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+.
The NWSL promises a tense mid-table battle this weekend, as the No. 4 Portland Thorns take on the No. 5 San Diego Wave with both teams looking to keep late-season lags at bay.
After strong starts, the Thorns and Wave each have just one win in their last five games, with San Diego aiming to snap a two-game losing streak after falling to Gotham last weekend.
Even more, both clubs currently sit in a four-way tie for points on the NWSL table, giving Saturday's match extra weight in potentially shifting the standings this weekend.
"It's a really important moment for us as a team," said San Diego head coach Jonas Eidevall. "Because adversity will happen to people or teams at various points, and everything about now is how we respond."
Portland will also look to regain ground, perhaps drawing inspiration from the past after announcing Wednesday that the club plans to retire legendary forward Christine Sinclair's jersey in an October 4th ceremony.
Sinclair established herself as the Portland Thorns' all-time leading scorer, retiring last year with 79 goals across all NWSL competitions — the second-most ever scored by an NWSL player.
How to watch the Portland Thorns vs. San Diego Wave
The No. 4 Portland Thorns will host the No. 5 San Diego Wave at 10 PM ET on Saturday, with live coverage of the NWSL match airing on ION.
Jaedyn Shaw hit the ground running in her Gotham FC debut this weekend, as the NJ/NY club's recent $1.25 million-dollar signing scored against her former club in Friday's 2-0 win over the now-No. 5 San Diego Wave — helping boost the Bats to No. 3 in the 2025 NWSL standings.
"This year has been really difficult," an emotional Shaw said after the match. "I'm so grateful for this team and the opportunities I've gotten this year…. I'm extremely grateful for this moment."
The 20-year-old previously shattered scoring records during her time with San Diego, but struggled this year after her offseason transfer to the North Carolina Courage.
Already finding the back of the net for her new team, Shaw will look to put the past behind her as Gotham extends their climb up the table, having risen from No. 8 to No. 3 behind a four-game unbeaten streak that now includes three straight wins.
Gotham forward Esther González is also excelling, retaking the lead in the 2025 NWSL Golden Boot race by tallying her 13th goal of the season in the last minute of Friday's first half against the Wave.
With the club gaining momentum and the 2025 NWSL Playoffs looming, Gotham is looking to make a run to add a second championship trophy to their 2023 title.
"Even in the most difficult moments, they've stayed united, kept pushing together, and kept working hard. That's been our key," said head coach Juan Carlos Amorós after Friday's match.
Splashy new Gotham FC addition Jaedyn Shaw is returning West, as the No. 6 NY/NJ club preps for a Friday night clash against the No. 3 San Diego Wave — Shaw's original NWSL team — days after signing the USWNT prospect from the No. 11 North Carolina Courage.
"I'm so excited to be a part of this incredible club and community," the 20-year-old said after her NWSL-record $1.25 million transfer to Gotham. "I'm looking forward to playing alongside world class players and giving my all to help the team win another championship."
After finding immediate success with the Wave in 2023, Shaw requested a trade to the Courage in January 2025, initiating what turned out to be a short stint in Cary, NC.
"I've grown so much just over the past few months, being at the Courage," Shaw told ESPN on Thursday. "I feel like I've matured a lot. I've had to experience things that I haven't necessarily experienced in my career and having to deal with those things."
Gotham and Shaw are currently "working toward an updated and extended contract," per a team release on Thursday, with the young attacker looking to boost Gotham's offense while adding to her 16-goal and five-assist NWSL career tally.
How to watch the San Diego Wave vs. Gotham on Friday
Shaw could take the pitch for No. 6 Gotham in her new club's Friday night visit to the No. 3 San Diego Wave.
The match kicks off at 10 PM ET, with live coverage airing on Prime.
USWNT prospect Jaedyn Shaw is on her way to New York City, with ESPN reporting late Monday that the No. 11 North Carolina Courage is sending the rising NWSL star to No. 6 Gotham FC in an intra-league-record $1.25 million trade deal.
North Carolina's return nearly doubles the NWSL's previous $600,000 transfer record, set when the No. 1 Kansas City Current acquired forward Ally Sentnor from the last-place Utah Royals in early August.
As for Shaw, this will be her second major move this year, after the attacker requested a trade to the Courage from the San Diego Wave last January — a deal in which the Wave received a combined $450,000 in allocation money and fees.
During her time in San Diego, Shaw shattered the NWSL record for most goals scored by a teenager, but the now-20-year-old has only logged three in her 10 starts for North Carolina this season.
With this trade to Gotham, Shaw will exit a Courage side sitting three spots below the postseason line as North Carolina regroups following the abrupt firing of head coach Sean Nahas.
She instead will join a NJ/NY side in the midst of a serious playoff push, with ESPN reporting that Gotham is going all in on Shaw with plans to sign the young talent through the 2029 season.
The No. 5 Portland Thorns snagged another result over the weekend, grabbing a point off a 1-1 Saturday draw with the No. 9 North Carolina Courage to further solidify their spot on the NWSL table.
Midfielder Olivia Moultrie opened scoring with a first-half bullet to put Portland up 1-0, before Courage forward Tyler Lussi equalized with a 70th-minute strike.
With her 13th career goal on Saturday, 19-year-old Moultrie became the NWSL's joint-leader in regular-season goals scored by a teenager — sharing the all-time record with North Carolina attacker Jaedyn Shaw.
The Portland Thorns are currently making a case for the league's "best of the rest," after Saturday NWSL action saw the San Diego Wave rocket up the table to No. 2 with a 2-1 win over No. 11 Bay FC while the No. 1 Kansas City Current and now-No. 3 Orlando Pride ended in a 0-0 stalemate.
Despite losing veteran anchors Christine Sinclair, Becky Sauerbrunn, and Meghan Klingenberg to retirement and USWNT star Sophia Wilson to maternity leave, Portland has figured out how to generate new offensive opportunities via young talent like forwards Reilyn Turner and Pietra Tordin.
More experienced midfielders like Moultrie and Sam Coffey are also contributing, with Coffey scoring her second season goal on August 10th to match her entire 2024 total.
As for North Carolina, the questions continue for the Courage as they struggle to stack results amid the abrupt sacking of head coach Sean Nahas earlier this month.
According to a statement released after the Courage's August 8th loss to the then-No. 12 Houston Dash, Nahas was removed due to "confounding performance issues, culture issues, and a perceived lack of fit that created an environment that club leadership felt was untenable to the point that change was necessary at the head coaching position."
How to watch Monday's NWSL match
In a rare Monday matchup, the NWSL's 16th matchday will wrap with the No. 6 Seattle Reign hosting the No. 13 Chicago Stars — with a Reign win sending Seattle above Portland to No. 5 on the NWSL table.
Live coverage of the 10 PM ET match will air on CBS Sports Network.
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)
It's officially rivalry weekend in the NWSL, as teams lean on regional proximity, competitive history, and plain old bad blood to add an edge to each of the upcoming matchups.
Owing to a full 10-point lead, the No. 1 Kansas City Current are still untouchable at the top of the NWSL standings, but this weekend's games could significantly reshape the rest of the table.
Both old feuds and recent rivalries will be on display across the NWSL — though a few key battles stand out as must-watch showcases of the league's parity:
- No. 8 Gotham FC vs. No. 3 Washington Spirit, Saturday at 12 PM ET (ESPN): The gap in the standings doesn't matter when these title contenders meet, so expect fireworks when stars like Gotham's Rose Lavelle, Esther, and Midge Purce face off against Trinity Rodman and the Spirit.
- No. 4 San Diego Wave vs. No. 11 Angel City FC, Saturday at 10 PM ET (ION): Despite sitting at No. 4 on the table, San Diego has struggled to beat Angel City since 2023 — a trend the LA side hopes to continue in Saturday's battle for SoCal bragging rights.
- No. 6 Portland Thorns vs. No. 5 Seattle Reign, Sunday at 4 PM ET (CBS): The Cascadia Clash is the oldest and most hallowed rivalry in the NWSL, and this season's edition also sees the Pacific Northwest pair locked in a tight playoff race, with the Thorns ready to overtake the Reign with three weekend points.
The 2025 NWSL regular season returned this past weekend after a month-long international break, and the San Diego Wave are already ahead of schedule.
Because after a tumultuous end to 2024 followed by offseason roster and front office shakeups, the club has so far exceeded the soccer world's — and possibly even their own — expectations.
San Diego entered the second half of the year in third place in the NWSL standings, having lost only one of their last nine games before play suspended in late June. Along the way, the club produced a legitimate 2025 MVP candidate in forward Delphine Cascarino while also leaning hard into the league's youth movement, becoming the first NWSL club to start three 17-year-olds in the same match.
But as the second season starts to rev up, there are still lingering questions about the team's ability to create consistency on the pitch — not to mention the club's big picture plans.
The Wave know they don't have everything figured out just yet. But it's safe to say the light at the end of the tunnel showed up far sooner on the field than expected for a young team riding out a game-changing season.
Veteran Kailen Sheridan sees San Diego start anew
At the end of 2024, all San Diego Wave goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan wanted was a break from soccer.
A member of the Wave since their inaugural 2022 season, Sheridan saw her team abruptly plummet down the NWSL table after winning the shield in 2023, failing to make the playoffs for the first time in club history.
And the trouble wasn't contained to the field. Amid the skid, the Wave parted ways with head coach Casey Stoney, dealt with allegations of front office toxicity† linked to club president Jill Ellis, and saw USWNT legend and founding Wave star Alex Morgan's surprise retirement.
"I remember at the end of last season being kind of bombarded with everything, and not sure how we were moving forward," Sheridan told Just Women's Sports. "I want to be the best version of myself on the field and off the field. The people who were left felt that as well, and we needed some time away."
After a disappointing finish, San Diego saw further roster shifts dominate the offseason headlines. USWNT defender Naomi Girma transferred to WSL side Chelsea for a then-record transfer fee, while star-in-the-making Jaedyn Shaw requested a trade to the North Carolina Courage. Change appeared to be chasing the Wave whether the club's remaining players were ready or not.
"Honestly, it was a really rough couple of weeks," Sheridan continued. "But once we got out, we could turn our focus onto what this year could look like, how we could have a really strong year but also focus on our growth."
The growing pains hurt. But as more changes brought a shift in leadership and perspective, a blank slate also began to emerge. The team entered 2025 under new ownership. Ellis left for a role at FIFA while former Arsenal manager Jonas Eidevall took over as head coach, setting a fresh tone across the franchise.
"For me, it was coming in with less expectation," said Sheridan. "More just being ready to work and put in the effort to create a new culture."
Young Wave star Trinity Armstrong takes a leap of faith
After winning a national championship in her first season with UNC, then-17-year-old Trinity Armstrong was looking for a challenge.
She decided to turn professional in 2025. She then entered the NWSL under the U18 mechanism — a legal process that allows underage players to pick their pro teams. The wide-open nature of San Diego's rebuild spoke to her.
"It felt like the best environment for me. To not only try and earn a spot, but then be a consistent starter," she told JWS. After Girma's transfer, the team needed a new cornerstone center-back. Armstrong felt emboldened by conversations with Eidevall about the team’s developing defensive identity.
Armstrong was keenly aware of the legacy left by departed Wave superstars like Alex Morgan and Abby Dahlkemper. She liked the idea of adding to that history while also making her own mark as her star grew.
"It felt like they had their own successes in the past. But from what I was hearing coming in, it was basically a brand new team," she continued. "I was very excited to be a part of that young group to rebrand ourselves and push forward."
In January, Armstrong signed a three-year deal with the Wave. And she already has 11 starts under her belt this season. She's particularly effective in possession, completing nearly 90% of her passes with the ability to cut through lines to spring play forward.
Teen Wave stars write a new chapter
Armstrong became a key component to the Wave's rebuild. She joined fellow teen talents Melanie Barcenas and Kimmy Ascanio playing Eidevall's preferred style of purposeful possession. In Eidevall's game plan, San Diego holds the lion's share of the ball, executing plays at a tempo that sets defenses on their heels.
The Wave relied on established internationals like Sheridan and Cascarino to propel them forward with consistency. But transitioning to quickly developing the team's youngsters also sets the club up for years to come.
"We were unsure of how they would gel at such a young age. And honestly, they've blown all of us away," Sheridan said of her new teammates. "We've been really impressed with their mentality — and their desire."
The respect is mutual. Armstrong credits Sheridan with helping her adjust while adopting the same emphasis on growth that's become the team's calling card.
"Kailen, coming in, she's been such a great mentor to me," Armstrong said. "She's been super encouraging. I can only speak good things about her."
San Diego finds its footing on the pitch
It's easy enough for confidence-building and good vibes to carry a team through preseason training. But once the regular-season whistle blew, both veterans and newcomers were happily surprised at how quickly they were able to produce.
"It was just so beautiful to see us connecting, seeing our midfield and our forward line have these great combinations and getting really good goals off of them," said Armstrong. "This could really be something that pushes us all the way to the championship."
"I honestly wasn't 100% confident in how successful we would be putting it all together right away," Sheridan recalled. "It's great to see that we've been able to get through those first couple hurdles of gelling and creating chemistry. We'll still hit a bunch of bumps going forward, but ultimately, I was confident in the individual talent."
Much of the credit goes to the homegrown focus Eidevall imparted on his new squad within his first few weeks.
"The drive was, how do I make each player better?" Sheridan said of her coach's approach. "That was humongous for us."
Eidevall made headlines during his time at Arsenal, where he won two FA Cups but could never seriously endanger Chelsea FC's dominant run. When the 42-year-old crossed over to the NWSL after mutually parting ways with the WSL last October, he arrived with a bottom-up perspective.
His players have responded in kind.
"The mindset to want to grow, to want to develop, that's been great from the players and from the staff," he recently told reporters. "The commitment to the team and to the group, that's such an important aspect. And you can see that these players create something special between them."
Anchors of the central defense, Sheridan and Armstrong both enjoy playing technical football. They like the ball at their feet, connecting out of the back to set up the dynamic midfield, and setting their frontline free.
With half a season to go, San Diego has already scored more goals than they did in the entire 2024 season. It resulted in the third-best goal differential in the NWSL standings.
"It's a very tight team," added Eidevall. "We see that when players are coming on from the bench. We see how the bench and the starting XI interact. And that's very important because at the end of the day, this is team sport."
Marching into the NWSL season's back half
July's break allowed players across the league the opportunity to reset. Armstrong spent her days caring for her rescue pit bull mix Mochi — adopted a few months ago from the local Humane Society — going on hikes and taking trips to the beach. She also celebrated her 18th birthday, graduating from the separate U18 locker room shared with Barcenas and Ascanio to join the rest of the team.
But while the Wave's turnaround looks to be in full swing, the real tests might still lie ahead. No longer a surprise, their opponents can now review tape on the team's first-half successes. They're able to better counter San Diego's new form.
On Saturday, the Wave restarted their 2025 campaign with another positive result, though one tempered with missed opportunities. Despite both out-possessing and generating more attack than the North Carolina Courage, San Diego settled for a scoreless draw. The outcome pointed to a strong performance from the defense, while also showcasing yet another opportunity for growth.
Sheridan doesn't appear to be too rattled. Returning refreshed, she's confident in her team's ability to recapture the continuity they so fluidly created at the beginning of the season. Just so long as they stick together.
"We've started with a mindset of 'Okay, we're back at zero,'" Sheridan said. "How do we want this to look, and how do we want to go forward from here?"
†An October 2024 lawsuit filed by five former club employees alleging the Wave of workplace misconduct remains active and unresolved.