With a trio of old and new rivalries on deck, the 2025 NWSL season's fifth matchday promises budding top-table rivals, a bicoastal clash, and one of the league’s longest regional feuds.
Plus, with only two points separating the No. 5 and No. 12 teams in the standings, clubs will be focused on securing all three points as they strive to keep up with the season’s three remaining undefeated teams.
While the NWSL’s official Rivalry Week is still months away, this weekend’s key matchups provide some sneak-peek showdowns:
- Seattle Reign FC vs. Portland Thorns, Friday at 10 PM ET (Prime): In the first Cascadia Clash of the season, the Thorns — fresh off their first 2025 win — face a Seattle team trying to turn around a two-game losing streak.
- Angel City FC vs. Gotham FC, Friday at 10:30 PM ET (NWSL+): A classic East Coast vs. West Coast battle sees Gotham chasing Angel City up the table, as LA tries to keep their unbeaten streak alive against one of the league's more dangerous rosters.
- Orlando Pride vs. Washington Spirit, Saturday at 5:05 PM ET (ION): The Pride downed the Spirit at the 2024 NWSL Championship before Washington enacted revenge in the 2025 Challenge Cup, with both powerhouses now aiming for regular-season bragging rights.
As NWSL teams push for early-season positioning, this weekend’s action promises to up the stakes by tapping into rising tensions and rivalries — both old and new.
Angel City hires new coach in Bundesliga's Alexander Straus
On Thursday, Angel City announced that the club officially filled its head coaching vacancy, hiring Frauen Bundesliga manager Alexander Straus to take over the LA team after his current season leading Bayern Munich ends on June 1st.
After more than a decade coaching in the club and youth national system of his home country Norway, Straus took charge of Bayern Munich in 2022, leading the German team to back-to-back league titles.
His 2024/25 squad is on track to claim a third straight Bundesliga trophy, and recently exited the competitive UEFA Champions League tournament in the quarterfinal round.
Following manager Becki Tweed's firing in December, ACFC tapped Sam Laity to serve as interim head coach as the club conducted an extensive global search for the permanent position.
"When we set out to hire our head coach, we looked for specific characteristics such as a dominant style of play, a proven winner at the highest level, a focus on player development, a collaborative mindset, and a leader in high performance," said ACFC sporting director Mark Parsons in a club statement. "Alex fits this profile at every measure."
Still undefeated entering the fifth matchday of the 2025 NWSL season, Angel City will continue under Laity until Straus's arrival.
The interim manager will then shift into an assistant coach capacity as Straus leads the 2022 expansion franchise as it hunts a second-ever postseason berth.
In this week's episode of The Late Sub, host Claire Watkins examines Angel City FC's early success in the young 2025 NWSL season.
Off to an undefeated 2025 campaign, a stat only the 2024 championship-winning Orlando Pride and powerhouse Kansas City Current also share, 2022 expansion side Angel City launched itself into the early contender conversation after missing the NWSL Playoffs entirely last season.
Watkins digs into the LA club, chatting through the team's star-studded formation, its early days, as well as its young core, highlighted by star sisters Alyssa and Gisele Thompson — all while weighing if the squad is truly ready to level up into the league's title-seeking echelon.
Angel City is beginning to see some payoff from its early developmental strategy, with Watkins pointing out that taking winger Alyssa Thompson straight out of high school is now providing major returns.
"She's got three goals in four games in 2025, she's the second youngest NWSL player to hit 10 goals and 10 assists in her career," noted Watkins. "Teams are having trouble accounting for her despite knowing that she is their offensive focal point at this moment."
That said, even with Thompson's prowess, Watkins does expect the club's hot start to cool, though she does predict a 2025 NWSL Playoff berth for the LA team.
"They are getting through on moments of brilliance, on chemistry and mental fortitude," noted Watkins. "It's a long season, and those kinds of things can start to slip as you get tired and other teams get used to the way that you play."
About 'The Late Sub' with Claire Watkins
The Late Sub with Claire Watkins brings you the latest news and freshest takes on the 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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The top three NWSL teams continued their reign over the standings this weekend, with the Orlando Pride, Kansas City Current, and Washington Spirit all rattling off wins in the league’s return from April's international break.
On the top trio's heels is Angel City, whose unbeaten streak lives on after the LA club earned their second straight win in a promising season start for the young team.
Meanwhile, the Chicago Stars, Portland Thorns, and Gotham FC managed to break into the win column for the first time this season, leaving only the North Carolina Courage and Utah Royals still searching for their first three-point performances of 2025.
Resilience puts injury-laden Washington Spirit on top
While they haven’t been perfect, Washington’s continued success could be the season’s most impressive so far, as the team digs out wins despite its onslaught of availability issues.
Saturday's 2-0 road victory over Racing Louisville, for example, came from a Spirit side missing 10 players from its roster — including regular starters Croix Bethune, Casey Krueger, and Hal Hershfelt.
The talent-packed Spirit stepped up in their stead, with midfielder Leicy Santos notching the 58th-minute game-winner before striker Ashley Hatch found the back of the net for the fourth time in as many games in the 75th minute.
Hatch now leads the NWSL's Golden Boot race, with her Saturday goal registering as her 50th in regular-season play for the Spirit — the third-most for a single club in league history.
Though the 2025 NWSL season is only four matchdays old, the race to the Shield could depend on a club's resilience — making the Spirit, with their ability to pick up points when the going gets tough, an early favorite.
2025 NWSL Standings: Week Four
1. Orlando Pride (4-0-0)
2. Kansas City Current (4-0-0)
3. Washington Spirit (3-1-0)
4. Angel City FC (2-0-2)
5. Gotham FC (1-1-2)
6. Portland Thorns FC (1-1-2)
7. Seattle Reign FC (1-2-1)
8. Bay FC (1-2-1)
9. San Diego Wave FC (1-2-1)
10. Houston Dash (1-2-1)
11. Racing Louisville FC (1-2-1)
12. Chicago Stars FC (1-3-0)
13. North Carolina Courage (0-2-2)
14. Utah Royals FC (0-3-1)
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+.
While the NWSL’s Big Three — Orlando, Kansas City, and Washington — still sit above the pack after weekend wins, an unexpected fourth club has been hanging tough alongside last year’s contenders.
LA side Angel City is one of just three remaining unbeaten clubs going into this week’s international break, alongside Orlando and Kansas City.
Angel City rights the ship after a losing 2024
Entering 2025 on uncertain footing, Angel City is still without a permanent manager after former coach Becki Tweed’s offseason departure.
Under interim manager Sam Laity, the club managed two 1-1 draws before earning their first win against Seattle on Sunday, behind goals from rising star Alyssa Thompson and rookie Riley Tiernan.
The turnaround is noteworthy. ACFC finished the 2024 season in 12th place — far below playoff contention. Today, they sit in fourth place.
“This is the foundation of this young, energetic team, and we are going to have enormous growth and the most potential,” Laity said after Sunday’s victory.
In a season still searching for unexpected storylines, Angel City’s early success could lay the foundation for some serious standings shakeups to come.
Top three NWSL teams also score big weekend wins
The Washington Spirit, Orlando Pride, and Kansas City Current also saw key weekend wins, maintaining their hold on the NWSL standings' top three spots.
Washington kicked things off on Friday, topping visitors Bay FC 2-0 behind an Ashley Hatch brace. Orlando followed on Saturday with a 2-1 win over San Diego, with Brazilian star Marta notching the game-winner with a penalty kick in the 76th minute.
That same day, Kansas City triumphed 3-0 over a struggling Utah Royals. Temwa Chawinga, Michelle Cooper, and Debinha all contributed to the final score, with each goal coming in the match's first half.
2025 NWSL Standings: Week Three
1. Orlando Pride (3-0-0)
2. Kansas City Current (3-0-0)
3. Washington Spirit (2-1-0)
4. Angel City FC (1-0-2)
5. San Diego Wave FC (1-1-1)
6. Seattle Reign FC (1-1-1)
7. Houston Dash (1-1-1)
8. Bay FC (1-1-1)
9. Racing Louisville FC (1-1-1)
10. North Carolina Courage (0-1-2)
11. Portland Thorns FC (0-1-2)
12. Gotham FC (0-1-2)
13. Utah Royals (0-2-1)
14. Chicago Stars FC (0-3-0)
Just two matchdays into 2025, six of the 14 NWSL teams remain unbeaten. And while Washington has faltered, only Orlando and Kansas City have yet to drop any points ahead of this weekend’s lineup.
A few top-tier squads like the Washington Spirit are already eyeing bounce-back performances. Elsewhere, others — namely Orlando — will aim to prove their dominance with another three-point result.
Short-staffed Washington Spirit looks to bounce back
Roster availability continues to be an ongoing issue. However, this weekend’s lineup promises a couple of consequential matchups.
The Spirit attempt to shake off last week’s frustrating 2-0 loss to Kansas City against a surging Bay FC on Friday. Though Bay FC is fresh off their first win of the season against Racing Louisville.
Washington’s comeback aspirations will be tested tonight. The 2024 runners-up are staring down a lengthy injury list with nine players unavailable.
As such, expect them to lean even harder on star forward Trinity Rodman. Still recovering from a lingering back issue, Rodman told Pro Soccer Wire this week, “The mental part's been hard, but I think it’s been managed really well."
As for Orlando, the 2024 champs look as dangerous as ever. Wave FC will have a chance to prove that last week’s goal-fest win over Utah wasn’t a fluke when they face off on Saturday.
How to watch Washington and Orlando NWSL games this weekend
The Washington Spirit kicks off against Bay FC on Friday at 8 PM ET, with live coverage on Prime.
Afterwards, the Orlando Pride takes on San Diego Wave at Saturday at 12 PM ET, live on ESPN.
The quest for renewed parity in the NWSL received a boost over the weekend, as the 2025 regular season’s second matchday saw a few bottom-table teams capture key wins.
While the reigning champion Orlando Pride and the Kansas City Current maintained their perfect 2025 season records with respective wins over fellow 2024 semifinalists Gotham FC and the Washington Spirit, teams lower on last year's table claimed valuable points over the weekend.
With a 2-0 Saturday win over Racing Louisville, 2024 expansion team-turned-playoff debutante Bay FC earned three points, while last season’s stragglers San Diego Wave, Seattle Reign, and Houston Dash also put important points on the board — and scored some spectacular goals in the process.
Rookie class fuels big NWSL second matchday wins
In the wake of a superstar exit, the Wave's 3-2 Saturday win over the Utah Royals helped buoy San Diego's early season.
Meanwhile, for Seattle and Houston — last season’s two lowest-ranked finishers — the weekend victories were especially sweet.
The Reign notched a 2-1 road victory over the North Carolina Courage on Saturday, secured by absolute screamers from Seattle's midfield mainstay Jess Fishlock, who scored in her 200th cap with the Reign, and 18-year-old center back Jordyn Bugg, whose stellar strike was her first-ever professional goal.
"Not only are we different, we’re really young," said Seattle head coach Laura Harvey after the match. "To come here with that youth and energy really helped us, matched with the experience of some of the older ones."
The Dash also snagged a 2-1 road win after a scrappy Sunday battle with the Chicago Stars.
After trailing by an early goal from Chicago forward Jameese Joseph, Houston quickly answered back with a corner-kick equalizer off of veteran defender Paige Nielsen in the match's 20th minute.
Notching her career's second-ever goal, rookie midfielder Maggie Graham ultimately put the Dash on top with a second-half game-winner.
Though this season's rookie class enters with an air of uncertainty thank to the elimination of the college draft, it's their young firepower that's pushing last year’s bottom-dwellers up the league's ladder — and perhaps, in a few months, into NWSL playoff contention.
After top 2024 teams saw continued success in last weekend's 2025 NWSL Season Kickoff, the league’s second matchday promises standout games, with last week’s victors looking to build while its losers attempt to shift their season's energy.
This weekend will see last year’s top four finishers squaring off against each another. Meanwhile, on the other end of the table, two teams who suffered opening losses will battle each other in a hunt for their season's first points.
A 2024 semifinals swap headlines second NWSL matchday
While not a carbon copy of the 2024 semifinals, which saw the Washington Spirit outlast Gotham FC and the Orlando Pride defeat Kansas City, this weekend's clashes between the NWSL heavyweights could set the early-days standard for 2025’s championship favorites.
The current Challenge Cup champion Spirit will kick off the weekend's elite matchups, hosting the KC Current in what could be a game full of attacking firepower on Saturday night. Both teams scored big opening wins last week, with Washington holding off the Houston Dash 2-1 last Friday before the Current took charge with a 3-1 Saturday victory over the Portland Thorns.
Sunday's match between 2024 NWSL semifinalists sees reigning champs Orlando visiting 2023 title-winners Gotham, who are hunting their first 2025 win following last Saturday's 1-1 draw with the Seattle Reign. The league-leading Pride, who battered the Chicago Stars 6-0 last Friday, now faces a pragmatic and talented Gotham side for a game that has chess match written all over it.
As for the Stars, they'll try to bounce back from last week's thrashing by taking on the Dash, whose own tough loss will fuel their resolve on Sunday. Though both teams are eager to put their first points on the board, Houston's revamped roster could have the edge with Chicago still missing star attacker Mallory Swanson.
A number of teams are already looking close to mid-season form, meaning these early NWSL matchups could have major implications down the line.
How to watch this weekend's top NWSL games
The top-tier games begin with Washington taking on Kansas City at 7:30 PM ET on Saturday, with live coverage on ION.
Sunday's can't-miss matchups start with Chicago and Houston's battle at 3 PM ET, airing on Paramount+.
The last two league champions will wrap up the weekend, with Gotham hosting Orlando at 5 PM ET on Sunday. Live coverage will air on ESPN2.
The NWSL kicked off its 13th season this past weekend, and last year’s top teams picked up right where they left off, with the Orlando Pride, Washington Spirit, and Kansas City Current all starting 2025 play with big wins.
One week after a penalty shootout caused the Pride to drop the 2025 Challenge Cup, Orlando reminded fans why they're the reigning league champions and NWSL Shield-winners by handing the Chicago Stars a 6-0 drubbing on Friday.
The statement win is the league's largest-ever margin of victory in a season opener, and star striker Barbra Banda's late brace delivered the Stars their worst loss in franchise history — leaving Chicago as the only team failing to score across the NWSL's seven-match kick-off weekend.
As for the Challenge Cup champion Spirit, Washington held on against a new-look Houston to earn the 2-1 Friday victory.
Despite the loss, the Dash impressed in the opener, keeping a tight scoreline against the 2024 runners-up after finishing last season at the bottom of the NWSL table.
Saturday's action proved that Kansas City’s ability to find the back of the net hasn’t faltered, with 2024 MVP Temwa Chawinga scoring in the second minute of the Current's 3-1 win over the injury-stricken Portland Thorns.
Draws dominate the rest of the 2025 NWSL kick-off
The rest of the weekend’s fixtures weren’t as lopsided, with each of the remaining four matches finishing in 1-1 draws.
Gotham FC is likely the middle-pack’s most aggrieved team, after VAR confirmed defender Mandy Freeman’s controversial red card in the 86th minute of the 2024 semifinalists' Saturday matchup against the Seattle Reign.
At the same time, the NJ/NY club made league history during the draw, subbing in 14-year-old Mak Whitham in the game's waning stoppage-time minutes — making the forward the youngest player to ever appear in an NWSL regular-season match.
Thanks to those mostly uniform results, Orlando now sits atop the NWSL table with their superior goal differential, with Kansas City and Washington in close pursuit.
While momentum always shifts in the parity-rich NWSL, this season’s opening slate proved that 2024’s biggest success stories remain the teams to beat.
The 2025 NWSL season kick-off is here, with all of the league's 14 teams opening their regular-season campaigns this weekend.
The Orlando Pride enters as the reigning NWSL Shield and Championship winners, while Kansas City Current forward Temwa Chawinga will defends her league MVP title this season — but rising contenders are bound to challenge 2024’s titans.
"Everybody’s gonna hunt after us, and we need to deal with this and find a way to keep doing our best to keep making history for this club," Orlando captain Marta told reporters last week.
"It's exciting to know that everybody is gonna look to us and then try to make it difficult for us."
Revamped rosters headline 2025 NWSL kick-off
After an offseason packed with coaching hires and player movement, many clubs will be debuting rosters that look decidedly different from last year — significantly raising the stakes of the 2025 season openers.
While Marta's Pride will begin their title defense against the rebranded Chicago Stars FC on Friday and Chawinga's Current will host the already injury-bitten Portland Thorns on Saturday, three of the weekend's other five matches will put some of the offseason's most dramatic roster shifts to the test.
The first marquee matchup will put Houston's revamped roster squarely in the spotlight.
After finishing 2024 at the bottom of the NWSL table, the Dash raided the league, signing rising stars like USWNT forward Yazmeen Ryan and former Angel City attacker Messiah Bright in an attempt to go from worst to first this season.
Houston's Friday opponent, however, is a tough task. The Dash will host 2024 runners-up Washington, who managed to win last weekend's 2025 Challenge Cup despite being plagued by injuries.
Stealing Saturday's stage are two teams who sat on opposite sides of one of the offseason's biggest trades — Gotham FC and the Seattle Reign.
After helping the NJ/NY club to their first-ever championship in 2023 and the 2024 semifinals, USWNT star Lynn Biyendolo (neé Williams) requested a move to Seattle. The December trade also sent goalkeeper Cassie Miller to the Reign, with Gotham receiving promising young midfielder Jaelin Howell.
Closing out the 2025 NWSL season kick-off on Sunday are the league's SoCal rivals, Angel City and San Diego.
Both teams enter the season as works-in-progress, as Angel City will compete under interim manager Sam Laity until June while the Wave charts its 2025 course with both a new coach and some recent big-name departures.
How to watch the 2025 NWSL season kick-off
The NWSL's 2025 season is full of potential, with 2024's top four teams seeking to solidify their dominance as new contenders look to rise on this year's pitch.
All the action begins at 8 PM ET on Friday, when both Orlando vs. Chicago and Houston vs. Washington will kick off, airing live on Prime and NWSL+, respectively.
Saturday will start with Kansas City vs. Portland at 12:45 PM ET on ABC, before Racing Louisville and the NC Courage kick off at 5 PM ET on NWSL+.
ION will live broadcast Saturday'd nightcaps, with the Utah Royals taking on Bay FC at 7:30 PM ET before Seattle and Gotham face off at 10 PM ET.
Rivals Angel City and San Diego will cap the weekend with Sunday's 6:50 PM ET tilt, airing live on ESPN2.