The NWSL announced the framework for the league’s 12th season on Monday, officially kicking off the 2025 campaign on March 14th, with a new champion crowned on November 22nd.
Similar to the 2024 season, the league’s 14 teams will each play 26 matches — 13 home, 13 away —across 25 weeks, ending on November 2nd. A league total of 190 games will determine the eight contenders set to battle their way through November's playoffs.
The 2025 NWSL Challenge Cup will precede the regular season by one week. The match typically pits the reigning Shield winners against the current champion, but since Orlando earned both those 2024 honors, the Pride will instead host 2024 runners-up Washington in the March 7th contest.
Before any athlete takes the pitch, however, they must report to preseason training camps. Instead of a specific date, the NWSL mandates a kick-off window beginning January 15th and ending February 5th.
There are no official preseason matches, but considering six teams — Angel City, Bay FC, Houston, Portland, San Diego, and Seattle — have already committed to participating in mid-Februrary's 2025 Coachella Valley Invitational, expect those clubs to recall their rosters sooner rather than later.
International play extends NWSL summer schedule
Though 2025 lacks a major international contest like the Olympics or a FIFA World Cup, several confederations do have competitions on this summer's docket. The list includes UEFA's 2025 Euro and Conmebol's Copa América tournament.
As such, immediately after the league's CBA-mandated week-long pause at the end of June, the NWSL will suspend play for the month of July. This window will subsequently allow international players to compete for their respective countries without significantly impacting their NWSL club's season.
Within that break, however, clubs will be free to schedule friendlies against other professional teams, both domestic and abroad. This will follow a similar format as Chelsea and Arsenal's 2024 US tour, where the WSL sides went up against Gotham FC and the Washington Spirit, respectively.
New CBA affects 2025 season
Due to last August's newly inked CBA, both the waiver wire and trade windows have been eliminated. This means player contracts are now guaranteed, and trades can occur anytime before the October 9th roster freeze, so long as the athlete consents to the trade.
Two eight-week transfer windows dot the 2025 schedule. The first opens on January 28th, with the second set to start alongside the 2026 free agency period on July 1st.
Where to watch the NWSL in 2025
The complete 2025 match schedule, including full broadcast details, is yet to come. However, the NWSL’s 2023 landmark media deal means over 120 matches have already been claimed by various domestic broadcasters.
Friday games will again air on Prime Video, and Saturday double-headers will remain on ION. Both CBS and ESPN platforms will have significant match packages spanning the regular season, and all remaining games will be available on the league's direct-to-consumer streamer, NWSL+.
All broadcasters except ION have picked up various match rights to November's playoffs, with CBS scoring rights to the title match for the fourth year in a row.
Additionally, the NWSL is currently in international distribution rights negotiations, with the league taking aim at growing its audience outside the US.
Key 2025 calendar dates
- January 15th: Preseason camps may begin
- January 28th: Primary transfer window opens
- February 5th: Final day for clubs to begin preseason camps
- March 7th: 2025 NWSL Challenge Cup
- March 14th: 2025 NWSL regular season kick-off
- March 24th: Primary transfer window closes
- June 23rd-29th: CBA-mandated break
- July 1st: Secondary transfer window opens; 2026 free agency period begins
- July: League-wide pause for international competitions
- August 25th: Secondary transfer window closes
- October 9th: NWSL roster freeze
- November 2nd: Final day of the 2025 NWSL regular season
- November 7th-9th: 2025 NWSL quarterfinals
- November 14th-16th: 2025 NWSL semifinals
- November 22nd: 2025 NWSL Championship
All 14 NWSL teams issued final end-of-year roster decisions on Tuesday, as the 2025 free agency period shifts into full gear.
Athletes who are currently out-of-contract are now technically on the chopping block, faced with either negotiating new terms to return to their teams or taking the leap and brokering a fresh deal elsewhere.
Standouts listed as out-of-contact include 2024 NWSL champion and Orlando Pride captain Marta as well as NC Courage striker and the league's 2023 MVP Kerolin. Several current and former USWNT stars also face offseason negotiations, like Gotham FC forward Midge Purce, Portland Thorns center back Becky Sauerbrunn, and Angel City forward Christen Press.
Multiple teams have already acknowledged an intent to retain top players by announcing ongoing negotiations in their final 2024 roster announcements, with Press, Marta, and Kerolin in talks to stay with their clubs.
New CBA means more NWSL movement
Under the league's new CBA, when a team declines a player's contract option, that player automatically becomes an unrestricted free agent, guaranteeing roster shakeups despite this year's lack of expansion and college drafts.
Both athletes whose contracts have expired and those whose options have been declined are considered out-of-contract. While those players will be weighing their options on the open market, teams will be doing the same, deciding who to try to retain and who to officially waive.
Clubs will make many of those decisions imminently, as the waiver wire will open and close this week, before the trade window opens again on December 13th.
The league will take a transaction moratorium from December 20th to 27th, after which teams can resume signings.
Between the CBA-induced influx of free agents and the lack of drafts forcing front offices into what could be lengthy recruiting and negotiating processes to attract young talent, the business of building an NWSL roster has become more complicated.
That said, some clubs seem to be capitalizing on the shake-up. After finishing the season in last place, the Houston Dash have already seen significant roster action — including nabbing defender Christen Westphal from San Diego and signing ex-Gotham free agent Delanie Sheehan — setting an aggressive rebuilding example as the NWSL embraces a new era.
Three players exited Gotham FC in NWSL free agency last week, putting the NJ/NY club's superteam status in question as the early offseason brings a slew of roster shakeups.
Headlining the Gotham defectors is starting midfielder Delanie Sheehan, who notched two goals and logged the third-most minutes for the NWSL semifinalists last season. Sheehan will join the Houston Dash, inking a two-year contract with an addition option for the 2027 season last Wednesday.
Joining Sheehan in signing contracts with new clubs are defenders Maitane López, who joined the newly rebranded Chicago Stars FC on a two-year deal last Thursday, and Sam Hiatt, who inked a two-season contract with a 2027 option with the Portland Thorns on Friday.
Though Gotham has seen the biggest exodus since the end of the 2024 NWSL season, they're not the only club suffering losses. Last Wednesday, defender Madison Curry, who led Angel City in tackles by a mile with 45 in her 2024 rookie season, signed a three-year deal with the Seattle Reign.
NWSL salary cap, new CBA fuel player movement
Under the NWSL's new CBA, all players out of contract automatically become unrestricted free agents, giving athletes greater control over their professional and geographical futures as their careers progress.
Pay hikes, more playing time, and other personal and professional considerations influence player movement, encouraging league parity in light of the college draft's dissolution.
Along with individual athlete preferences and an exploding pool of free agents, NWSL front offices must still contend with the league's current salary cap. Illustrated by Sheehan's choice to join 2024 last-place Houston rather than stay with a Gotham side that won the 2023 championship and finished third last season, it can be difficult to maintain such hyper-talented rosters under the current salary cap.
This lineup reshuffling will only accelerate under the NWSL's planned two-team 2026 expansion, further burgeoning this new era of league-wide change.
Welcome back to Fast Friends with Kelley O'Hara and Lisa Leslie!
On today's special Halloween episode, our hosts show up to set dressed as the fastest of friends: race care drivers.
O'Hara and Leslie then dive into the USWNT's October friendlies, discussing the young talent on display as well as the way the team holds consistent focus even when falling behind on the score sheet.
"I think [that's] a testament to Emma's influence already on this team," O'Hara says, praising head coach Emma Hayes's ability to keep her players from getting rattled. "I get the sense that she has already [said], 'Shit's gonna happen. We stick to the game plan, we stick to what we're good at, and the goals will come.'"
"Soccer's about riding the wave, its ebbs and flows," O'Hara adds. "Sometimes you gotta weather the storm, but if you are confident and all on the same game plan, you're gonna be able to execute."
Then, the duo pivot to discuss all things WNBA. Leslie looks into the reasons why the WNBPA is opting out of their CBA from both the players' and league's perspective, before digging into a recent flood of head coach exits that have left seven of the league's 12 current teams without a leader.
Coming off the success of JWS's Olympic commentary show The Gold Standard, Fast Friends features two legendary athletes serving up insider insights and unique takes on the biggest stories in women's sports every week.
Subscribe to Just Women's Sports on YouTube to never miss an episode.
Earlier this week, ESPN released the results of an anonymous study surveying all 14 NWSL general managers, providing key insights into the growing league.
While nearly all respondents agreed that depth of competition sets the NWSL apart on a global level, they hold differing opinions about the league’s inner workings.
NWSL budgets and entry draft elimination are key concerns
Budgetary practices were a common concern of GMs across the board, while the loss of the entry draft — ushered in by the league's new CBA — presented similar issues.
Some GMs pointed out that many teams aren't yet profitable enough to justify current costs, while others pushed for more spending in order to draw top players away from leagues that don't impose a hard salary cap, like the UK's WSL.
Similarly, because the US lacks any true professional development infrastructure, GMs worry that dropping the college draft will divert young US talent overseas, ultimately softening the NWSL’s competitive edge.
Some GMs claim NWSL player protections have "gone too far"
When asked about recent cultural reforms in the wake of sexual misconduct and abuse allegations, multiple GMs claimed that efforts to protect players have "gone too far," spreading fear and confusion among staff.
Yesterday, retired NWSL star Ali Krieger took to ESPN's Futbol W to respond, saying she didn't "have a lot of sympathy for those few GMs that might be a little bit more disgruntled on this topic."
"You have to, in those positions of power, be respectful and do your job and do it well," she continued. "You shouldn’t have any worry about what you say, how you say it, what you do, how you do it, if you’re just doing the right thing and you’re being respectful and you’re doing your job appropriately."
In this week's episode of The Late Sub, Claire checks in on the big picture for both the NWSL and WNBA playoff races as title contenders emerge, playoff spoilers make their cases, and some teams begin to plateau at an inopportune time.
Then, she chats with NWSLPA President Tori Huster about the league’s landmark CBA, and how concerns about parity might be overstated.
The Late Sub with Claire Watkins brings you the latest news and freshest takes in women’s sports. This is the weekly rundown you’ve been missing, covering the USWNT, NWSL, WNBA, college hoops, and whatever else is popping off in women’s sports each week. Special guest appearances with the biggest names in women’s sports make The Late Sub a must-listen for every fan. Follow Claire on X/Twitter @ScoutRipley and subscribe to the Just Women’s Sports newsletter for more.
Subscribe to The Late Sub to never miss an episode.
A first-of-its-kind sponsorship has hit the WNBA, with the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) announcing on Friday it would be supporting all 12 players of the two-time WNBA champion Las Vegas Aces.
The deal grants each player $100,000 dollars in exchange for representing the city in 2024 and 2025.
"The offer's really simple: We want you to just play, we want you to keep repping Las Vegas, and if you do a three-peat, that'd be icing on the cake," LVCVA president and CEO Steve Hill told the team in a video released Friday.
BREAKING: We're doing something that's never been done before. We're going #ALLINLV and sponsoring EVERY. SINGLE. PLAYER. on the @LVAces roster this season! pic.twitter.com/ntBZVZeFJu
— Las Vegas (@Vegas) May 17, 2024
The news comes as WNBA salaries and team caps continue to be a point of contention in the league. With many players making less than $100,000 a year, outside sponsors have long helped bridge the financial gap for players.
On Saturday, Aces coach Becky Hammon said that the local tourism bureau had reached out to all of the players individually via their agents, leaving the Aces organization out of the conversation entirely. The goal was to avoid breaking cap circumvention rules established by the league’s CBA.
"I'm going to put it to you real simple like this: Most of sponsorship people go after the top two people," Hammon said. "[A'ja Wilson] is taken care of — she's got plenty of stuff going on. [Kelsey Plum] has plenty of stuff. In this situation, from what I understand, is they wanted the whole team. So they went and called individuals, agents. I don't know the details.
"I have nothing to do with it; the Aces don't have anything to do with it. It's just odd, but that's basically what happened."
Despite the apparent separation, the WNBA has launched an investigation into the legality of the sponsorship, according to multiple sources.
While the sponsorship does not directly violate the league-wide salary cap because the LVCVA did not orchestrate the sponsorship with the club, other teams are likely to raise questions about its fairness and whether or not it violates the spirit of the cap rules. The deal could potentially upend the balance of what teams are able to offer players in the free agency market.
"We have 100 influencers we pay to represent Las Vegas," Hill told the Associated Press. "This isn’t any different then that. All of these ladies are completely eligible to have sponsorships. We are just asking them to represent Vegas."
It’s not the first time the league has investigated the Aces for cap circumnavigation. Just last year, the team faced consequences — Hammon was suspended for two games while the team lost its 2025 first-round draft pick — for crossing league rules regarding impermissible player benefits and workplace policies.
"We get [things] from our agents all the time; they wanted it to be a big moment because it's something that's never happened before," Aces star forward A'ja Wilson said about the LVCVA's offer. "I don't understand the investigation; I haven't dived into it yet. I just looked at my phone [after the game] and was like, 'Oh, wow, just another day in the life of the Aces.' We can't ever start just normal, it's always going to be something, and that's okay."
When the NWSL and NWSL Players’ Association ratified their first-ever collective bargaining agreement on Jan. 31, one of the last pieces to come together in the final days of negotiations was Article 20: “Group Licensing of Player Name, Image and Likeness.”
The section states that the NWSL and its clubs recognize the NWSLPA as the players’ agent in executing commercial rights toward the use of their names, such as trading cards, video games, clothing and toys. Group licensing enables a revenue stream for players and the NWSLPA so that the union can continue to negotiate CBAs and be a presence in the NWSL ecosystem.
The measure was a sticking point for players during the final rounds of discussions with the league. The U.S. women’s national team players, especially Alex Morgan, were adamant about the importance of those rights after having gone through similar negotiations with U.S. Soccer.
While some sections of the CBA required more compromising in the end, the NWSLPA felt that Article 20 was a big win.
“I credit the NWSL for staying in there with us and coming to an agreement on an issue that is of high importance to players,” NWSLPA executive director Meghann Burke told Just Women’s Sports. “This is a recognition of the control and autonomy that players should have over their own name, image and likeness, which is inherent to the person.”
On Wednesday, the NWSLPA built on the progress from the CBA with the announcement of a new exclusive, multi-year partnership with OneTeam Partners, a leader in commercializing collective licensing rights of professional athletes. Under the NWSLPA’s agreement, OneTeam will provide NWSL players and the NWSLPA with group licensing representation to maximize the value of group player rights.
OneTeam has already partnered with other athlete groups, like the USWNTPA, WNBPA, NFLPA, MLBPA, MLSPA and U.S. Rugby Players’ Association. The NWSLPA is confident OneTeam has the experience and tools to pull the them forward at a faster rate while making players’ needs the top priority.
“I found that maybe among the most compelling features of OneTeam is that they get it,” Burke said. “They know what a labor union is. They know that our fundamental mission is to serve the athletes we represent … The commercial opportunity stems from that, but we’ve got to serve and protect our members first and foremost.”
Burke also appreciates how much OneTeam has contributed to the NWSLPA’s evolution as a players’ association.
“They’ve really helped us learn, kind of get smart on group licensing, if you will. But they’ve never lost sight of the fact that we’re a labor union,” she said.
“We think there’s so much growth to be had in women’s soccer and in women’s sports,” said OneTeam spokesperson Eric Winston. “To be working with the NWSLPA and grow it from the beginning, we’re really excited about it … I can’t understate the magnitude of them now having a CBA and us helping in any way we could there.”
Working alongside OneTeam’s other major professional sports partners also gives the NWSL a seat at the table.
“[Women’s sports] is something we believe in,” Winston said. “Quite frankly, to be completely blunt with you, it’s good business.”
One request the players have is to give every fan the option to purchase a name-and-number replica jersey of their favorite player. There has historically been a shortage of jerseys and merchandise in women’s sports, and through OneTeam, the NWSLPA is eager to get those products out into the marketplace and create revenue streams back to the players.
“I think the CBA speaks to who we are, and group licensing speaks to where we want to go,” Burke said. “We’re really, really excited about launching something that I think is just full of potential, it’s full of promise. There’s a lot of unrealized potential in this space, and as players, we said throughout CBA negotiations we want to bet on ourselves. Group licensing is a way of us betting on ourselves.”
Jessa Braun is a contributing writer at Just Women’s Sports covering the NWSL and USWNT. Follow her on Twitter @jessabraun.