The USWNT has reconvened in Florida ahead of the world No. 2 team's final two 2025 friendlies, with more than a few NWSL standouts aiming to impress against No. 12 Italy on Friday.
Seven players on this week's 26-player US roster featured in last weekend's 2025 NWSL Championship match, which USWNT manager Emma Hayes watched in person.
"There's always analysis," Hayes said before the NWSL final. "I'll just have to view it as a coach. But I know both teams really well, so it'll be interesting to see how they match up in different areas."
The NWSL runners-up Washington Spirit have midfielder Croix Bethune and defender Kate Wiesner on this week's USWNT roster, with Gotham FC adding five players to the mix following Monday's championship celebration in New York: attacker Jaedyn Shaw, midfielders Jaelin Howell and Rose Lavelle, plus defenders Lilly Reale and Emily Sonnett.
Howell, in particular, faces a big opportunity this week after receiving her first senior team call-up in more than three years.
"Obviously, it's a huge blessing," said Howell. "[An NWSL Championship and returning to the USWNT] were two of my main goals this year. I'm very excited, but huge credit to Gotham and what they've invested in me and my amazing teammates — I love them so much."
How to watch the USWNT vs. Italy on Friday
The Gotham and Spirit players will join other NWSL and European club standouts when the No. 2 USWNT takes on No. 12 Italy in the first of two friendlies on Friday.
The action kicks off at 7 PM ET, with live coverage airing on TNT and HBO Max.
The No. 2 Washington Spirit are heading back to the NWSL Championship, booking a second straight trip to the title match after silencing the No. 3 Portland Thorns in front of another sellout home crowd on Saturday.
The Spirit began the match on the front foot, with forward Gift Monday notching her second postseason goal in the 27th minute before midfielder Croix Bethune's 83rd-minute empty-net strike secured Washington the 2-0 semifinal result.
"I feel like we've been in this steady spot," Bethune said following Saturday's match. "These past two games honestly have been the best soccer that we've played."
Dealing with availability issues as of late, the semifinal saw center back Tara McKeown return to Washington's lineup after an ankle knock forced the center back to exit the Spirit's quarterfinal match, with second-half sub Trinity Rodman also making her return while defender Gabby Carle remained sidelined.
"I was playing, and that's that," McKeown told reporters after putting in a 90-minute performance in the shutout.
"I think Spirit is definitely the better team — I think that can kind of go without being said," Portland captain Sam Coffey reflected. "They outplayed us for sure, and I think they definitely have all the pieces to go and win the whole thing."
How to watch the Washington Spirit in the 2025 NWSL Championship
Saturday's result sends the No. 2 Washington Spirit to the 2025 NWSL Championship in San Jose, where they'll face No. 8 Gotham FC on Saturday.
The match kicks off at 8 PM ET, with live coverage airing on CBS.
The NWSL dropped the details of the 2025 Skills Challenge on Wednesday, laying out this year's format, broadcast info, and roster as the third-annual competition draws near.
On deck to show off their skills this year are Angel City rookie forward Riley Tiernan, Orlando Pride left back Carson Pickett, Bay FC forward Racheal Kundananji, Chicago Stars forward Ally Schlegel, North Carolina Courage midfielder Brianna Pinto, San Diego Wave winger Delphine Cascarino, and Washington Spirit midfielder Croix Bethune.
Availability is subject to change depending on semifinal results, however, with championship-bound players omitted from the Skills Challenge — meaning Pickett and/or Bethune could drop out should their clubs advance from this weekend's semis.
Sports presenter Duda Pavão will serve as host of the two-team competition, with full rosters for each squad set to drop in the coming days.
Mirroring last year's Skills Challenge, two teams will battle across three events — the Gauntlet, Relay Rumble, and Crossbar — with $30,000 in prize money on the line.
How to attend and watch the 2025 NWSL Skills Challenge
Fans can purchase tickets online to the 2025 NWSL Skills Challenge, which will take over San Jose State University's Spartan Soccer Complex at 8 PM ET on Friday, November 21st.
The full competition will then air at 1:30 PM ET on Saturday, November 29th on CBS.
The first time Washington Spirit midfielder Croix Bethune experienced an NWSL playoff game at DC's "Rowdy Audi" Field, it was from the sidelines. The promising young star had experienced a major setback, injuring her MCL while throwing out the ceremonial first pitch at nearby Nationals Park — just weeks after winning Olympic gold with the USWNT.
"Sitting in the stands watching the game wasn't ideal," she told JWS this week. "But it was still very fun and very cool, just to have that whole experience, seeing Audi full and rowdy and the fans just very excited."
Bethune's changing fortunes — she'd go on to win both 2024 Rookie of the Year and Midfielder of the Year despite her late-August season-ending injury — underlined a 2024 season of extremes for the Spirit. Washington finished second in the NWSL standings, entering the postseason confident before ultimately ceding the championship game to Shield-winners Orlando.
This year, the club is hoping to finish the job, once again locked into second place and hunting the franchise's second NWSL title. And for Bethune and her teammates, the sense of deja vu is palpable.
The Spirit emerges from a season of constant change
The Spirit underwent their second midseason coaching change in two years this past June, when manager Jonatan Giraldez left to take over fellow Michele Kang-owned club, France's OL Lyonnes. Adrián González — last season's interim coach — reclaimed the team's top leadership role, guiding the Spirit to their second straight No. 2 finish in a surprising show of consistency for a club undergoing significant change.
"Things happen, not everything is permanent," Bethune said plainly, commenting on the staffing changes "I learned this in my college recruiting process: You don't pick a school for the coach, because the coach can always move."
And while Washington added significant depth over the course of 2025 — namely bringing on international standouts like Italy's Sofia Cantore and Nigeria's Gift Monday — the roster has struggled to overcome lingering injuries and absences. Bethune officially returned to play in April, registering two goals and two assists through 20 regular-season games, but overall availability has continued to plague the squad despite the training staff's best efforts.
Captain Andi Sullivan and starting outside back Casey Krueger are currently both on maternity leave. And superstar Trinity Rodman remains questionable after a freak knock to the knee in late October — two months after originally returning from a lengthy back injury.
Bethune misses NWSL Decision Day as injury issues take a toll
Last Sunday's Decision Day loss to the eliminated Utah Royals saw even more attrition, with impact players Leicy Santos, Gift Monday, and Rose Kouassi all left off the gameday roster. Even Bethune missed Sunday's regular-season finale with a thigh injury, though she's now listed as available after training alongside club medical staff this week.
This is when experience facing adversity comes in handy for the 24-year-old. "When I'm playing, I feel like I can see everything, but when you're not playing, you can really see everything," she said, stressing the perspective she's gained from sitting on the sidelines. "Just seeing how the game should flow, or how it is flowing."
Bethune has also learned to avoid pushing her body too hard if she's not feeling 100%, a mantra that can be both frustrating and, at times, liberating.
"I feel like, over the years, I've done very well at understanding when my body is telling me something, and listening to that," she said.
Returning from injury is difficult for any player, but particularly for those as creative on the pitch as Bethune. Known for confidence on the ball, audacious passing vision in the midfield, and the ability to turn towards goal herself if she senses weakness, the Georgia grad became a household name last year thanks to a free-wheeling partnership with fellow USWNT standout Rodman.
It took some time for Bethune to re-find her footing this season, learning how to not overthink exactly what makes her such a special player.
"Feeling like myself is just feeling like Croix Bethune," she said. "Doing what I do — momentum, rhythm, cheekiness, just feeling smooth and calm in the game."
Bethune looks to lean on Spirit culture ahead of quarterfinal test
Shaky availability — and the related threat of yet again falling short of the NWSL title — still looms over the Spirit as they head into this weekend's quarterfinal matchup against an extra-motivated Racing Louisville. But Bethune thinks the Spirit can lean on their depth for that creative spark, as injured players inch closer to a healthy return with every passing day.
"We're big on our culture," she explained. "The culture that we have off the field, within the team, is very strong. And when we incorporate the staff and the coaches, we're all on the same page."
Even without a full-strength roster, the Spirit have shown an ability to bend without breaking, riding the ups and downs of a topsy-turvy season without slipping from the league's top ranks. And that level of togetherness can be difficult to derail.
"Versatility, being close — we have a lot of options," Bethune said of her team's postseason strategy. "We have a lot of people that can play a lot of different positions."
"Once we get that rhythm," she added, "it's pretty scary for the defense."
As another NWSL transfer window shutters, big-name trades, transfers, and loans are reshaping rosters ahead of the 2025 regular-season's home stretch.
On Wednesday, No. 10 Angel City announced that the LA club is transferring Australian defender Alanna Kennedy and English midfielder Katie Zelem to the WSL, with billionaire multi-team owner Michele Kang's newly promoted London City shelling out undisclosed transfer fees to add the pair to the Lionesses' roster.
Zelem joined Angel City in August 2024, while Kennedy was an even more recent 2025 offseason addition to the LA side.
Also joining the NWSL transaction fray this week is Racing Louisville, with the No. 7 club hoping to add to their firepower by picking up versatile forward Makenna Morris from the No. 2 Washington Spirit for $115,000 in allocation funds.
In her debut season, Morris notably tied teammate and Rookie of the Year Croix Bethune for the most goals from first-year players in 2024, with each attacker scoring five times despite missing multiple months due to injury.
While this year's secondary transfer window is over, teams are still able to make deals for intra-league trades and loans until the October 9th roster freeze — as well as sign upcoming free agents anytime before the end of the 2025 NWSL regular season.
Many top talents remain unattached for 2026, including a trio of USWNT vets in Spirit star Trinity Rodman, Chicago Stars goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher, and Gotham forward Midge Purce.
The NWSL lit up the baseball diamond on Saturday, claiming a new attendance record as the No. 2 Washington Spirit defeated No. 12 Bay FC 3-2 in MLB's Oracle Park in San Francisco.
The 40,091-strong crowd not only shattered the prior NWSL record, when 35,038 fans watched Bay beat Chicago inside Wrigley Field in June 2024, Saturday also set a new attendance mark across all US professional women's sports leagues.
"The players deserve it. They've worked so hard and this league has come such a long way," Bay FC head coach Albertin Montoya said following the historic loss. "When you get football like that, I think every single person that watched that game can leave and say 'Hey, I'd do this again,' because it was entertaining. It was good quality football all around."
The victory marked the Spirit's sixth road win this season, as Washington climbs the table behind midfielder Croix Bethune's first goal of 2025 — and forward Trinity Rodman's first start since April.
"The atmosphere was fantastic," Spirit manager Adrián González said. "The setup, the fans, and having the opportunity to have an experience like this, I think, is just something unique."
Washington now sits 12 points behind league-leaders Kansas City, while just six points separate the Spirit from No. 7 Racing Louisville in an increasingly congested top of the NWSL standings.
NWSL star Trinity Rodman made a fairytale return from injury on Sunday, scoring the game-winning goal off the bench to lift the Washington Spirit over the Portland Thorns 2-1.
Suiting up for the first time since seeking treatment for a lingering back issue in April, Rodman entered the match in the 76th minute before breaking through the 1-1 deadlock in second-half stoppage time off a volley from midfielder Croix Bethune.
"That was just the hardest thing I've had to go through with injury and everything," an emotional Rodman told reporters following the NWSL match. "I'm just really happy to be back. I missed the team, I missed doing what I love."
The result has the Thorns now at No. 6 in the NWSL standings while launching the Spirit into third place, leapfrogging now-No. 4 San Diego after the Wave picked up just one point in Saturday's 0-0 draw with the No. 9 North Carolina Courage.
At the top of the table, No. 1 Kansas City widened their lead, claiming a 10-point advantage over the No. 2 Orlando Pride following the Current's 2-0 Friday victory over No. 7 Racing Louisville.
The No. 5 Seattle Reign proved to be the weekend's other big winner, earning one of the league's three wins by topping No. 11 Angel City 2-0 on Friday.
All in all, the NWSL's regular-season summer break gave teams time to regroup — but time is ticking as the 2025 play inches closer to the postseason finish line.
2025 NWSL standings: Week 14
1. Kansas City Current (12-2-0)
2. Orlando Pride (8-4-2)
3. Washington Spirit (8-4-2)
4. San Diego Wave FC (7-3-4)
5. Seattle Reign FC (7-4-3)
6. Portland Thorns FC (6-4-4)
7. Racing Louisville FC (6-6-2)
8. Gotham FC (5-5-4)
9. North Carolina Courage (5-5-4)
10. Bay FC (4-6-4)
11. Angel City FC (4-7-3)
12. Houston Dash (3-8-3)
13. Chicago Stars FC (1-9-4)
14. Utah Royals (1-10-3)
The NWSL is back in session beginning on Friday night, as 2025 season play returns with athletes shifting their focus from summer international tournaments back to the league's home stretch.
While WAFCON and Women's Euro participants are likely to be available this weekend, NWSL stars featuring in Saturday's Copa América final remain out of market.
The NWSL standings dominate this weekend's narrative, as No. 1 Kansas City towers over the league while lower-table teams embrace their shot at a reset after a month off the pitch:
- No. 7 Racing Louisville vs. No. 1 Kansas City Current, Friday at 8 PM ET (Prime): Though Racing currently sits in playoff position, they'll face a tough test when the high-flying Current storm through Louisville.
- No. 6 Seattle Reign vs. No. 11 Angel City, Friday at 10:30 PM ET (Paramount+): Reign fans will snag their first glimpse of new signee Mia Fishel on Friday, though Angel City will aim to ruin the welcome party as the LA club pushes toward playoff contention.
- No. 9 North Carolina Courage vs. No. 3 San Diego Wave, Saturday at 7:30 PM ET (ION): Courage forward Jaedyn Shaw takes on her former team as the Wave looks to keep the NWSL's surprise success story of the season going strong.
- No. 4 Washington Spirit vs. No. 5 Portland Thorns, Sunday at 12:30 PM ET (ABC): While Spirit fans cross their fingers for the return of injured stars Trinity Rodman and Croix Bethune, the Thorns will try to keep their steady momentum afloat in DC.
The world No. 1 USWNT takes the pitch against No. 25 Ireland on Thursday night, kicking off a three-friendly stretch that spans two games against the Girls in Green in Colorado and Ohio before a Washington, DC, clash against regional rivals No. 8 Canada.
"We're largely inexperienced and still learning with everything that we're looking to do, but this team, they are fast learners," US head coach Emma Hayes told media earlier this week.
After Hayes decided to give nearly all her Europe-based players a break during this international window, the USWNT enters this stretch of friendlies without a number of first-choice starters, giving young bubble players perhaps their last chance to impress.
Next week's bout with Canada will be the USWNT's last match opportunity until October's international window — the second-to-last break of 2025.
"We're at the stage where we are determining the criteria for 2027 and what that looks like," said Hayes. "From October onwards, I would say that extended pool will be the group that we will build towards 2027 with."
Notably, Thursday's lineup could feature a boost from previously injured 2024 Olympians Rose Lavelle and Croix Bethune, with the veteran Lavelle also stepping into a newly elevated leadership role on the team.
"I had a lot of really great older players to look up to to help usher me into the position where I now can be that for the younger players, so it's definitely something that I lean into," Lavelle said on Wednesday.
How to watch the USWNT vs. Ireland on Thursday
The No. 1 USWNT will kick off their first friendly against No. 25 Ireland at 9 PM ET on Thursday, with live coverage airing on TBS.
The USWNT announced a few welcome returns on Wednesday morning, tapping a roster heavy on NWSL talent for the world No. 1 team's upcoming friendlies against No. 25 Ireland and No. 8 Canada.
Veteran midfielder Rose Lavelle is back in the fold, with the Gotham standout coming off ankle surgery to join her first US camp since November 2024.
Spirit midfielder Croix Bethune is also making a return, as she continues her recovery protocol following an August 2024 knee surgery.
The roster's lone European club player is star center back Naomi Girma, with head coach Emma Hayes opting to give most of the team's Europe-based stars a crucial break.
"[Girma] felt really strongly that she needed the minutes," Hayes explained, referencing the defender's recent months off the pitch due to a calf injury. "She wants to be involved with the national team because she felt she's missed a really key camp for us."
The Europe-based absences carved space for some new faces, with Gotham defender Lilly Reale, Seattle defender Jordyn Bugg, Kansas City defender Izzy Rodriguez, and Seattle midfielder Sam Meza all earning their first senior team call-ups.
With an average of 18.4 caps per player, this NWSL-heavy roster marks one of the least-experienced friendly lineups in the modern history of the USWNT.
"This is a uniquely different situation, different window, where so many senior players will not be with us in this camp," Hayes told reporters. "This is probably the last time I'll be able to do this in the lead-up to qualifying for the World Cup."
With much of the USWNT's trusted core resting during this window, Hayes will snag a critical — and possibly final — look at how lesser-known NWSL players size up against international competition.
The June/July 2025 USWNT roster
- Goalkeepers: Angelina Anderson (Angel City), Claudia Dickey (Seattle Reign) Mandy McGlynn (Utah Royals)
- Defenders: Kerry Abello (Orlando Pride), Jordyn Bugg (Seattle Reign), Naomi Girma (Chelsea), Lilly Reale (Gotham), Tara McKeown (Washington Spirit), Avery Patterson (Houston Dash), Izzy Rodriguez (Kansas City Current), Emily Sams (Orlando Pride), Emily Sonnett (Gotham), Gisele Thompson (Angel City)
- Midfielders: Croix Bethune (Washington Spirit), Sam Coffey (Portland Thorns), Claire Hutton (Kansas City Current), Rose Lavelle (Gotham), Sam Meza (Seattle Reign), Olivia Moultrie (Portland Thorns)
- Forwards: Lynn Biyendolo (Seattle Reign), Michelle Cooper (Kansas City Current), Yazmeen Ryan (Houston Dash), Emma Sears (Racing Louisville), Ally Sentnor (Utah Royals), Alyssa Thompson (Angel City)
How to watch the upcoming USWNT friendlies
The No. 1 USWNT will kick off their summer friendlies in Commerce City, Colorado, taking on No. 25 Ireland at 9 PM ET on June 26th before the pair clash again in Cincinnati, Ohio, at 3 PM ET on June 29th.
The US will close out the window against No. 8 Canada, facing their longtime rivals in Washington, DC, at 7:30 PM ET on July 2nd.
Live coverage of the first match will air on TBS, with TNT set to broadcast the following two games.