NWSL teams are extending key player contracts, with the Current announcing the re-signing of captain Lo'eau LaBonta on a contract extension through the 2028 NWSL season this week.
"From baseball field to NWSL Shield, I've seen how far we've come and I'm hyped to see how far we can go," the 32-year-old said in the club's contract extension announcement on Thursday. "I've grown with this club and this city, and I've seen how belief turns into history. This new contract is about more than just soccer — it's about building a legacy, one celly at a time."
The top-seeded Current weren't the only team locking down their locker room ahead of this week's 2025 NWSL Playoffs kick off, with Kansas City's quarterfinals foe No. 8-seed Gotham FC also getting in on the deal-making action.
The Bats inked rising star midfielder Jaedyn Shaw to a new multi-year contract extension on Thursday, signing the 20-year-old phenom through the 2029 season less than two months after securing her from the North Carolina Courage in a record-breaking $1.25 million midseason transfer deal.
"Whether we're winning games or losing games, just being around the girls and stuff, I feel like everyone has been so welcoming to me and has made this place feel like home," Shaw told JWS after Thursday's news.
How to watch LaBonta, Shaw in the 2025 NWSL Playoffs
While Thursday saw their respective clubs go all in on their NWSL futures on Thursday, both LaBonta and Shaw will be battling against each other for their team's 2025 success this weekend, as the No. 1 Kansas City Current hosts No. 8 Gotham FC in a win-or-go-home clash on Sunday.
The pair's quarterfinal kicks off at 12:30 PM ET, with live coverage airing on ABC.
The USWNT is changing things up this month, announcing key roster shifts as injuries shake up the player pool ahead of the October window's three-friendly slate.
Seattle Reign midfielder Sam Meza has withdrawn from camp due to a mild hamstring strain, with USWNT head coach Emma Hayes tapping Kansas City Current midfielder Lo'eau LaBonta for her second senior national team call-up to replace Meza.
The 32-year-old earned her first USWNT cap earlier this year, taking the field against China PR on May 31st.
As expected, Washington Spirit forward Trinity Rodman is officially out after spraining her MCL last week, though there will not be a replacement for Rodman on the October USWNT roster, with injuries now putting the player pool at 25 — rather than the original 26 — athletes.
With the addition of LaBonta, the NWSL-leading Current's US roster count rises to four athletes, with midfielder Claire Hutton and forwards Ally Sentnor and Michelle Cooper rounding out the Kansas City reps on the list.
"Every player on [the Current] has a case to be on our team," Hayes told media last week.
How to watch the October USWNT friendlies
The world No. 2 USWNT will first take on No. 23 Portugal at 7 PM ET on Thursday and again at 4 PM ET on Sunday, before closing out the international window against No. 33 New Zealand at 8 PM ET on Wednesday, October 29th.
All three friendlies will air live on TNT.
Big-name NWSL stars could be on the move next season, with the league releasing its list of 2026 free agents on Tuesday.
Two of the USWNT's 2024 Olympic gold medal-winning Triple Espresso frontline — the Washington Spirit's Trinity Rodman and the Portland Thorns' Sophia Wilson — headline the 2026 slate.
Other NWSL standouts like Gotham FC forward Midge Purce, Kansas City Current midfielder Lo'eau LaBonta, and North Carolina Courage goalkeeper Casey Murphy are also eligible to negotiate new contracts — and potentially suit up for other clubs next year.
As per the players' most recent CBA with the league, all athletes whose contracts expire at the end of this season are now 2026 free agents, regardless of the number of years they've competed in the NWSL.
The 2026 free agency period officially began on Tuesday, opening the door for both teams and eligible players to initiate contract discussions and term negotiations for next season.
Even more, 2025 clubs face additional competition in the race to sign their most-wished for players, as new NWSL expansion teams Denver and Boston Legacy FC enter the free agency fray ahead of their 2026 season debuts.
Notably, landing on the free agent list doesn't prohibit a player from simply re-signing with their original club, but it does indicate that any previous deal negotiations have extended beyond the NWSL's July 1st contract extension deadline.
In this week's episode of The Late Sub, host Claire Watkins dives into the individuals who put together standout performances for the USWNT in the team's recent pair of friendlies, from a big update in the goalkeeping race to the squad's multi-layered midfield project.
Watkins also breaks down the missed opportunities amid the USWNT's 3-0 win over China PR and 4-0 victory against Jamaica, as the year of head coach Emma Hayes's great roster experiment crosses the six-month mark.
Diving straight into the players who impressed, Watkins first calls out US captain Lindsey Heaps, applauding her performances while also noting that she "[wishes] maybe [Heaps] was used more situationally than kind of all the time."
"Heaps has so much to give this team, but it is probably against teams like this where they're sitting back a little bit more," explains Watkins. "I don't love her against a press. I don't love her against a super athletic, physical midfield, but in these games, she really shines."
Shifting to the ongoing search to crown retired goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher's replacement, Watkins dubs Manchester United net-minder Phallon Tullis-Joyce — who started both USWNT friendlies — the overall frontrunner.
"Tullis-Joyce honestly reminds me a lot of Alyssa Naeher in her first couple years with the USWNT," says Watkins. "She's calm, she's organized, she's a good shot-stopper. She's a great communicator."
Young talent make strong cases for USWNT roster inclusion
Watkins also sings the praises of several young talents whose performances over the last week will make them hard to drop, including "obvious" choices like forward Alyssa Thompson and attacker Catarina Macario, as well as strike Ally Sentnor and teen midfielder Lily Yohannes.
Callling Yohannes "the freaking truth," Watkins notes that "you're seeing glimpses of what could become truly world-class play against the top teams in the world in a couple of years."
Making a slightly quieter, but no less impactful, case, argues Watkins, is winger Michelle Cooper.
Cooper's consistent refining and improvement have Watkins comparing her progress to star Trinity Rodman's USWNT evolution, saying that top passing is "how [Rodman] worked her way into the team before starting to take more shots. I think Cooper can follow that same game plan."
Missed opportunities leave some players scrambling
Pivoting to the missed opportunities arising from the two friendlies, Watkins calls the center-back pairings "lackluster," celebrating the return of star Naomi Girma and her rock-solid play as well as veteran Emily Sonnett's versatility while critiquing Hayes's decision to not test much depth at the position.
"It just feels like a wasted opportunity with so many other center back injuries," Watkins explains, referencing season-ending injuries to players like Tierna Davidson.
Along with what Watkins calls "rough" set pieces, she notes that less rotation and late subs were a missed opportunity to adequately test fresh faces or build chemistry with other players.
Noting that performances like forward Lynn Biyendolo's Jamaica match, in which she scored a brace off the bench, are "the gold standard," Watkins also questions Hayes's own criticism about the level of play dropping off when athletes aren't given enough minutes to find their feet and make an impact.
Citing talent like defender Emily Sams and midfielders Lo'eau LaBonta and Olivia Moultrie, Watkins posits that the sub patterns "just didn't quite have the focus that I'm sure Hayes was looking for."
"I worry that the players that kind of got dumped into games late never really had a chance, which is this happens at times when they're starting to ramp up," she says.
Overall, Hayes seems to be more obviously honing in on her starting core.
"We're starting to see players get multiple starts.... Those are the players to take seriously as the future of this program," notes Watkins.
"Hayes is being very purposeful with what she wants to see from her starters and what she wants to see from her bench. And there is an increasing gap between those two groups," says Watkins. "So the competition rises next international break."
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.
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.
In their first match since early April, the USWNT didn't miss a beat, comfortably taking down China PR 3-0 to kick off a series of two international friendlies on Saturday.
Forward Catarina Macario opened scoring in the match's 28th minute, before midfielder Sam Coffey doubled the scoreline later in the first half. A header from captain Lindsey Heaps in the 54th minute put the finishing touch on the Saturday victory.
Head coach Emma Hayes's top-ranked USWNT played fluidly against No. 17 China PR, dominating the game's attack with more than 70% possession while notching 18 shots on goal — seven of them on target.
"I feel like I'm working a lot on trying to join the play more, get up in counter-measures. I tend to play it too safe, and think too 'worst-case scenario,' so I was just trying to join," Coffey told TBS after tallying her second international goal.
The match also saw the international debut of 32-year-old midfielder Lo'eau Labonta, who became the oldest player to earn a first cap in USWNT history with her entrance in the game's 70th minute.
"When they called my name, I was sitting being the best cheerleader I could be on the bench," LaBonta joked after the win. "I was like, 'This is amazing. I've never been field-view watching the national team.' It was so cool."
The US will go again against No. 40 Jamaica on Tuesday, but it appears that Hayes's roster reshuffling hasn't yet hindered their ability to control games.
How to watch the USWNT vs. Jamaica friendly this week
The USWNT will take on the Reggae Girlz at 8 PM ET on Tuesday in St. Louis, Missouri, with live coverage on TNT.
In this week's episode of The Late Sub, host Claire Watkins discusses the importance of the current international window for the USWNT and digs into the players who did and did not make head coach Emma Hayes's latest 24-athlete roster.
Watkins begins with those not invited to this week's senior team camp, with Hayes using the concurrent U23 camp as a "minor league" for athletes who "need a little bit more development or need to be in a different training situation or have different leadership structures."
Watkins specifically digs into the placement of midfielder Korbin Albert and forwards Jaedyn Shaw and Mia Fishel with the U23 squad, as well as the overall omission of goalkeeper Jane Campbell.
Honing in on Albert, Watkins calls her U23 spot a demotion, saying "It's wild to me that someone who started the [2024] Olympic gold-medal match for the USWNT is now playing for the U23s when the senior team is in session."
"I think we're stuck in this question of, 'is she good enough or is she not?'" explains Watkins, noting that "Albert isn't giving [Hayes] those all-around performances that validate that roster spot when there are other players that could be given a look."
In contrast, Watkins backs Hayes's decisions to place the versatile Shaw and Fishel — who's still regaining form from a 2024 ACL tear — with the youth team.
Calling her "the player truly out in the cold here," Watkins worries that 30-year-old Campbell might be facing an "always the bridesmaid, never the bride of the US goalkeeper cycle," with Hayes opting for a largely untested trio of Mandy McGlynn, Phallon Tullis-Joyce, and Claudia Dickey as she continues seeking retired star Alyssa Naeher's replacement.
Top NWSL play fuels USWNT roster call-ups
The uncapped Dickey, says Watkins, is one of the players reaping the benefits of Hayes's developmental roster movements.
"She is statistically one of the highest performing goalkeepers in the NWSL this season," notes Watkins about the Seattle Reign starter. "The numbers do not lie. She is one of the best pure shot-stoppers in the league this year, if not the best."
Also snagging a shot at the senior team thanks to stellar NWSL play are Orlando Pride standout and "Swiss Army knife defender" Kerry Abello, Portland Thorns midfielder Olivia Moultrie, and Kansas City Current captain Lo'eau LaBonta.
LaBonta, who headlined this USWNT roster by earning her first-ever call-up at age 32, is a versatile midfielder with, according to Watkins, a "really, really strong" mentality as well as a "wonderful locker room presence."
Citing Hayes's previous comments about the age of certain players causing her to seek younger athletes, Watkins wonders if LaBonta's call-up isn't simply a long-overdue reward for years of top professional play, and instead, perhaps, a sign that Hayes is "learning that you need a little bit of both [youth and experience]."
"I think [LaBonta's] going to make herself hard to drop," states Watkins. "With 2027 only two years away, I'm not betting against LaBonta. She's going into this camp looking for more call-ups. This is not just a 'job well done' situation for her."
Finally, Watkins mentions that many younger players, like Kansas City's Michelle Cooper and Claire Hutton, and Utah's Ally Sentnor, are back in the mix "because they're playing too well for the U23s. They've been put into senior team camp and they've swam — they have not sunk."
Summer friendlies serve as senior team try-outs
The stakes are high for the 24 athletes in this USWNT camp, with small windows to impress Hayes while facing two tough opponents in the upcoming days: May 31st's clash with China PR and a June 3rd date with Jamaica's Reggae Girlz.
"Who's going to be able to elevate their game even if they don't have a ton of experience?," asks Watkins. "It's up to the senior call-ups to make those players that are in the U23s harder to call back in. And those players in the U23s are going to probably have to show new sides of themselves to get back into the fold."
"This is the Emma Hayes system. And I cannot wait to say who says, 'Nope. This is not just a pat on the back. You're not dropping me.'"
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.
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.
Welcome to another episode of Sports Are Fun!
Every week on Sports Are Fun! presented by Amazon Business, co-hosts soccer legend Kelley O'Hara, sports journalist Greydy Diaz, and JWS intern BJ serve up their hottest takes on the biggest women's sports headlines.
This week, the Sports Are Fun! crew is joined on the couch by retired NWSL star and frequent co-host Merritt Mathias. And to get things started, the sports fans in residence looked back on what was a blockbuster WNBA weekend.
The question on everyone's mind? Whether or not the league-leading Minnesota Lynx and New York Liberty can run back their red-hot 2024 WNBA postseason run.
"Teams that are not having declines are the Lynx and the Liberty," O'Hara introduces, coming off a brief chat about the early-season shakeups over at the Indiana Fever. "Both are undefeated. Phee is off to an incredible start. Continuing her monster year from Unrivaled into the league, she's leading in points."
"Do y'all think that we're going to see Lynx-Liberty again in the finals this year?" she asks. "Do you think it's too early to make that assumption? Or are we're like, 'No this is what we're going to do.'"
"It's too early. But I I am hopeful that it happens again," says Mathias. "I thought it was an incredible matchup. When you watched in person, it was incredibly intense. There was competition to the very end of games. It was what you want from a championship series."
"And I think Phee deserves all the time in those moments," she adds. "So does Breanna Stewart. The players on those teams are just really fun to watch."
Along with predicting this year's WNBA finals matchup, the Sports Are Fun! hosts break down Caitlin Clark’s injury, the latest USWNT roster, and so much more!
'Sports Are Fun!' congrats Lo’eau LaBonta on her first USWNT roster call-up
Next up, the team subsequently hashes out the latest USWNT roster. More specifically, the surprise call-ups. And that includes a first-ever camp invitation for KC Current star — and celly queen — Lo’eau LaBonta.
"Moving from the court to the pitch, this past week the US women's national team announced their next camp's roster," O'Hara starts. "I want to shout out Lo’eau [LaBonta] — I'm super stoked about her call-up."
"I think this is just awesome, from a perspective of how your play in the NWSL matters," she continues. "And she's maybe the oldest player to ever get called in to a camp for the first time."
"She's 32," adds Diaz.
"I definitely did see on social media that she's the oldest," agrees BJ.
"I think Lo’eau should have been called in awhile ago," says O'Hara. "But I really like that it's happening now. And she's not getting looked over because she is 32, because she's never been called in before. This shows Emma [Hayes] is watching the NWSL."
"Emma came out with a quote saying that they were agonizing over trying to decide if she should have called in Lo’eau for the Olympics last summer," says BJ. "But she ended up ultimately not going with it because they wanted more experience."
"I really think that she is a special player," says O'Hara. "How she's led Kansas City — I'm really excited to see her take that to the national team."
About 'Sports Are Fun!' with Kelley O'Hara
'Sports Are Fun!' is a show that’ll remind you why you fell in love with women's sports in the first place.
Join World Cup champ, Olympic gold medalist, and aspiring barista Kelley O'Hara as she sits down with sports journalist Greydy Diaz and a revolving cast of co-hosts and friends. Together, they're talking the biggest, funnest, and most need-to-know stories in the world of women’s sports.
From on-court drama to off-field shenanigans, to candid (and silly) chats with the most important personalities in the space, this show screams "Sports Are Fun!"
Subscribe to Just Women's Sports on YouTube to never miss an episode.
Another USWNT roster arrived on Tuesday, with head coach Emma Hayes tapping 24 players for the world No. 1 team's upcoming early summer friendlies against No. 17 China PR and No. 40 Jamaica.
Featuring both mainstays and prospects, the lineup showcases Hayes's interest in developing young standouts while also highlighting returning regulars — and one unexpected favorite.
USWNT staples like Crystal Dunn, Emily Sonnett, Lindsey Heaps, and Lynn Biyendolo are back, balancing out less experienced players like forwards Michelle Cooper and Emma Sears, midfielder Claire Hutton, and defender and first-time call-up Kerry Abello.
One uncapped invitee doesn't fit the US's ongoing youth movement mold, with 32-year-old Kansas City captain and celly queen Lo'eau LaBonta earning her first national team nod.
"First of all, she's deserving of the call-up," Hayes told reporters on Tuesday morning, praising the midfielder's NWSL play. "She’s being consistent in everything that she has done. And with the volume of young players or less experienced players we're bringing in, I think we have to get that balance right."
Angel City sister duo Alyssa and Gisele Thompson also made the cut, with Hayes shifting Gisele from defender to forward ahead of the younger Thompson's possible fourth senior cap.
European club players also returned to the spotlight, with Ajax's Lily Yohannes, Chelsea's Naomi Girma and Catarina Macario, Arsenal's Emily Fox, and Manchester United's Phallon Tullis-Joyce heading to camp alongside Dunn (PSG) and Heaps (OL Lyonnes).
Hayes also noted that former call-ups Jaedyn Shaw (North Carolina), Mia Fishel (Chelsea), and Korbin Albert (PSG) will spend the break with the USWNT U-23 squad, calling time with the youth team "what I felt has been really missing for a lot of players."
USWNT goalkeeper competition continues
Tullis-Joyce as well as Utah's Mandy McGlynn and Seattle’s uncapped Claudia Dickey will feature in goal, as the search to replace retired USWNT legend Alyssa Naeher continues.
"The data don't lie — Claudia Dickey's probably the best performing goalkeeper in the NWSL this season," Hayes said of the US newcomer.
Notably, Houston's Jane Campbell will not be joining the team, despite the longtime reserve keeper's 10 caps and six clean sheets for the USWNT.
All in all, Tuesday's roster marks one of Hayes's more diverse lineups, with this window's friendly opponents allowing her the freedom to test out new configurations.
Expect the US boss's next roster to be a bit less experimental, as the stakes will raise with late June's three-match slate against No. 26 Ireland and No. 7 Canada.
The May/June 2025 USWNT roster
- Goalkeepers: Claudia Dickey (Seattle Reign FC) Mandy McGlynn (Utah Royals), Phallon Tullis-Joyce (Manchester United)
- Defenders: Kerry Abello (Orlando Pride), Crystal Dunn (Paris Saint-Germain), Emily Fox (Arsenal FC), Naomi Girma (Chelsea FC), Tara McKeown (Washington Spirit), Avery Patterson (Houston Dash), Emily Sams (Orlando Pride), Emily Sonnett (Gotham FC)
- Midfielders: Sam Coffey (Portland Thorns FC), Lindsey Heaps (OL Lyonnes), Claire Hutton (Kansas City Current), Lo’eau LaBonta (Kansas City Current), Olivia Moultrie (Portland Thorns FC), Lily Yohannes (Ajax)
- Forwards: Lynn Biyendolo (Seattle Reign FC), Michelle Cooper (Kansas City Current), Catarina Macario (Chelsea FC), Emma Sears (Racing Louisville), Ally Sentnor (Utah Royals), Alyssa Thompson (Angel City FC), Gisele Thompson (Angel City FC)
How to watch the upcoming USWNT friendlies
The 24-player USWNT roster will kick off their upcoming friendlies by taking on China PR at 5:30 PM ET on Saturday, May 31st, in St. Paul, Minnesota. Live coverage of the match will air on TBS.
Then on Tuesday, June 3rd, the US will face Jamaica in St. Louis, Missouri, with the 8 PM ET match airing live on TNT.
Welcome back to Fast Friends with Kelley O'Hara and Lisa Leslie!
Fast Friends brought the party to Kansas City on Thursday, as co-hosts Lisa Leslie and Kelley O'Hara, plus a roster of superstar guests, kicked off the 2024 NWSL Championship Weekend in style.
Retirement, goal cellies, NWSL title predictions, and more dominated conversation as league heavy-hitters Ali Riley, Merritt Mathias, Lo’eau LaBonta, and Kate del Fava — plus reps from each of the two championship contenders, Orlando's Carson Pickett and Washington's Croix Bethune and Ashley Hatch — took to the stage in front of a live audience.
The intrepid hosts also recapped the NWSL semifinals, including a mixup that saw Leslie texting O'Hara at exactly the wrong moment.
"I didn't really understand that they were going to add more time to the clock," Leslie explained, referencing her confusion over Washington's stoppage-time equalizer against O'Hara's Gotham FC.
"I got a text that was like, 'LETS GO!,'" laughed O'Hara. "And I'm like, 'Is she cheering for the Spirit?'"
About Fast Friends with Kelley O'Hara and Lisa Leslie
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.
On Monday, Gotham FC beat Seattle 2-0, snapping the Reign's seven-game NWSL unbeaten streak behind goals from midfielder Delanie Sheehan and striker Esther González.
The road win saw Gotham leapfrog Kansas City to claim third place in the standings — prime positioning as NY/NJ stares down a second-straight NWSL championship.
Seattle, on the other hand, sits in 11th place with only six matches left. The Reign will need to rack up as many wins as possible to keep their postseason dreams alive.
Rodman ups the celly game in the NWSL
In lighter NWSL news, Washington star Trinity Rodman hit her second NBA-inspired celly of the season on Sunday.
After launching a rocket to secure the Spirit's 3-0 win over Houston, Rodman dropped to the pitch, curled up, closed her eyes, and laid her head on her hands in a nod to Steph Curry's signature "night, night" action.
The move followed last week's slam dunk celly. After netting an equalizer, Rodman leapt into the air while sprinting toward new Spirit investor and NBA legend, Magic Johnson.
LaBonta's NWSL cellies give Rodman stiff competition
While iconic celebrations have become part of the NWSL's DNA, Rodman’s main competitor in this season's top celly race is Kansas City’s Lo’eau LaBonta.
The midfielder’s 2024 highlights include mirroring gymnast Simone Biles’s Olympic floor routine, using the ball as a baby bump, and recreating the signature lift from Dirty Dancing.