaw from San Diego Wave. Shaw is a versatile and creative player who prefers to play centrally as a No. 10, but can be used in a number of attacking roles. It also signed first-team All-America defender Brooklyn Courtnall out of USC, as well as 20-year-old Japanese midfielder Shinomi Koyama, who captained Japan in their second-place finish at the U20 World Cup last year.
Biggest question heading into the season: With the addition of Shaw, how will Sean Nahas organize his attacking talent? Shaw has been used in a number of attacking positions for both club and country, but likes to have the ball at her feet in a central role, where she can split lines and pick off passes as a No. 10. Ashley Sanchez, the team’s top goal scorer last season, is a similar type of player and performed well as No. 10 last season. There’s a number of ways Nahas can use both of them at the same time, including moving one to the wing, or perhaps deploying Shaw as a striker. Maximizing Shaw’s talent, alongside the skill set of Sanchez, as well North Carolina’s other attacking players, will be essential for Nahas if the Courage hope to break into the top teams.
2025 will be a success if … they can break into the top-four teams. Last year, four teams (Orlando, Washington, Gotham, Kansas City) stood apart at the top of the standings with just a five-point gap between them, but a 16-point gap between fourth-place Kansas City and the fifth-place North Carolina. One essential way they can level up? Knocking in more goals. In 2024, 16 Courage players scored (that’s great versatility) but Ashley Sanchez was their top scorer with five, and their total team xG was toward the bottom of the table. With 18 of their games in ’24 decided by one goal or less, a big-time goal scorer or two would make a huge difference. — Swanick
2024 regular-season record: 1st place, 18-6-2, 60 points
Biggest offseason moves: After topping the table in the regular season and winning the NWSL Championship last year, Orlando signed legend Marta to a new two-year contract, extended key center back Emily Sams, and added right back Oihane Hernández, who appeared in six games for Spain at the 2023 World Cup. Notably, Adriana moved to Saudi Arabia after scoring six goals for Orlando in 2024. Even with her departure, the roster features a slew of returners and looks incredibly strong heading into the new season.
Biggest question heading into the season: With a strong defensive structure under manager Seb Hines, excellent goalkeeping from Anna Moorhouse, and top-tier talent in every line, it sure seems like there are far more answers than questions in Orlando these days. They look like a threat to repeat. Still, I do wonder: especially without Adriana’s creativity, how will the Pride deal with teams who force them to have the lion’s share of the ball, denying Barbra Banda the space to run in behind? It’s notable that six of Orlando’s eight games that didn’t end with them putting another tick in the “W” column involved them keeping at least 50% possession.
2025 will be a success if … there’s another trophy. And if this team plays a lot like they did in 2024, they’ll have a great shot to claim one. The roster still looks excellent and there will be plenty of cohesion from last year’s trophy-filled season to this one. There’s every reason to believe the Orlando Pride will be among the best teams in the NWSL yet again in 2025 — and collecting more hardware is a realistic goal. — Lowery
2024 regular-season record: 6th place, 10-4-12, 34 points
Biggest offseason moves: It was a tumultuous first season of new ownership in Portland, but the Bhathal family made some big moves in the winter to stabilize the Thorns. They announced plans for their own training facility and overhauled the front office, with Jeff Agoos coming in as President and General Manager of Soccer Operations. Agoos’ background is exclusively on the men’s side, but he will be assisted by Lucy Rushton, who was previously at Bay FC, as the Thorns appear to be emphasizing analytics in their team-building.
Biggest question heading into the season: How will the Thorns replace all the players they’ve lost? Sophia (Smith) Wilson is pregnant, Becky Sauerbrunn retired, Kelli Hubly left in free agency and Morgan Weaver, Marie Müller and Nicole Payne all suffered season-ending knee injuries. That puts a slew of holes in the Portland squad. Bella Bixby is back from maternity leave, Daiane and Sam Hiatt will be expected to step in at the back, Deyna Castellanos can help up front and Pietra Tordin could be one of the league’s top rookies, but the Thorns are going to need a handful of returning players to really step up in 2025 too if they want to have a chance of making the playoffs.
2025 will be a success if … the Thorns develop an identity. It is going to be a rough season in Portland, which is unusual for one of the league’s proudest clubs, but they were already a team in transition and now that they’ll be without Smith and the trio of injured players, they’re in a really tough spot. It wasn’t really clear who the Thorns were last season, other than waiting for Wilson’s moments of magic, and they haven’t given us a sense of what they’ll be this year either, but it probably has to start with the midfield of Sam Coffey, Jessie Fleming, Hina Sugita and Olivia Moultrie. Those are players you can build around and help you create a clear vision of who you are. That’s what the Thorns need to do this season, even if absences make results hard to come by at times. — Rosenblatt
1:19
Will Sophia Wilson return to the Thorns as a free agent after pregnancy?
Jeff Kassouf assesses the Portland Thorns’ options as Sophia Wilson heads into the final year of her contract.
2024 regular-season record: 9th place, 7-7-12, 28 points
Biggest offseason moves: Louisville signed a number of college graduates in the offseason. That includes 22-year-old former Nebraska forward Sarah Weber, who scored 43 goals in 78 appearances for the Cornhuskers and was named first-team All Big Ten three times.
Biggest question heading into the season: Have they done what it takes to break into the top half of the table? Bev Yanez leads Racing for her second year as their manager, with the club’s eyes on breaking into the top half of the table (and if they achieve that, the postseason). They’ve brought in some young talent with exciting potential, but may be relying on their spine from 2024 to level up in order to break in.
2025 will be a success if … they make the playoffs. Racing Louisville finished 2024 in ninth place and just short of the playoffs in their fourth season in the league. And while ninth place in 2024 meant they were just shy of a playoff spot (the league expanded to eight playoff berths in ’24) in an expanded table of 14 teams, Louisville has finished ninth every year for four straight years, and has yet to make the postseason. Finding their way past that hurdle is the measure of success in ’25. — Swanick
2024 regular-season record: 10th place, 6-7-13, 25 points
Biggest offseason moves: San Diego are seeking a much-needed reset after a disastrous 2024. Different owners have officially stepped in, president Jill Ellis has stepped out, and on the sideline, Jonas Eidevall has taken over as coach following a lackluster season for the Wave that had three different options running the show.
On the roster, plenty of talented but new faces to the league will have big cleats to fill for a Wave side that no longer has marquee leaders such as Alex Morgan, Jaedyn Shaw and Naomi Girma, among others.
Biggest question heading into the season: Are the changes enough? For a team that had issues ranging from former employees suing the club and the NWSL, to players such as Shaw and Girma seeking exits, there’s clearly much to be fixed beyond what’s happening on the field.
That literal field is also a concern. When you consider that the pitch conditions have been highly questionable at Snapdragon Stadium, things could become far worse with another tenant — MLS’ San Diego FC — now playing at the venue as well.
2025 will be a success if … at the risk of providing a vague San Diego-like answer, it’ll be a success if the good vibes return. Supporters of the team have been justifiably bitter about how the team has been run and are just as desperate to see a cultural and sporting reset. Alterations have followed in recent months, but there are still a number of unknowns about how it’ll all play out.
At the very least, an influential figure such as goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan feels optimistic about what can happen on the sporting side through a new coaching setup.
“[It’s] going to be huge. It’s a complete new staff, which kind of is an opportunity to start over,” Sheridan said in January. “That’s a whole tactical change.” — Hernandez
2024 regular-season record: 13th place, 6-5-15, 23 points
Biggest offseason moves: Lynn Biyendolo (née Williams) is here! After a brutally poor attacking season where Seattle finished in the bottom four in both goals scored and xG, the club made adding talent to the forward line a priority. Biyendolo arrived alongside goalkeeper Cassie Miller in a blockbuster trade from Gotham in exchange for Jaelin Howell and a couple of other assets. Miller, for her part, could end up starting in goal in 2025. Elsewhere, versatile defender Madison Curry joined the club, along with talented forward Maddie Dahlien and defender Emily Mason from the college game.
Biggest question heading into the season: Can Biyendolo transform this attack? There were plenty of issues last season for the Reign, including the league’s leakiest defense that allowed 44 goals. Still, the underlying numbers weren’t nearly as worried about the defense as they were about the attack. According to FBref, Seattle finished eighth in non-penalty xG allowed last year, compared to 12th in non-penalty xG generated. But with the NWSL’s all-time leading scorer in the squad? Ji So-Yun and Jess Fishlock might just have the reliable final third outlet they lacked to end last year.
2025 will be a success if … Seattle pushes back into the playoff picture. After finishing a disappointing 13th in the table and missing the postseason in 2024, the bar is clear for the Reign this year: finish above the line. Laura Harvey has some real work to do to make her squad more comfortable on the ball, but there are enough pieces for this team to push up the standings after a positive offseason. — Lowery
2024 regular-season record: 11th place, 7-4-15, 25 points
Biggest offseason moves: After a difficult reintroduction into the NWSL last season, it wasn’t a surprise to see a number new faces move to Utah this winter. Fresh talent arrived in each line of Jimmy Coenraets’ team. In attack, Aisha Solorzano joined after her standout season with Tijuana. 15-year-old Kherrington Ream also became Utah’s youngest-ever player. At the base of midfield, Alex Loera arrived via a trade with Bay FC to add her useful timing and ball movement. And in defense, young talent Ana María Guzmán signed on loan from Bayern Munich while ex-Barcelona defender Nuria Rábano joined from Wolfsburg.
Biggest question heading into the season: Can the Royals continue to rise under Coenraets? After taking over as the interim manager following Amy Rodriguez’s June exit, Utah’s xG differential improved from a league-worst -1.39 per game to a seventh-best -0.03, according to American Soccer Analysis. Under the youngest manager in NWSL history, Utah climbed from 14th to 11th in the table. Of course, summer signings Cloé Lacasse, Claudia Zornoza, and Mina Tanaka made a major impact under Coenraets. But if Utah’s 5W-1D-4L form from the end of last year continues, it will play at a playoff clip in 2025.
2025 will be a success if … Utah start far, far faster than it did in 2024 and finishes above the playoff line. The Royals managed just two wins in their first 16 games last season. But after a group of savvy midseason moves, key offseason additions, and a full preseason for Coenraets to implement his style, it’s not hard to picture Utah earning a playoff berth. A significant rebound from last year’s disappointment is on the table. — Lowery
1:21
Rodman: I’d kick myself if I retired without playing overseas
Trinity Rodman reveals her interest in playing overseas and reacts to USWNT teammate Naomi Girma’s record-breaking move to Chelsea.
2024 regular-season record: 2nd place, 18-2-6, 56 points
Biggest offseason moves: With an incredibly talented squad (when healthy) at Jonatan Giráldez’s disposal, the Spirit didn’t take a ton of big swings this winter. Still, they made it a point to secure a ball-winner in midfield following Andi Sullivan‘s torn ACL in October — Narumi Miura signed in free agency to fill that void after two seasons with the Courage. Elsewhere, Mexican international Rebeca Bernal adds quality to Washington’s backline and has played plenty of minutes as a No. 6, too. Really, the Spirit’s offseason had the understandable makings of a team fine-tuning, rather than overhauling.
Biggest question heading into the season: Can this team get healthy and stay healthy? We’ve already mentioned Sullivan’s long-term injury. Star attacking midfielder Croix Bethune tore her meniscus in August. Dangerous attacker Ouleymata Sarr has been dealing with a back injury and didn’t feature for the Spirit since September. Trinity Rodman has been dealing with a back issue of her own since last summer’s Olympics. If Bethune, who should be fit to start the season, Sarr, who doesn’t seem to be quite as far along in her recovery, and Rodman are near 100% for most of the year and ready for the postseason, this squad will thrive.
2025 will be a success if … there’s a trophy celebration. If Giráldez has access to his most important pieces, there’s no reason the Washington Spirit shouldn’t push for at least one trophy this season. They were within touching distance of last year’s championship, even with brutal injury luck. They had a top-three attack and defense based on both goals and xG allowed, according to FBref. Rodman is elite. Bethune is a game-changer. The back half is combative. There’s a whole lot to like in the nation’s capital. — Lowery
