The NWSL returns this weekend, bouncing back from April’s international break as teams who excelled early attempt to prove they belong on the top half of the table.
The fourth matchday of the 2025 NWSL season is loaded, as the league resets with pairings from all over the standings — leaving teams jockeying to shift or solidify their positions for the long season ahead.
Given that only five points currently separate first and eighth place, each match carries significant weight. Plus, with national team players returning on short rest after a busy international spin, expect squad rotation to play a major role in this weekend's results.
Rising teams take aim at league-leaders
With the defending champion Orlando Pride riding last season's dominant play to a three-win 2025 start, a rising Seattle club faces a tough task this weekend.
The Reign, who finished second-to-last in 2024 play, already bounced back to claim sixth place on the table — but they'll still need significant home-pitch advantage to topple the league-leaders on Saturday.
This weekend's docket also features the NWSL's only other three-win squad, as the second-place KC Current hits the road to take on San Diego.
Like the Reign, the fifth-place Wave have put together a similar turnaround after missing last year's postseason cut. To keep that momentum, however, they'll have to combat 2024 NWSL MVP Temwa Chawinga’s high-flying attack on Saturday.
On the other end of the table, two clubs with high 2025 expectations enter this weekend still scrambling for a first season win, as the talent-laden Gotham FC and NC Courage will pit their robust rosters against each other in New Jersey on Sunday.
How to watch this weekend's top NWSL games
Saturday kicks off when Orlando visits Seattle at 7:30 PM ET, before San Diego hosts Kansas City at 10 PM ET. Both games will air live on ION.
Then on Sunday, the Courage will battle Gotham at 4 PM ET, with live coverage on Paramount+.
Hit JWS podcast The Late Sub is back in action. We're kicking off a brand new season with staff writer Claire Watkins’s expert takes on the world of women’s soccer. And we're starting with the youth movement in the USWNT.
This week, Watkins talks through USWNT star Trinity Rodman’s splashy return. She later discusses the national team's current youth development movement. Lastly, she tackles head coach Emma Hayes's quest to find a successor for retired starting goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher. And all the while, she gives her own women's soccer analysis.
"McGlynn stresses me out sometimes. She’s a player with a high upside, and also sometimes she does have those mental moments," Watkins says of USWNT goalie prospect Mandy McGlynn.
"I like [Phallon] Tullis-Joyce, would love to see a lot more from her," the host said of another top goalie contender, currently rostered at Manchester United. "I think she deserves more call-ups."
About 'The Late Sub' with Claire Watkins
The Late Sub with Claire Watkins brings you the latest news and freshest takes on all things USWNT, NWSL, and all things women's soccer. Special guest appearances featuring the biggest names in women’s sports make TLS a must-listen for every soccer fan.
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NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman voiced confidence in the league's ability to execute "ambitious plans" regarding expansion at last week's SheBelieves Summit, telling the crowd that growing to as many as 32 teams is not out of the question.
"Our board believes that we can be the size of the [32-team] NFL," she explained. "There is nothing that stands in the way of us doing that, other than having access to top talent."
"There’s certainly not a problem with the supply, given the size of our country and the level of talent that exists," Berman continued. "We just need to figure out how to develop [those athletes] strategically and intentionally."
Expansion takes backseat as NWSL focuses on 2026 scheduling
With the NWSL's current 14-team field welcoming expansion clubs in Boston and Denver in 2026, the league is still a long ways off from its potential long-term goal of exceeding 30 squads.
Following her remarks at the SheBelieves Summit, Berman told ESPN that while the league is not currently in an expansion round, she is continuing to conduct conversations with interested ownership groups.
Prior to seriously considering continued expansion, however, the league must first contend with some scheduling hurdles affecting the 2026 NWSL season.
Berman noted that while the NWSL expects to play throughout next year’s US-based men’s World Cup, certain anticipated venue conflicts will require creative solutions to do so, with the commissioner noting that "everything’s on the table" when it comes to addressing the overlaps.
The NWSL Players Association released their most recent collective bargaining agreement (CBA) to the public on Tuesday, offering up all of the contractual details and league rules governing compensation, player trades, and other deciding factors through 2030.
Ratified in August 2024, the CBA includes several previously announced and already implemented bold strokes like establishing league-wide unrestricted free agency and a pathway towards revenue sharing, as well as the abolishment of the draft.
Tuesday's unedited document takes contract transparency a step further, outlining additional details such as protections for player data, including usage and privacy rights, and regulations and compensation surrounding name, image, and likeness usage.
In a boost to athletes' paydays, the NWSL's minimum salary will grow from $48,500 to $82,500 (plus bonuses) by 2030 under the new CBA, though an additional clause dictates that a revenue surge could see those terms renegotiated before the contract’s end.
The agreement also codifies financial benefits for family-building and increases support for players with children, plus connects housing stipends to the actual costs of living in each NWSL market.
Notably, the new CBA also bolstered the league's mental health leave, a resource that's already assisting NWSL stars like Angel City's Sydney Leroux and Racing Louisville's Bethany Balcer.
Just three days after the world No. 1 USWNT took down Brazil 2-0, the world No. 8 team returned the favor, securing a stoppage-time lead to take the pair's second April friendly 2-1 on Tuesday night.
Brazil's victory in San Jose marked the team's first win against the USWNT since 2014, and their first-ever on US soil.
Striker Catarina Macario put the USWNT on the board just 34 seconds into the match, before 2023 NWSL MVP Kerolin drew Brazil even with a clinical 24th-minute equalizer.
Chippy, physical play left much of the match at a stalemate until Amanda Gutierres came off the bench to snatch victory with a goal for Brazil in second-half stoppage time.
Growing pains apparent in young USWNT roster
Taking a calculated risk on Tuesday, USWNT manager Emma Hayes's starting XI was one of the youngest-ever that the team has fielded, averaging just 22.3 years old.
The inexperienced roster, which included first starts for defenders Gisele Thompson and Avery Patterson, averaged the fewest caps for a USWNT starting group since 2001. Tuesday's 17.9 cap average, however, shrinks to just 8.1 without veteran defender and captain Emily Sonnett's 106 previous appearances.
With two losses in their last three games, the USWNT is leaning into the growing pains of progress as Hayes continues her efforts to develop the US's deep talent pool in the lead-up to the 2027 World Cup.
"It's been really good camp," Hayes said after Tuesday's Olympic gold medal-game rematch. "We mustn't always measure progress by outcome."
"If I only prioritize short-term success, of course, I wouldn't make that many changes. But I'm not making decisions for the short term."
Hayes's next USWNT roster assessment will come later next month, as the national team gears up for a pair of friendlies against China PR during the next international window.
Less than two months after winning the bid to become the 16th NWSL team, 2026 expansion franchise Denver has already sold over 10,000 season ticket deposits, setting a new league record.
This week's sales record comes after Denver became the fastest expansion franchise in NWSL history to surpass 5,000 season ticket deposits, with 5,280 snapped up in the first three days following the league awarding a team to the Mile High City.
"This milestone showcases that our community is passionate about women’s professional soccer and what we are building in Denver and across the front range," said the club's controlling owner Rob Cohen in a statement on Monday.
Denver continues plans for top-tier facilities
The incoming NWSL club has been busy outside the box office, too, as Denver dropped plans for a new 14,500-seat, purpose-built stadium last month.
With the team's permanent competition digs aiming to open for the 2028 season, the club is also constructing both a purpose-built, 12,000-seat temporary stadium for the squad's 2026 and 2027 season.
That stadium, as well as the team's permanent state-of-the-art training and performance facility, will be located approximately 14 miles southeast of Denver in nearby Centennial, Colorado.
"There is still a great deal of work to be done," said Cohen. "We are excited to continue collaborating with our community to create a club that is representative and inclusive of all of Colorado."
How to secure NWSL Denver season tickets
With inventory flying off of Denver's proverbial shelves, those interested in snagging season tickets to the NWSL's 16th franchise can do so by submitting a deposit online.
The USWNT will take the pitch for their second Olympic championship rematch against Brazil on Tuesday night, when the world No. 1 team will look to close out April’s international break with a two-match sweep as the squad continues strengthening its new-look player pool.
Bolstered by a quick goal from returning striker Trinity Rodman and solid net-minding from national team debutant Phallon Tullis-Joyce, the US took the pair's opening friendly 2-0 on Saturday.
"Obviously, it's a quick turnaround against the same team," forward Jaedyn Shaw told reporters on Monday. "The last game was a good building block."
"It's a fun test for us, especially against Brazil," echoed defender Emily Fox. "It’s a great opponent — with how physical they are, how attacking-minded they are — to rebound [against] and get another win, hopefully."
USWNT veterans to lead fresh faces against Brazil
Balancing the desire for positive results with developmental roster rotation, the US will rely on their veterans to guide less experienced players through Tuesday's tough matchup.
"One of the great things about our team is not just the quality that we’ve got in depth, but the quality of our senior leadership," noted head coach Emma Hayes on Monday. "And I think that showed so much the other day in the Brazil game."
With Hayes focusing on testing starting goalkeepers as well as players' overall health amid active club seasons in both Europe and the US, Tuesday's starting XI will likely be a departure from Saturday’s lineup.
Hayes assured media that the team isn’t carrying any injury concerns, and that the coaching staff "will be experimenting again with players, and looking forward to those changes."
How to watch the USWNT vs. Brazil friendly on Tuesday
The USWNT's second April friendly against Brazil will kick off in San Jose at 10:30 PM ET on Tuesday. Live coverage will air on TBS.
Washington Spirit owner Michele Kang is going all in to grow US women’s soccer, announcing an additional investment of $25 million into US Soccer last Friday.
The move follows Kang's November 2024 initial gift of $30 million over the course of five years, earmarked for talent identification and increased youth competition opportunities for future USWNT players, as well as professional development for female players, coaches, and referees.
Friday's investment follows a slightly different, yet parallel path in that it aims to "accelerate advancements in the women’s game through science, innovation, and elevated best practices" by integrating Kang’s Kynisca Innovation Hub into US Soccer’s Soccer Forward Foundation.
Kynisca, US Soccer collab aims to scale research and standards
Under the umbrella of Kang’s global multi-team organization Kynisca Sports International, the Innovation Hub is a science-based platform that aims to improve research and development for women’s sports athletes.
Similarly, the Soccer Forward Foundation aims to grow the game by expanding access, all while implementing the sport's latest research and guidelines.
Friday's partnership between the two organizations has two main goals: improving the sport's health outcomes via research and solution-oriented initiatives, and creating and implementing best-practice standards to grow the global game.
According to USSF President Cindy Parlow Cone, the new collaboration will "[help] ensure [the US will] remain at the forefront of progress as the sport continues to grow around the world" by "[driving] real change through research-backed standards that support players at every level."
Kang, who also owns top French side Lyon and second-tier UK club London City, noted that the collaboration "represents a major step forward in advancing research and setting new standards for women’s sports."
"By working together, we are ensuring that players at all levels benefit from innovative insights and best practices," Kang said in a statement. "Women’s soccer is experiencing historic growth, but there’s still work to be done to break down systemic barriers and secure the investment needed for female athletes."
It didn’t take long for USWNT star Trinity Rodman to re-introduce herself on Saturday, finding the back of the net just five minutes into her first national team appearance since last August’s Olympic gold medal-winning match.
Rodman’s point came off a quality assist from Alyssa Thompson, with the attacking pair eventually leading the USWNT to a 2-0 win over 2024 Olympic silver medalists Brazil in the first of the pair's two April friendlies.
US captain Lindsey Heaps doubled the scoreline in the second half, striking home a bullet of a penalty kick after 17-year-old midfielder Lily Yohannes drew a foul in the box.
Hayes' development strategy proves impact of young talent
As familiar names netted goals, USWNT head coach Emma Hayes still managed to continue testing less experienced players, evaluating fresh faces against Brazil's high-flying offense.
Making an impact in her US debut was goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce, who earned a clean sheet with six saves to put herself firmly in the running to replace now-retired starting keeper Alyssa Naeher.
Hayes' developmental aim is, in part, to bolster the USWNT pipeline should future injuries limit the team's veteran stars — a tactic that Rodman's own recent struggles prove is an increasingly smart move.
Though Rodman’s impact is undeniable, the veteran is still rehabilitating a lingering back issue that the 22-year-old has admitted she doesn’t think "will ever be 100%."
That said, Rodman knows she brings more to the table than just her on-pitch prowess.
"I wanted to be a provider of energy and to be able to charge everyone’s batteries. I think I did that pretty well today," Rodman told TNT on Saturday.
Ultimately, as the USWNT’s slow build continues, Rodman showed exactly the team can hope to achieve once the roster is more whole down the line.
How to watch the USWNT vs. Brazil friendly on Tuesday
The USWNT's second friendly against Brazil will take place in San Jose at 10:30 PM ET on Tuesday. Live coverage will air on TBS.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino confirmed two future Women’s World Cup hosts at the UEFA Congress in Belgrade earlier today.
The 2031 event belongs to the United States, while the United Kingdom will host in 2035.
Infantino cited the UK “Home Nations” (England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland) as providing the only “valid bid” for 2035. The US submitted the sole bid for 2031 after ceding a prior campaign to host the 2027 tournament to Brazil.
“As part of the bidding process, we received one bid for '31 and one bid, valid bid, I should add for '35,” said the FIFA president.
“The path is there for the Women's World Cup to be taking place in '31 and '35 in some great countries and some great nations to boost even more the women's football movement.”
US set to host third global FIFA tournament
2031 will mark a record third US-hosted Women's World Cup after successful runs in 1999 and 2003.
The national federation confirmed its intent to submit a 2031 Women's World Cup bid early last month. The decision came soon after FIFA said the 2031 tournament must be played either in North America or Africa.
“We are excited about the opportunity to co-host the 2031 FIFA Women's World Cup and, in collaboration with our Concacaf partners, are committed to delivering a tournament that leaves a lasting legacy,” U.S. Soccer posted. “One that elevates women's soccer across the world and inspires future generations of players and fans.”
Following a successful 2023 expanded tournament in Australia and New Zealand, 32 countries will again feature in the 2027 Women's World Cup. The competition is set to grow to 48 teams by the time the US hosts in 2031.
UK to host first Women's World Cup in 2035
Unlike the US, the UK has never before welcomed the global women’s tournament. England did host the 2022 Women’s Euros, eventually winning the tournament on home soil.
2023 Women's World Cup winners Spain explored a late Women's World Cup bid in conjunction with Portugal and Morocco — their partners in hosting the 2030 men's event. However, FIFA quickly ruled out the possibility in favor of the UK's joint bid.
“Football is and always will be at the core of our country's identity,” UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said last month.
“Whether we watch on TV, play at the weekends like I do, or simply enjoy soaking up the atmosphere in the pub, it brings communities together like little else. That pride was on full display when England hosted UEFA Women's Euro 2022. It not only showed the best of our nation to the world but inspired a generation of girls into the game, all whilst boosting the economy.”