Gotham FC set the scene for NWSL club's 2025 season on Tuesday, dropping their official 24-athlete roster and new player-led leadership group while handing longtime USWNT defender Tierna Davidson the captain’s armband ahead of Saturday’s regular-season kick-off.

At 26 years old, the 2019 World Cup champion and 2024 Olympic gold medalist succeeds retired goalkeeper Michelle Betos as the NJ/NY squad's captain, heading up Gotham’s leadership alongside fellow defenders Jess Carter and Mandy Freeman, as well as midfielders Rose Lavelle and Nealy Martin.

Gotham also removed star forward Midge Purce from her season-ending injury designation on Tuesday, opening the door for the 29-year-old USWNT standout to return to the NWSL pitch for the first time since tearing her ACL in last season's opener.

The 2023 NWSL Championship MVP tallied 16 goals across her 46 career appearances for Gotham before sitting out the entirety of the 2024 season.

Gotham FC midfielder Nealy Martin warns up before an NWSL match.
Gotham midfielder Nealy Martin will serve on the club's 2025 leadership group. (Ira L. Black - Corbis/Getty Images)

Gotham aims for successful 2025 behind refreshed roster

Following last year’s third-place finish, the 2023 NWSL champs saw a handful of big-name departures, prompting the club to adopt a more measured approach to this season’s roster rebuild.

"Change is normal in this environment, right?" Martin told JWS in January. "People have got to do what’s best for their career, but it hurts losing your friends on your team just personally, selfishly."

"Professionally, you have to take it in stride and see how all the new pieces can fit together," she continued. "How you can highlight new people’s best talent in the system that you’re playing."

Once considered a superteam, Gotham definitely looks a little different this time around, but early season moves display the club's interest in transforming steady consistency into a winning squad — with or without massively deep star power.

Gotham FC forward Midge Purce prepares a corner kick during a 2024 NWSL match.
After missing the 2024 season with injury, Midge Purce could make her Gotham return shortly. (Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)

Gotham FC's official 2025 team roster

A red card on goalkeeper Mandy Haught in stoppage time nearly spelled disaster, but the Gotham FC held on for a 2-1 win over OL Reign in the NWSL Championship.

Haught reached an arm outside the box to bat the ball away, which earned her a handball violation and an ejection for denial of an obvious goal-scoring opportunity after the first VAR review in NWSL Championship history. With Gotham out of substitutions, defender Nealy Martin took her place in net, donning an oversized goalkeeper jersey.

The ensuing free kick from Reign midfielder Rose Lavelle bounced off the wall of players between her and the net. The final whistle blew moments later, sealing victory for Gotham.

The action-packed match included goals from Lynn Williams and Esther González for Gotham, both off assists from Championship MVP Midge Purce. Lavelle scored the lone goal for the Reign, who played most of the match without retiring star Megan Rapinoe after she exited with a suspected Achilles injury in the sixth minute.

Just Women’s Sports writer Claire Watkins broke down the action in San Diego.