The NWSL is developing a new brands policy requiring players to cover logos from companies not officially partnered with the league — or face fines up to $32,000 for repeat violations.
The policy limits visible logos to apparel brands that sign deals with the league, with Front Office Sports reporting the league sent a memo to players earlier this year outlining the proposed "footwear exposure agreement."
The NWSL brands policy applies to both cleats and goalkeeper gloves worn during games and training sessions. Nike and Adidas have reportedly already signed onto the agreement.
The penalty structure starts with a warning for first-time violations, before moving to a $500 fine for second violations. Third violations cost $1,000, as fines increase with each subsequent violation up to $32,000.
While equipment managers handle covering non-partner logos, players bear full responsibility for the fines. The memo additionally states clubs and brands cannot pay penalties on behalf of players.
The NWSL rule mirrors a similar WNBA policy, with the league believing these agreements will benefit players by creating more investment in club-issued footwear. The program is set to generate the NWSL at least $320,000 annually from Nike alone.
The policy remains in the finalization stage despite its planned March 11th start date. As such, players are continuing to wear non-partner brands during the 2026 season, which kicked off March 13th.
Brands with existing player deals like Puma, New Balance, Mizuno, Under Armour, and IDA Sports will have to join the program to see their logos on the field.
“The NWSL has proposed a footwear exposure agreement that recognizes the value brands receive from multi-platform exposure and direct association with our athletes,” the NWSLPA said in a statement. “Our Players drive that value. Brands that want to benefit from it will need to meet it.”
The Washington Spirit is dominating 2026 NWSL jersey sales, as the DC team's cherry blossom kit claimed the season's most successful launch with six players featuring on the top 10 best-sellers list.
The Spirit holds more than double the number of players in this year's Top 20 jerseys compared to any other NWSL club.
Trinity Rodman's No. 2 jersey leads all NWSL players with a 136% sales increase over 2025. The forward's popularity mirrors the Spirit's best-sellers list domination, with teammates Hal Hershfelt (3rd), Tara Rudd (4th), Esme Morgan (5th), Rosemonde Kouassi (6th) and Leicy Santos (8th) rounding out the top eight NWSL jerseys.
"We designed this kit because our fans asked for a Cherry Blossom design that reflects DC," said Washington Spirit CEO Kim Stone. "The result is the top-selling jersey in the NWSL with six Spirit players' jerseys ranked in the top eight in league-wide sales."
Future Denver Summit FC midfielder Lindsey Heaps claims the second-best selling NWSL jersey despite not joining the league until mid-summer. Her standing showcases the expansion franchise's growing demand before she even takes the field.
The Spirit unveiled its "Spirit in Bloom" kit on February 26th to immediate fan acclaim, with first-day sales more than doubling last year's figures. The vibrant design pairs bright blossom pink with Spirit Green, adding to a growing lineup of local pro teams' cherry blossom-themed uniforms.
The 1-3-1 club also led the NWSL in social media impressions and won the league's BraKIT fan vote, beating out all 15 other clubs for best new kit honors.
How to Buy the 2026 Washington Spirit NWSL Jersey Line
Fans can purchase authentic and replica NWSL jerseys — including the cherry blossom Washington Spirit jersey — at the NWSL Shop.
Women’s sports is raking it in, as Deloitte’s 2026 Game Changers report predicts global women's sports revenue to exceed $3 billion in 2026.
This year’s projected intake far outpaces 2025’s $2.4 billion, charting at an estimated 340% increase over the last four years.
“Women’s sports are entering a new phase — one defined by scale, structure, and sustained investment,” said Deloitte US Sports CCO Alicia Hatch.
“Rising valuations and expanding revenue streams are consistent with a maturing market where leagues, sponsors, and media partners are building for long-term success.”
Soccer and basketball remain the key women's sports revenue drivers, bringing in 35% of total revenue behind by newer ventures like Unrivaled 3×3 Basketball.
North American leagues drove the numbers in 2025, making up 53% of total earnings, followed by Europe’s 16% — with commercial revenue providing the largest boost.
International events additionally reported significant gains. The UK's 2025 Rugby World Cup drew its second-largest final crowd on record, while the 2025 Cricket World Cup notched a women's cricket high of 300,000 attendees.
“Women’s sports are thriving and defined by real, transformative growth and a rapidly expanding global fan base,” said Deloitte US Chair Lara Abrash.
“The conversation has moved beyond proving value to intentionally building a lasting, world-class foundation for the future.”
The last remaining unbeaten team NWSL fell on Friday, as Orlando defeated LA 2-1 behind defender Haley McCutcheon’s flurry of last-minute goals.
After an 83-minute stalemate, McCutcheon opened the scoring off a scrum in front of Angel City’s goal, before LA’s Gisele Thompson equalized early in second-half stoppage time. But the Pride wouldn’t be denied, as McCutcheon came up big with a game-winning strike shortly before the final whistle.
"This is a difficult result for us to allow them to score in 90+, because we do feel like that is a mentality thing, which is what we've been working on," ACFC captain Sarah Gorden said postgame. "So it is really disappointing."
Both No. 6 Orlando and No. 4 ACFC continue to keep pace in the NWSL standings heading into the international break. No. 1 San Diego is currently on top, after all 16 teams registered at least one loss through the season’s first five matchdays.
"This completes a strong first quarter of the season," said Pride manager Seb Hines. "We'll reset and prepare for the next phase."
"Today, we could have gone away from here with a very, very good point and played an almost perfect away game," said Angel City coach Alexander Straus at his post-match press conference.
"But we threw it away in the end. And that's unacceptable for us as a team and as a unit."
NWSL Hits Pause for April's FIFA International Window
The NWSL now goes on break, with play resuming April 24th after the USWNT’s three-friendly series with Japan.
It’s a battle of the 2025 titans, as reigning NWSL champion Gotham FC visits defending Shield winner Kansas City on Saturday with both clubs looking to reverse early-season skids.
The Current enters the weekend on a three-game losing streak, riding a 1-3-0 record to sit 13th in the 2026 NWSL standings. No. 9 Gotham has seen similar struggles. The Bats have managed to register just one goal on the season on a 1-1-2 record.
“We’re trying to build, and the games came fast and furious,” said Kansas City manager Chris Armas. “We’re excited to get back home.”
The Bats will be without their leader on Saturday, as head coach Juan Carlos Amorós awaits the birth of his second child.
Assistant coach Shaun Harris will subsequently serve as acting head coach in the pair’s first meeting since Gotham upset Kansas City in the 2025 playoffs. That November game shook up the postseason, after then-No. 8 Gotham ousted the No. 1 Current 2-1 in extra time.
“We’re two teams right now that are both playing with our backs against the wall and something to prove,” said Gotham midfielder Rose Lavelle. “So it’s a game we’re going to have to be really, really, really, really ready for.”
However, Gotham's lineup will be bolstered by star defender Tierna Davidson's welcome return. After tearing her ACL last year, the World Cup and Olympic champion is back in the lineup for both club and country this month.
How to Watch Gotham vs. Kansas City Current in NWSL Action
Kansas City takes on Gotham tomorrow at 4 PM ET, live on CBS.
The Denver Summit is eyeing the future, acquiring land at Santa Fe Yards for a new NWSL stadium in the Mile High City.
Summit controlling owner Rob Cohen called the move a milestone for the club and city.
“This is a defining moment for Denver Summit FC and for the future of women’s professional sports in our city,” Cohen said.
“We are incredibly grateful to Mayor Mike Johnston, Denver City Council, and the broader Denver community for helping turn this vision into a reality.”
Located near Interstate 25, the 2026 expansion side’s purpose-built venue is part of a broader redevelopment project. Additional entertainment venues will subsequently surround the roughly 14,500-seat stadium.
“This will be the largest overall investment in a women’s professional sports team in history,” Cohen said in an earlier team release. “[It will] provide us a distinct home-field advantage and will serve as the most inclusive environment in all of Colorado.”
The blueprints incorporate the ability to expand beyond the stadium’s initial 14,500 seats. The team has additionally voiced interest in eventually extending the capacity closer to 20,000.
The move comes after Denver set an NWSL attendance record, drawing 63,004 fans to its Mile High Stadium home opener.
The Summit joined the US soccer league as its 16th franchise earlier this month. The team currently sits eighth in the NWSL standings, carrying a 1-1-2 early season record.
While construction timelines remain in progress, the club will use temporary venues before transitioning to a permanent home. Development is expected to unfold over the next few years, with the club targeting a 2028 opening.
Alex Morgan showed support as the newest member of the Wave joined the team this weekend, attending a San Diego match on Saturday as Catarina Macario begins her next chapter in the NWSL.
The USWNT forward joined the Wave this month on a reported five-year deal worth around $8 million — one of the most valuable contracts in women’s soccer history.
Jimmy Butler starstruck by Alex Morgan is so relatable tbh 🤩 pic.twitter.com/tr2kp0eTsC
— San Diego Wave FC (@sandiegowavefc) March 29, 2026
Alex Morgan, a minority investor in the 2022 expansion team, was captured interacting with Macario ahead of San Diego’s 2-0 Saturday win over Chicago. NBA star and fellow Wave co-owner Jimmy Butler was also at Snapdragon Stadium, with Butler appearing visibly starstruck upon meeting the retired Wave and USWNT icon.
26-year-old Macario arrives in San Diego from Chelsea, where injuries limited her minutes. However, she emerged as one of the most technically gifted attackers in the US player pool in recent years, scoring 16 goals across 29 national team appearances.
"This is a monumental signing, one that reflects not only our ambition on the field, but the unwavering commitment of our ownership group to invest in excellence and build a championship caliber organization," said Wave sporting director and GM Camille Ashton told The Athletic. "We're confident her best years are ahead."
The signing carries added significance for Macario, who grew up in San Diego before beginning her professional career in Europe with French side Lyon.
The Wave have positioned themselves as one of the NWSL’s most aggressive teams in roster building, using the league’s newly implemented High Impact Player mechanism to bring in impact players like Macario. Currently sitting second in the NWSL standings, San Diego is hoping to contend for its first-ever championship title in 2026.
The Summit reached new heights on Saturday, when the 2026 expansion team shattered the NWSL single-game attendance record with 63,004 fans turning out to watch Denver take on the Washington Spirit in their first-ever home match.
The Mile High Stadium crowd topped the league's previous 40,091-fan high-mark set by Bay FC last season, while also smashing Seattle's doubleheader attendance record of 42,054 fans from 2023.
"I will never forget walking out of that tunnel today and hearing the crowd screaming for us," said Denver captain Janine Solis, with the Summit already keeping pace above the playoff line.
The big day yielded few fireworks, however, as Saturday's 0-0 finish gave each team a point but extended the Spirit's 2026 winless streak.
After dropping their season opener to the Portland Thorns, the 2025 NWSL runners-up have logged three consecutive draws, with Washington now sitting in 12th place on the league table.
"We've been moving in the right direction," Spirit midfielder Hal Hershfelt said. "It's just going to take time to build that chemistry."
"We're not going to get obsessed with one result," said Washington manager Adrián González. "We know we want to get better every week, and this is what we are doing."
How to watch the Denver Summit, Washington Spirit this weekend
Both Denver and Washington will hit the road for the West Coast this weekend, starting with the Summit visiting the Seattle Reign at 8:45 PM ET on Saturday, airing live on ION.
Then at 5 PM ET on Sunday, the Spirit will take on Bay FC to close out NWSL play prior to the April international window, with live coverage airing on ESPN2.
Just three unbeaten NWSL teams remain after Wednesday's midweek action — and two of them will square off on Friday night, when Angel City hosts the Houston Dash in Los Angeles.
Both clubs have earned six points across their two 2026 games, with ACFC currently sitting atop the NWSL table due to goal differential.
Plus, both rosters should enter the matchup well rested, as neither team participated in this week's Wednesday slate.
Notably, the Dash have yet to concede a goal this season, posting a 1-0 win over the San Diego Wave in their 2026 opener before claiming a 3-0 victory over NWSL newcomers Boston Legacy FC last Saturday.
Meanwhile, Angel City tallied six different goal-scorers over their first two games, defeating Bay FC 3-1 on Saturday after blasting the Chicago Stars 4-0 to open 2026 play.
"We're in a really good state right now — with rhythm, with how we're training, with the gelling of the team, so [I] feel very good going into this game," said Houston manager Fabrice Gautrat.
"It's about growing," said Angel City head coach Alexander Straus. "Having a growth mindset, and understanding that it's never a ceiling, and you can never be happy and comfortable."
How to watch Angel City vs. Houston on Friday night
The Dash will visit Angel City in a Top-2 NWSL clash at 10 PM ET on Friday, airing live on Prime.
One of the newest NWSL teams got on the board on Wednesday, when the Denver Summit stunned reigning league champion Gotham FC 2-0 to claim the 2026 expansion club's first-ever victory.
Denver forward Melissa Kössler opened the scoring with her third goal in as many games in the 58th minute, before fellow attacker Natasha Flint sealed the deal with a 73rd-minute strike.
"We know there's going to be difficult moments, we know there's going to be enjoyable moments — we just want to increase them," said Summit manager Nick Cushing afterwards. "And tonight, it's definitely one of those."
Kössler joins Orlando Pride star Barbra Banda as the only NWSL players to score in every match so far this season, leaving Gotham to rue its missed chances.
"This team is full of winners at every level, and we're disappointed to be starting the season this way," said Bats defender Jess Carter. "We expect higher standards from ourselves."
"We know how the NWSL is — often the team that scores first gets the result. When we've done that, we've won," said Gotham head coach Juan Carlos Amorós. "In the last two games, we haven't been able to do it."
How to watch the Denver Summit this weekend
With little time to rest on their laurels, the Summit are gearing up for what will likely be an NWSL attendance record-shattering home debut, with Denver hosting the Washington Spirit at the NFL's Mile High Stadium on Saturday.
The historic match will kick off live at 2 PM ET on CBS.