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.
The North Carolina Courage earned their first winning results of the 2025 NWSL season in high-scoring style, when a last-gasp goal by attacker Ashley Sanchez handed the previously undefeated Kansas City Current their first loss on Saturday.
The Courage trailed Kansas City 2-1 just before the end of regulation, after goals from Haley Hopkins and Bia Zaneratto put the Current in the lead.
Center back Kaleigh Kurtz's 90th-minute equalizer flipped the script for the Courage, before Sanchez buried the closer three minutes later in second-half stoppage time.
The comeback victory boosted the formerly last-place Courage to No. 11 in the standings, while the league-leading Current's grip on No. 1 is loosening as they pull level in points with No. 2 Orlando.
Gotham caps roller-coaster week with win over Washington
Elsewhere on Saturday, No. 4 Gotham downed East Coast rivals No. 3 Washington 3-0, solidifying their spot in the NWSL's top five.
The victory was buoyed by a brace from Golden Boot-leader Esther González, whose seven season goals have all come in the last four matches — tying the NWSL record for most goals scored in a four-game span.
Still at the start of her third season with the NJ/NY side, the 32-year-old has already become the team's second all-time leading scorer, passing both Carli Lloyd and Midge Purce with her 18th Gotham goal on Saturday.
That weekend win capped off a crowded three-match week for the Bats. Before securing their multi-goal victory over DC, Gotham first beat Angel City 4-0 the previous Friday, then fell 4-1 to Portland last Tuesday.
"This was one of the proudest moments for us as a team and as a club," Gotham head coach Juan Carlos Amorós said after Saturday's match. "I couldn't be prouder of the players. I think they've been outstanding the whole week."
As for injury-riddled Washington, their performance wasn't a total loss, as 2024 Rookie of the Year Croix Bethune returned to the pitch for the first time since tearing her meniscus shortly after winning Olympic gold with the USWNT last summer.
"I do feel like I'm about 90%," Bethune told reporters after the match. "I had a hip/quad situation — I feel like that gave me a little bit more time to get stronger for my knee and just make sure I'm overall 100%."
While the Spirit continue dealing with an onslaught of injuries, Gotham — now just one point behind Washington in the standings — is steadily creeping in on the 2024 NWSL Championship runners-up's third-place spot.
Sixth NWSL matchday fueled by high-scoring results
Saturday's high-scoring tally fit right in with the rest of the NWSL, with the league's weekend slate delivering a high-octane 24 goals across its seven matches.
Defending champion Orlando secured a three-point result with a 3-2 comeback win over the visiting No. 9 Angel City, while the last-place Chicago Stars suffered a 3-0 home defeat at the hands of No. 5 San Diego.
However, it was No. 6 Portland and No. 12 Louisville that produced the most dramatic scoreline of the season's sixth matchday, settling for a 3-3 Sunday draw after the Thorns converted two penalty kicks.
"This is just another example of how good this league is, and how you literally cannot relax even for a second regardless of who you play and where you play them," said Current head coach Vlatko Andonovski, summing up a strong showing across the NWSL.
The Washington Spirit are building out their 2025 roster with an international slant, signing Mexico and CF Monterrey captain Rebeca Bernal to a three-year deal on Tuesday.
Across her eight seasons with the top-flight Liga MX Femenil squad, Bernal has helped CF Monterrey to four titles and scored an impressive 65 goals as a defender.
"Rebeca is an exceptional talent in both the defending and attacking phases of the game," said Spirit GM and president of soccer operations Mark Krikorian in a team statement. "We expect her dynamic style of play to provide an immediate impact as we kick off this season with high expectations."
Spirit stacks roster with international stars
With Tuesday's signing, Bernal joins eight other players now occupying the Spirit’s allotted international slots. Fellow global newcomers to Washington's roster include Japan midfielder Narumi Miura, Nigeria midfielder Deborah Abiodun, Brazil forward Tamara Bolt, and Uganda defender Shadia Nankya.
Last season, the 2024 NWSL Championship runners-up saw success by relying on a mix of USWNT stars like Trinity Rodman and Croix Bethune and key global talent like Colombia midfielder Leicy Santos, and forwards Rosemonde Kouassi and Ouleye Sarr, who hail from the Côte d'Ivoire and France, respectively.
Washington also looked abroad to fill their head coaching vacancy, with Spanish leader Jonatan Giráldez joining the Spirit midseason. Giráldez finished his decorated run with FC Barcelona by completing an elusive Quadruple — winning the UEFA Women's Champions League, Copa de la Reina, Supercopa, and Liga F in his final 2023/24 season.
Washington's global strategy begins at the top
Setting the tone for the increasingly international club is Spirit owner Michele Kang, who has similarly expanded her soccer portfolio beyond US borders by purchasing controlling interests in France's Olympique Lyonnais and second-tier UK team London City in recent years.
Kang has further banked on growing the global game by launching Kynisca Sports last July, creating the first international multi-team women's football organization of its kind.
All in all, with the elimination of the NWSL draft as well as soccer's rising parity around the world, domestic teams are pulling from a wider player pool. Following last season’s finish, the Washington Spirit appear to be betting on a modern, global philosophy to push them atop the NWSL in 2025.
The NWSL is officially pulling back the curtain, with Prime Video green-lighting For the Win: NWSL, a new docuseries centered on the league's 2024 playoffs and Orlando's victorious NWSL Championship run.
According to the league's Tuesday announcement, the four-part series offers "unprecedented access" by taking viewers inside "one of the most thrilling seasons in NWSL history."
It "[covers] the intensity, resilience, and passion that define the league’s top teams and star players as they battle for the ultimate prize: the Championship trophy."
"Through exclusive interviews, locker-room access, and heart-pounding match highlights, the documentary captures the nostalgia, emotion, and fierce competition that shapes a playoff run within the fastest growing league in the world."
The series promises coverage of retiring USWNT icon Alex Morgan, newly minted Orlando champion and Brazilian legend Marta, as well as Washington Spirit stars Trinity Rodman and reigning NWSL Rookie and Midfielder of the Year Croix Bethune.
For the Win: NWSL joins wave of women's soccer documentaries
Women's soccer has been entering the realm of sports documentaries for years, with behind-the-scenes looks into the USWNT, the NWSL's Angel City FC, WSL side Chelsea FC, and more popping up on screens worldwide.
The latest offering of For the Win: NWSL comes backed by sports stars, with a producing team helmed by Connor Schell and Libby Geist of Words + Pictures as well as the aforementioned Morgan and Gotham FC investor and NFL legend Eli Manning.
While no premier date has been set, the series will stream exclusively in over 240 countries and territories on Prime Video, which also serves as one of the NWSL's broadcast partners.
Prime is also gearing up to kick off the upcoming NWSL season by exclusively airing the 2025 Challenge Cup on March 7th. That contest boasts a rematch of the 2024 championship game between the Orlando Pride and the Washington Spirit.
The streamer will then begin their 25-match Friday night regular-season run when the Pride hosts the rebranded Chicago Stars FC on March 14th.