The 2025 NWSL season more than delivered, raising stakes and fueling drama both on and off the field.
From Spirit star Trinity Rodman's goal-scoring injury return to Kansas City's history Shield victory, the year was defined by ups and downs, resilience and growth, and myriad milestones. Investment reached new heights, kicked off by Denver's 2026 expansion team bid and Naomi Girma's million-dollar transfer — a global first for women's soccer.
Off the pitch, the work continued. The year saw a $5 million settlement addressing past misconduct and the introduction of the league's first prospect combine. As for in-game action, the Challenge Cup, Euros, and playoff race additionally showcased the league's unrivaled parity.
This month-by-month review recaps all the unforgettable highlights that made the 2025 NWSL season yet another a defining chapter for the league.
January: Denver lands record bid for 2026 NWSL expansion team
In January, the NWSL approved Denver's bid to become the league's 16th franchise, set to begin play in 2026. The deal came with a then-record $110 million price tag, at the time highest-ever in US professional women's sports. Led by Rob Cohen and Mellody Hobson, the ownership group announced plans to build a dedicated stadium, highlighting the league's financial growth and commitment to expansion.
Runner up: San Diego's Naomi Girma signs with Chelsea in record $1.1 million transfer deal
Wave defender Naomi Girma kicked off the year by transferring to reigning WSL champions Chelsea FC in a historic deal. The transfer fee was a record-breaking $1.1 million, becoming the first in women's soccer history to cross the million-dollar mark. It became a new benchmark for player valuation, further solidifying the competitive tension between the NWSL and European clubs.
February: NWSL raises salary cap ahead of 2025 season kick-off
In February, the NWSL significantly raised team spending in accordance with the most recent league CBA. The salary cap shot up to $3.3 million for a 22-to-26 player roster, supplemented by a new revenue-sharing mechanism. This increase — featuring planned growth over five years — aimed to up player compensation and better compete with European clubs after the league's first full season of unrestricted free agency.
Runner up: NWSL reaches $5 million settlement over abuse investigation
Earlier, the NWSL reached a $5 million settlement to compensate players impacted by the league's historic cultural issues. The result of a joint multi-year investigation by state Attorneys General, the settlement signaled a renewed commitment to accountability, and paved the way for reforms enhancing player safety and welfare.
March: Washington Spirit win the 2025 NWSL Challenge Cup in penalties
The Spirit claimed their second trophy in March, winning the 2025 NWSL Challenge Cup over reigning NWSL champions Orlando. The final ended 1-1 in regulation after Washington equalized behind a free kick goal from Colombia star Leicy Santos — the second-ever direct free kick goal in NWSL final history. It then moved to penalty kicks. That's when Spirit goalkeeper Aubrey Kingsbury made the difference, securing a penalty save before Tara McKeown converted a shot for the 4-2 win.
Runner up: Boston NWSL expansion team rebrands to Boston Legacy FC
Following public criticism of their initial rollout, Boston's NWSL expansion team — formerly BOSNation — officially rebranded to Boston Legacy FC in March. The new name drew on New England's rich history and women's soccer ties, while also incorporating fan feedback and community connection.
April: Trinity Rodman steps away from Washington Spirit to rehab injury
Washington's Trinity Rodman was ruled out indefinitely in April, stepping away from the team to focus on rehabbing a lingering back injury. Rodman had struggled with the issue since 2021, opting to prioritize recovery in hopes of returning before the season's end. Her absence was a blow to the Spirit, bringing up questions about her future with the team and long-term load management.
Runner up: NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman says league could rival NFL in size
NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman made a bold statement in April, saying the league could one day rival the NFL's 32-team field. The prediction highlighted the NWSL's financial rise, exploding fanbase, and eye toward global dominance while underlining its goal to become a major US player. The league welcomed its 17th team in Atlanta in November, with their eyes reportedly on an 18-team setup by 2028.
May: Savy King's medical emergency stirs up player welfare concerns
In May, Angel City FC defender Savy King collapsed mid-match in a regular season game against the Utah Royals. She required 10 minutes of on-field medical attention before being stretchered off, later undergoing surgery for a heart abnormality. The incident sparked criticism after officials decided the game would resume, leading the NWSLPA to demand protocol changes requiring suspension whenever life-saving measures are needed.
Runner up: Gotham wins inaugural Concacaf W Champions Cup
Gotham won May's inaugural Concacaf W Champions Cup, with the victory automatically punching their ticket to the upcoming FIFA Women's Champions Cup. The continental win brought a new international trophy to the NWSL, elevating the league's profile while subsequently setting the stage for Gotham's eventual 2025 NWSL championship.
June: Coach Jonatan Giraldez departs Washington Spirit for Lyonnes in midseason shakeup
Heads turned in June when Spirit coach Jonatan Giráldez left the NWSL midseason to take over French side — and fellow Michele Kang-owned operation — OL Lyonnes. Giráldez, who joined the Spirit after success with FC Barcelona, was immediately succeeded by assistant coach and 2024 interim Adrián González. The move raised questions about Kang's multi-team ownership, and the billionaire's plans for her global company, Kynisca Sports International.
Runner up: San Diego Wave honors Alex Morgan with jersey retirement ceremony
The San Diego Wave honored club icon and USWNT legend Alex Morgan with a June jersey retirement ceremony. The event recognized Morgan's pivotal role in the 2022 expansion team's success, plus her lasting impact on US soccer. Her retirement marked the conclusion of a celebrated career, leaving a legacy of championships and advocacy for women's sports athletes.
July: NWSL stars light up 2025 Women's Euros
As the NWSL pressed pause, several league players headed to Switzerland for the UEFA Women's Euro 2025. Representing Spain, Gotham's Esther González finished as the tournament's top scorer, earning the Golden Boot award for her four goals and leading Spain to a second-place finish. Seattle's Jess Fishlock captained Wales through their major tournament debut. Fishlock eventually made history by scoring their first-ever Euros goal — while also becoming the oldest goalscorer in tournament history.
San Diego's Delphine Cascarino provided an attacking force for France, with two goals and two assists, including a Goal of the Tournament nominee against the Netherlands. Washington newcomer Sofia Cantore tallied three assists for Italy, playing a pivotal role in her team's underdog journey.
Germany and Gotham goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger played quarterfinal hero against France, with nine saves and two penalty blocks to help her team advance. Finally, Berger's partner and Gotham teammate Jess Carter linked up with Spirit standout Esme Morgan to fuel England all the way to back-to-back Euros titles.
August: Spirit striker Trinity Rodman scores game-winner in return from injury
In an emotional return to play, Washington superstar Trinity Rodman scored the game-winning goal against Portland in August. Subbing in late in the match, Rodman fired home the stoppage-time strike to lift the Spirit over the Thorns 2-1. The dramatic contribution cemented Rodman's comeback after four months spent away from the team nursing a lingering back injury.
Runner up: Bay FC sets NWSL attendance record at San Francisco's Oracle Park
Washington defeated Bay FC 3-2 at San Francisco's Oracle Park in August — but the real headline came from the record-breaking 40,091-strong crowd, setting a new single-game NWSL attendance benchmark. That number shattered the previous NWSL high of 35,038, set the previous year at Chicago's Wrigley Field. Bay FC coach Albertin Montoya called it "a historic moment," praising both the quality of play and the atmosphere. Spirit coach Adrián González echoed the sentiment, saying the setup and the fans made the match "something unique."
September: Kansas City Current win 2025 NWSL Shield in record fashion
Kansas City won the 2025 NWSL Shield on September 20th after a 2-0 victory over Seattle, clinching the title faster than any prior NWSL team. The victory solidified the Current's No. 1 playoff seed and home-field advantage, officially rendering them the winningest team in NWSL history. It additionally capped a dominant season that included a record nine-match shutout streak and 14 clean sheets behind Goalkeeper of the Year Lorena.
Runner up: NWSL announces first-ever prospect combine
Concurrently, the NWSL unveiled a major new initiative in September. The league replaced the CBA-abolished college draft with the league's first-ever prospect combine. The event is intended to create a more streamlined player evaluation pathway, while better preparing college athletes for the pros and enhancing talent acquisition across the NWSL.
October: Angel City stars Christen Press and Ali Riley announce pro soccer retirements
Angel City lost two titans in October, as captain Ali Riley and USWNT legend Christen Press announced they were hanging up their boots. First-ever ACFC captain Riley retired after overcoming a chronic nerve injury that sidelined her for much of 2024. Two-time World Champion Press also concluded her decorated run after struggling with knee injuries throughout her career.
Runner up: Houston ends Kansas City's 2025 NWSL unbeaten streak as Temwa Chawinga exits with injury
The Houston Dash ended the Kansas City Current's unbeaten streak in a hard-fought October 18th match. The victory, however, was overshadowed by star Kansas City forward — and 2025 NWSL Golden Boot winner — Temwa Chawinga's early exit. Chawinga's availability became an instant concern for the league-leaders as they headed into the final weeks of the regular season. The fears proved correct, as she had to sit out Kansas City's shocking quarterfinal loss in the playoffs.
November: Rose Lavelle fuels Gotham's 2025 NWSL Championship win
No. 8 Gotham lifted the 2025 NWSL trophy, pulling off a final upset over No. 2 Washington to win a second championship in three years — once again as the lowest seed. Gotham's defense held court, limiting Washington to zero shots on target and setting their attack up to seize opportunities. A second-half ankle knock saw Spirit midfielder Hal Hershfelt leave Washington down a player as she sought sideline treatment. Gotham's NWSL Final MVP Rose Lavelle subsequently broke the deadlock with the Spirit in disarray, launching an 80th-minute strike to secure the 1-0 victory — and her first league title.
Runner up: Racing Louisville clinches first-ever NWSL playoff appearance
On November 2nd's Decision Day, Racing Louisville clinched a franchise-first trip to the NWSL playoffs. As the No. 7 seed, Louisville set a new club record with 37 points and 10 wins on the season. While their run ended in a quarterfinal loss to Washington, the appearance marked a significant milestone after four consecutive 9th-place finishes. The team's achievement earned manager Bev Yanez 2025 Coach of the Year at the league's end-of-season awards.
The No. 1 Kansas City Current hit an unexpected skid on Saturday, when the 2025 NWSL Shield-winners suffered a 1-0 upset loss to the No. 10 Houston Dash — and lost their star striker, Temwa Chawinga, to injury along the way.
Despite leading the match in shots, shots on goal, and possession, the defeat snapped the Current's 17-game unbeaten streak, leaving the club one result short of setting a new franchise record.
"Sometimes things like this will happen," Kansas City head coach Vlatko Andonovski said postgame. "You're going to dominate, you're going to do everything well, but you're not going to score a goal…. I'm glad it happened now and not two games from now."
The loss stings, but with the top postseason berth already secured, Kansas City's concern turns to their 2024 MVP after Chawinga exited the match with a non-contact injury.
A knock to the upper right leg saw the Malawi international wheeled off the pitch in the 29th minute, with Andonovski later clarifying that it was not a knee injury.
Considered a frontrunner to repeat as both NWSL MVP and Golden Boot winner, the 27-year-old leads the league in scoring this season with 15 goals over 23 appearances.
While Kansas City is still awaiting a specific diagnosis for their star striker, time could be on the Current's side, as this week's international break gives Chawinga a moment to rest before her club closes out their 2025 NWSL regular season — and, more importantly, takes aim at a championship run.
How to watch the next Kansas City Current match
The league-leading Current will be back in action on NWSL Decision Day, with Kansas City closing out their 2025 regular-season campaign by hosting the No. 5 San Diego Wave on Sunday, November 2nd.
The time and broadcast details for the 2025 season's Decision Day will drop at a later date at NWSLSoccer.com.
The Houston Dash are on the brink of a $120 million sale, with Sportico reporting on Wednesday that owner Ted Segal is in advanced talks on a deal that would sever the NWSL club's ties to their MLS counterpart, the Segal-owned Houston Dynamo.
Any agreement is likely to face extensive reviews, however, with questions arising about the funding sources of the buyer, RHC Group.
Namely, RHC Group founder Richard Hsiao is the 24-year-old US-born son of Chinese billionaire Jianhua Xiao, who's currently serving a 13-year prison sentence for what the Chinese government described as financial crimes.
According to Sportico sources, RHC's funds do not have ties to Hsiao's father, but instead originate from "the independent wealth of Hsiao's mother, Zhou Hongwen."
While the NWSL traces the proposed deal's funding, Hsiao is already going through the league's standard background check, a process he reportedly began months ago.
Characterizing the league's "due diligence process" as "ongoing," the NWSL said, "As with all such matters, the NWSL Board of Governors retains full authority to approve or deny any ownership change based on the league's governance standards."
Should the Dash sale go through, the prospective new owners reportedly intend to invest in club infrastructure while keeping the team in Houston.
Angel City FC is on the brink of elimination from making the 2025 NWSL Playoffs, with the No. 11 LA club sitting seven points below the postseason cutoff line after falling to 2025 Shield-winners Kansas City 1-0 on Monday.
"There's no more losses at this point," Angel City center back and captain Sarah Gorden said postgame. "It's win or go home. We're going to have to put that into training this week, and come out and find something in us next weekend."
With only three games left in the regular season, Angel City will face the No. 10 Houston Dash, No. 4 Portland Thorns, and No. 14 Chicago Stars to close out their 2025 campaign.
"I know that if we can perform like this going forward, we will win a lot of football games," LA head coach Alexander Straus said after Monday's hard-fought loss.
In a season headlined by high-profile departures, Angel City now faces their second straight season missing the NWSL Playoffs, having reached the postseason just once since their 2022 debut.
However, that lone run to the playoffs could give this year's squad some hope — the LA club clinched their first and only postseason berth on the final day of the 2023 regular season.
As for the Current, the spoils keep coming for No. 1 Kansas City, who set a new NWSL single-season record with their 19th win on Monday — all while continuing the club's second-longest unbeaten run of 16 games.
"We believe so much in the process that we know if we execute everything at some point, we are going to be successful," said Kansas City head coach Vlatko Andonovski.
With just four regular-season matchdays remaining in the 2025 NWSL season, the clock is quickly ticking down for teams making a late push to rise above the postseason cutoff line on the league table — including the No. 10 Houston Dash.
Currently sitting three points outside of playoff contention, a motivated Houston side will look to make a leap against No. 5 Orlando on Friday night, as the defending champion Pride continues reeling from their recently snapped nine-game NWSL winless streak.
"For us, the next couple of matches are finals," Dash head coach Fabrice Gautrat said after last weekend's 4-0 loss to the No. 2 Washington Spirit. "We have to keep approaching it one game at a time like we've been doing, but we definitely have to have a response against the Orlando Pride."
Notably, Houston enters Friday's matchup with new firepower in the midfield, as teen phenom Chloe Ricketts joins the Dash as a short-term signing from the Spirit before she moves to incoming expansion side Boston Legacy FC in 2026.
"[Ricketts] is very lively, has great energy, great attitude, is eager and ambitious," said Gautrat of Houston's Wednesday signee. "She could play anywhere on our front line, to be honest."
How to watch the Houston Dash vs. Orlando Pride
The No. 10 Houston Dash will host the No. 5 Orlando Pride at 8 PM ET on Friday, with live coverage airing on Prime.
The Washington Spirit punched their ticket to the 2025 NWSL Playoffs over the weekend, downing the No. 10 Houston Dash 4-0 on Sunday to maintain a six-point grip on No. 2 behind Shield-winners Kansas City.
En route to clinching the 2025 Playoffs, Spirit striker Gift Monday scored a first-half hat trick in just 36 minutes — the fastest in the Washington club's history at Audi Field.
"I want to say a very big thank you to my coach for trusting me and giving me the opportunity to start in this game," said Monday afterwards. "I think the hat trick has been waiting for me for a very long time."
With only four regular-season match-weeks remaining and just six points separating No. 3 from No. 9 in the NWSL standings, the battle for the league's final six postseason berths is heating up.
No. 3 Gotham FC is on a roll, extending their unbeaten streak to six games with Friday's emphatic 3-0 win over the No. 6 Portland Thorns, while No. 8 Louisville still clings to their spot just above the postseason cutoff line thanks to a 1-0 Saturday win over No. 11 Angel City — Racing's first victory in five matches.
Meanwhile, the No. 5 Orlando Pride halted their fall down the table by snapping a nine-match winless streak with a 2-1 victory over the No. 7 San Diego Wave on Friday — the reigning league champions' first three-point NWSL result since June 13th.
While the No. 1 Kansas City Current have officially run away with the 2025 NWSL Shield, the race for top playoff seeding rages on, as the No. 2 Washington Spirit fights to hold their ground against an unpredictable No. 9 Houston Dash this Sunday.
Bolstered by star Trinity Rodman's return from injury, the Spirit enter the weekend on a nine-game unbeaten streak, going up against a motivated Dash side sitting just two points outside of postseason contention.
"Every game we just need to be a lot more clinical in the final third," Rodman said after last weekend's 2-2 draw with No. 11 Angel City. "We're doing all the hard stuff and then it's [lacking] quality at the end."
Washington isn't without top-table challengers, with No. 3 Gotham FC riding their own five-game unbeaten streak into a Friday night match against the No. 4 Portland Thorns, who sit tied for points with both the Bats and the No. 5 San Diego Wave in the NWSL standings.
"At this stage, almost everyone still has a real chance to make the playoffs, which is great for the league," said Gotham manager Juan Carlos Amorós after the Bats' 1-1 draw with Bay FC last Sunday. "But it also means nothing can be taken for granted."
How to watch the Washington Spirit and Gotham FC this weekend
No. 3 Gotham FC kicks off this weekend's NWSL action when they host the No. 4 Portland Thorns at 8 PM ET on Friday, with live coverage on NWSL+.
Then in Sunday's NWSL action, the No. 9 Houston Dash will visit the No. 2 Washington Spirit at 1 PM ET, airing live on Paramount+.
No. 8 Gotham FC's results disparity deepened this week, as the NJ/NY club claimed all three points off Liga MX side Monterrey in Wednesday's Concacaf W Champions Cup group-stage play after falling 2-1 to the No. 11 Houston Dash last Sunday — leaving the 2023 league champs without an NWSL win since late June.
Gotham has struggled in the league since returning from summer break, entering the match weekend with two draws in addition to Sunday's upset — fueled in part by veteran defender Emily Sonnett's own goal — under their belts this month.
"We try to always look at the glass half full instead of half empty," head coach Juan Carlos Amorós said after last weekend's loss. "Football sometimes throws you some difficult curves."
Now hitting the pitch on short rest, Gotham will aim to take advantage of the last-place Utah Royals on Saturday as they hunt a boost in the NWSL standings.
With just one regular-season win this year, the No. 14 Royals look ready for an offseason refresh after recently sending star forward Ally Sentnor to the No. 1 Kansas City Current.
"I think we're at 60%," Utah manager Jimmy Coenraets said earlier this week. "The 40% margin is getting people to be able to play 90 minutes in the way that we wanted to play."
How to watch Saturday's Gotham FC vs. Utah Royals FC match
No. 8 Gotham will kick off against the visiting No. 14 Utah Royals at 7:30 PM ET on Saturday.
Live coverage of the match will air on ION.
The first-ever NWSL Rivalry Weekend went off with a bang, with the Portland Thorns emerging as the slates's biggest winner following a definitive 4-2 victory over the Seattle Reign on Sunday.
Four different Thorns goal-scorers found the back of the net to extend Portland's home unbeaten streak to 10 matches.
"Rivalry games are like no other, and to be able to score in front of this crowd was such a great feeling," said Portland forward Pietra Tordin after registering the Thorns' fourth and final goal.
Even more, the result saw the Thorns leapfrog the Reign to claim fifth place in the NWSL standings — the only match to to shift the table all weekend as the bulk of the action ended in draws.
On Saturday, the No. 3 Washington Spirit and No. 8 Gotham FC saw the fireworks fizzle out in a scoreless draw, while a second-half stoppage-time equalizer from No. 11 Angel City's Alanna Kennedy secured the LA side a 1-1 draw with the No. 4 San Diego Wave.
The only other teams to tally three points were Friday victors No. 1 Kansas City and No. 12 Houston, with the Current picking off the No. 14 Utah Royals 1-0 behind star striker Temwa Chawinga's record-breaking goal while the Dash downed the recently coach-less No. 9 North Carolina Courage 2-1.
Call it competitive or call it cagey, but teams across the league have kept scorelines tight and tidy since the NWSL returned to play this month.
2025 NWSL standings: Week 15
1. Kansas City Current (13-2-0)
2. Orlando Pride (8-4-3)
3. Washington Spirit (8-4-3)
4. San Diego Wave FC (7-3-5)
5. Portland Thorns FC (7-4-4)
6. Seattle Reign FC (7-5-3)
7. Racing Louisville FC (6-6-3)
8. Gotham FC (5-5-5)
9. North Carolina Courage (5-6-4)
10. Bay FC (4-6-5)
11. Angel City FC (4-7-4)
12. Houston Dash (4-8-3)
13. Chicago Stars FC (1-9-5)
14. Utah Royals (1-11-3)
The North Carolina Courage cut ties with head coach Sean Nahas on Wednesday, abruptly announcing the manager's firing ahead of the NWSL team's Friday night match against the Houston Dash.
The brief club announcement noted that the termination was "effective immediately."
"The North Carolina Courage remain focused on the continued development of the team and maintaining a professional, competitive environment for players, staff, and supporters," the team said in a statement.
Nahas has helmed the Courage since October 2021, first taking over as interim head coach following the firing of embattled ex-manager Paul Riley. The club elevated the now-47-year-old to permanent manager prior to the 2022 season.
Across his nearly four years in Cary, Nahas amassed an overall 36-35-19 record while leading the Courage to two NWSL Challenge Cup trophies and a pair of playoff berths.
A Thursday morning press conference with NC Courage sporting director Ceri Bowley and director of communications Jake Levy did not reveal any specificities surrounding Nahas's dismissal, with Bowley simply saying the decision was based on a "multitude of factors."
"The standards of this club are extremely high, and it was felt that there [were] reasons that we needed to make a change in order to uphold the standards that we expect of the North Carolina Courage," he added.
The Courage currently sit just outside the postseason cutoff line at No. 9 on the 2025 NWSL table.
Assistant coach Nathan Thackeray will lead the team as they travel to Houston to face the No. 12 Dash on Friday.