The 2021 NWSL season has officially come to a close, with the Washington Spirit crowned as league champions.

In an unprecedented year, NWSL players overcame extraordinary circumstances off the field to continue delivering incredible moments on it, from stunning debut goals to record-breaking accomplishments.

In honor of the thrilling season that was, and in homage to the NWSL’s Best XI, we are counting down the 11 most priceless moments from the season, presented by MasterCard. Let’s get to it.

11. Trinity Rodman’s first goal

Trinity Rodman announced herself to the league on April 10 when she scored her first NWSL goal in a Challenge Cup match against the North Carolina Courage, beating her defender and drilling a long ball past the keeper. The finish foreshadowed the Spirit attacker’s seven goals during the regular season and playoffs, as Rodman stretched opponents’ backlines all season long.

In a momentous rookie season, Rodman led her team to an NWSL Championship, won Rookie of the Year and was named to the Best IX First Team. Not bad for someone who is still just 19 years old.

First touch 🥵 https://t.co/3IHNV73z0D

— Just Women’s Sports (@justwsports) April 10, 2021

10. Ashlyn Harris’ PK streak

Ashlyn Harris went on a tear over the summer, stopping a staggering five straight penalty kicks for the Orlando Pride. Harris also surpassed the NWSL all-time save record this year, notching her 469th save in Orlando’s 1-0 win over NJ/NY Gotham FC in August.

FIVE. STRAIGHT. PK. SAVES. 🤯#ORLvRGN | https://t.co/iecT7II54a | #NWSL21 pic.twitter.com/aBEyhMjrqj

— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) July 25, 2021

9. Ebony Salmon’s electric debut

Ebony Salmon broke onto the NWSL scene in historic fashion, scoring mere seconds after entering her first Racing Louisville game. The English attacker’s highlight-reel goal earned her the top play on that evening’s “SportsCenter Top 10.”

Salmon went on to notch six goals and three assists in 20 matches and 14 starts with the team, finishing the season as Racing Louisville’s leading scorer.

Knows how to make an entrance 😌@ebony_salmon taking the top play on the @SportsCenter Top 10 ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/4gNNmE6qyo

— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) June 21, 2021

8. Racing Louisville wins Women’s Cup

Racing Louisville put an exclamation mark on their debut season, winning the inaugural Women’s Cup title in front of a home crowd at Lynn Family Stadium in August. The championship match was epic, with Louisville outlasting FC Bayern Munich in sudden-death penalty kicks to take home the Cup.

The win raised Louisville’s profile on the international women’s soccer scene in its first year as a club.

ABSOLUTE SCENES 😱

Congratulations to @RacingLouFC on winning the inaugural @thewomenscup final over @FCBfrauen 👏👏👏 pic.twitter.com/KHVGjn5k5j

— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) August 22, 2021

7. Kansas City nabs club’s first win

Kansas City captured their first win in August after a slow start to their inaugural season. Defeating OL Reign 2-1 at home, the expansion club notched the most significant of its three wins against the eventual No. 2 playoff seed. Kansas City ended its first season with a new name, the Kansas City Current, debuting the crest during the club’s final game of the year.

Pick that one out, @hellopickett‼️#KCvRGN | https://t.co/0LtSAUK1Jw | #NWSL21 pic.twitter.com/QsLO7K1Zql

— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) August 15, 2021

6. Angel City makes a splash with Christen Press signing

Angel City FC made headlines before even taking the pitch when the expansion club announced the acquisition of superstar Christen Press in August. The U.S. women’s national team forward had long hoped to play professional soccer in her hometown of Los Angeles and finally got the opportunity when she inked a two-year contract with ACFC.

Press told the Los Angeles Times after her signing: “For it to really be happening, to be able to bring professional soccer back to Los Angeles and to be a part of that team, is nothing but a dream come true.”

It’s really, really, really happening 🥺

We’re beyond excited to have you back home, @ChristenPress! pic.twitter.com/2wrAfdlSQl

— Angel City FC (@weareangelcity) August 23, 2021

5. Eugénie Le Sommer’s stunning first goal 

After leading Lyon to three-straight Division 1 Féminine titles from 2017-20, Eugénie Le Sommer brought her world-class attacking talents to OL Reign. The French star scored her first NWSL goal in July, putting her defender on skates before delivering a skillful, must-see finish.

In her 17 regular-season appearances with OL Reign, Le Sommer notched seven goals and three assists, guiding the club to a semifinal berth.

It's goal No. 1 in a Reign uniform for Eugenie Le Sommer!

The home team takes the lead! #RGNvLOU | https://t.co/iecT7II54a | #NWSL pic.twitter.com/goMjG1rnU1

— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) August 1, 2021

4. NWSL players make a statement

The NWSL underwent a reckoning midway through the 2021 season after Mana Shim and Sinead Farrelly went public with their accusations of sexual coercion and abuse against former North Carolina Courage coach Paul Riley. The report in The Athletic spurred turnover at the top of the NWSL, with commissioner Lisa Baird resigning the day after the allegations were revealed.

Games were postponed the following weekend, and players demanded the NWSL institute sweeping changes with regards to player safety and transparency. When clubs returned to the pitch the following Wednesday, players across the league made a collective statement, pausing at the six-minute mark to stand at the center of the field in solidarity with Shim and Farrelly, who had been pressured into staying silent for six years.

The move reverberated around the women’s soccer world, with teams in foreign leagues showing their support. The NWSL’s stand instigated an overdue — and ongoing — conversation around power and silence in women’s soccer.

pic.twitter.com/mlzE5Q8q8F

— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) October 6, 2021

3. Carli Lloyd’s Philly send-off

Carli Lloyd received a send-off befitting her historic and unprecedented career, after the soccer legend announced her retirement at the age of 39. Gotham FC honored Lloyd’s contribution to the sport and the league by hosting a farewell game in Philadelphia, near her hometown of Delran, N.J., in October.

Playing in front of fans at Subaru Park, Lloyd expressed her gratitude after the match, calling it “the most special evening of my career.”

Thank you all for the most special evening of my career. A memory I will never forget. I will miss all of this. I will miss all of you! ❤️ https://t.co/f0Bx7LsYtB

— Carli Lloyd (@CarliLloyd) October 7, 2021

2. Ashley Sanchez’s ridiculous chip

Ashley Sanchez scored one of the most consequential goals of her career when she delivered the go-ahead finish to send the Washington Spirit past OL Reign and to the NWSL Championship.

The 22-year-old did it in style, too, chipping Sarah Bouhaddi, one of the most league’s most seasoned goalkeepers, to clinch the 2-1 semifinal victory. The poise Sanchez showed to find the back of the net from a ridiculous angle — and when the stakes were highest — made it one of the best goals of the season.

The @WashSpirit are headed to the NWSL Championship 🏆

The goal that sealed their comeback win vs. OL Reign 💥

(via @NWSL)pic.twitter.com/Nx8UiOJwTz

— B/R Football (@brfootball) November 14, 2021

1. Kelley O’Hara heads home NWSL championship game-winner

The Washington Spirit took home the club’s first-ever NWSL championship after beating the Chicago Red Stars 2-1 in an extra-time thriller. Heading home the final goal was Kelley O’Hara, the seasoned USWNT veteran who has long called Washington D.C. her adopted “home.”

In her first season with the club, O’Hara provided the NWSL’s youngest team invaluable leadership and motivation. So, it was only fitting that she scored the deciding goal, her first of the season.

Kelley O’Hara in extra-time to give @WashSpirit the lead in the NWSL final 🔥

(via @NWSL)pic.twitter.com/2JlQ3RiO2q

— B/R Football (@brfootball) November 20, 2021

Overcoming Richie Burke’s firing, ownership infighting and a breach in COVID-19 protocols which resulted in two forfeits, the Spirit miraculously finished the season on a nine-game undefeated streak. With NWSL Golden Boot winner Ashley Hatch, Rookie of the Year Trinity Rodman and Goalkeeper of the Year Aubrey Bledsoe, the Spirit had championship-level talent, and O’Hara’s header capped one of the most exciting and dominant runs in NWSL history.

The 2025 Italian Open keeps rolling in Rome through Saturday's finale, with the tournament seeing tennis titans stumble and a wide open Roland-Garros field emerge ahead of the fast-approaching French Open.

Reigning French Open champion and world No. 2 Iga Świątek fell to world No. 35 US star Danielle Collins in a straight-set upset in Saturday's third round — adding to Świątek's mounting 2025 tournament loss tally.

"I just wasn't there — present, you know — to fight and to compete," Świątek said after the match. "I focused on mistakes, and it's my mistake and I'm not doing things right… I'll try to change that."

Former world No. 1 Naomi Osaka is also focusing ahead on the Paris Grand Slam, after her eight-match winning streak ended in Monday's Round of 16.

A clay specialist with four of the last five French Open titles under her belt, Świątek's recent struggles point to a shifting landscape as the season continues on the tricky surface.

On the other hand, clay title hopes are on the rise for US contender Coco Gauff, whose dominant 6-1, 6-2 Monday victory over 2021 US Open champion Emma Raducanu advanced the world No. 3 star to face No. 7 Mirra Andreeva in the 2025 Italian Open quarterfinals on Wednesday.

Also showing notable consistency is No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, who will face No. 8 Qinwen Zheng in Wednesday's second quarterfinal matchup.

How to watch the 2025 Italian Open

The 2025 Italian Open continues through Saturday, with live coverage on the Tennis Channel.

Just two days after wrapping the 2024/25 Women's Super League (WSL) season on Saturday, the UK women's soccer pyramid scored a full rebrand, with new names and visual identities announced for England's first- and second-tier leagues on Monday.

While the WSL will retain its name, the second-flight Women's Championship will become the WSL2 beginning with the 2025/26 season, bringing both top leagues under the same naming umbrella.

The Women's Professional League Limited — the independent company that took over running the WSL and Women's Championship in August 2024 — is also undergoing a name change, becoming simply WSL Football.

Following a development process with creative agency Anomaly, new visual branding "born from the movement of female footballers" has also rolled out across the leagues, with the WSL adopting an orange colorway while the newly named WSL2 will use a magenta palette.

"As a long-time football fan, having the chance to create the future of women's football is the absolute brief of dreams and a career highlight," said Clara Mulligan, Anomaly's managing parter and head of design.

Along with a new WSL Football website, this summer will see the updated designs from the rebrand incorporated across league merchandise, venues, jerseys, soccer balls, and more before the 2025/26 season kicks off.

"There is a lot more in store over the coming months as we continue to grow the women's game for the future," noted WSL Football chief marketing officer Ruth Hooper.

The Orlando Pride, Washington Spirit, and Gotham FC will represent the NWSL in the upcoming 2025/26 Concacaf W Champions Cup, the confederation announced alongside key details of the tournament's second iteration on Monday.

The top three 2024 NWSL finishers will join three clubs from Mexico's Liga MX, as well as one squad each from Canada, Costa Rica, El Salvador, and Panama in the 10-team group stage, which will run from August 19th through October 16th of this year.

Mirroring the expansive schedule of the 2024/25 inaugural event, the second edition will see its four-match semifinal and final rounds taking place over a single weekend in May 2026.

Meanwhile, this year's battle to become North America's top club team is still ongoing, with Gotham FC qualifying for the 2025/26 competition all while advancing to this month's 2024/25 Concacaf Champions Cup semifinals alongside with fellow NWSL club Portland.

Both May 21st semis are NWSL vs. Liga MX affairs, with the Bats facing Club América before the Thorns take on Tigres UANL in Nuevo León, Mexico.

The semifinal victors will battle for the first-ever Concacaf Champions Cup on May 24th, with the winner earning both confederation bragging rights and automatic qualification into FIFA's 2026 Champions Cup and 2028 Club World Cup.

As interest in the women's game grows around the world, FIFA is looking to capitalize on the demand by launching new regional competitions — while also adding to an increasingly crowded schedule for some of its most successful teams.

How to watch the Concacaf W Champions Cup semifinals

Gotham FC will kick off the 2024/25 Champions Cup semis against Club América at 7:30 PM ET on Wednesday, May 21st, with Portland's clash with the Tigres immediately following at 10:30 PM ET.

Both semifinals will stream live on Paramount+.

The Sun could be setting on Connecticut, with the WNBA team reportedly scouting a sale — and a possible relocation from their Uncasville home.

According to Sportico, the long-time franchise hired investment firm Allen & Company to look into selling the team, which has been owned and operated by the Mohegan Tribe since 2003.

The Sun's valuation most recently hit $80 million — a significant increase from the approximate $10 million paid to move the team from Orlando to Connecticut more than 20 years ago, but far lower than today's nine-figure going rate.

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With a new CBA on the horizon and many of the league's top players up for free agency in 2026, some WNBA teams are having a difficult time keeping up with deep-pocketed owners entering the league — especially when it comes to player resources.

Expansion side Golden State will play their first official WNBA game on Friday, with two additional teams in Toronto and Portland joining the fray in 2026 — and rumors of more franchises on the way.

"If I'm being honest, I don't think you can be a team right now that's not looking into how to build a practice facility," Sun president Jennifer Rizzotti told the Hartford Courant earlier this year. "I don't think you can really compete for a player going forward if you're not able to say to them, 'Yes, we are doing this.'… You will not be in Connecticut without an ownership group that understands this."

A short commute could be in the cards for the Sun, with Boston displaying significant market potential after the team sold out the city's TD Garden in 2024.

The Sun will return to the home of the NBA's Celtics to take on the Indiana Fever for the pair's July 15th clash.

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WNBA teams cut rookies loose

More WNBA teams made big cuts on Monday as teams strive to meet the league's 12-player squad maximum, with just days remaining before the final roster deadline.

Las Vegas completed their lineup by waiving undrafted rookie Deja Kelly on Monday.

The stunning decision comes after the 23-year-old Oregon alum put up nine points and an assist in seven minutes of play during the Aces' preseason matchup against Dallas, plus 15 points — including the game-winner — in just 13 minutes of play against the Phoenix Mercury last week.

The Seattle Storm has also reached roster compliance, waiving forward Brianna Fraser, third-round 2024 draft pick Mackenzie Holmes (Indiana), and 26th overall pick in this year's draft Serena Sundell (Kansas State).

Meanwhile, 2025's No. 2 overall pick Dominique Malonga joined the Storm's training camp from France this week.

After acquiring Shyanne Sellers — Golden State's 17th overall pick in the 2025 draft — just last week, the Atlanta Dream released the Maryland grad on Monday.

While cutting Sellers brought Atlanta's roster down to 12 players, the Dream still have additional cuts to make to meet WNBA salary cap requirements.