2025 National Women's Soccer League season
13th season of the National Women's Soccer League
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The 2025 National Women's Soccer League season was the 13th season for the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL), the top division of women's soccer in the United States. Including the NWSL's two professional predecessors, Women's Professional Soccer (2009–2011) and the Women's United Soccer Association (2001–2003), it was the 19th overall season of FIFA and USSF-sanctioned top division women's soccer in the United States.
November 7 – November 22 (playoffs)
(2nd title)
(1st shield)
| Season | 2025 |
|---|---|
| Dates | March 14 – November 2 (regular season) November 7 – November 22 (playoffs) |
| Champions | Gotham FC (2nd title) |
| NWSL Shield | Kansas City Current (1st shield) |
| Challenge Cup | Washington Spirit (1st cup) |
| CONCACAF W Champions Cup | Gotham FC Kansas City Current Washington Spirit |
| Matches | 182 |
| Goals | 484 (2.66 per match) |
| Top goalscorer | Temwa Chawinga (15) |
| Biggest home win | 6 goals ORL 6–0 CHI (Mar 14) |
| Biggest away win | 4 goals LA 0–4 GFC (Apr 18) |
| Highest scoring | 7 goals WAS 3–4 LA (May 2) SD 5–2 NC (May 25) CHI 5–2 ORL (Sep 7) SD 6–1 CHI (Oct 18) |
| Longest winning run | 8 wins Kansas City Current (May 11 – Aug 8) |
| Longest unbeaten run | 17 matches Kansas City Current (May 11 – Oct 11) |
| Longest winless run | 15 matches Bay FC (Jun 13 – Nov 2) |
| Longest losing run | 4 losses Utah Royals (May 23 – Jun 21) Bay FC (Aug 16 – Sep 6) |
| Highest attendance | 40,091 BAY 2–3 WAS (Aug 23) |
| Lowest attendance | 1,806 CHI 0–1 LOU (Mar 30) |
| Total attendance | 1,926,090 |
| Average attendance | 10,583 |
← 2024 2026 →
All statistics correct as of November 2, 2025. | |
The league had 14 teams, unchanged from the 2024 season, which set a record for average attendance and television ratings.[1] It is the second under a set of national broadcasting agreements with CBS Sports, ESPN, Amazon Prime Video and Scripps Sports that run through the 2027 season.[2] The 2025 season did not see the return of the NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup, an international competition in 2024 between clubs from the NWSL and Liga MX Femenil of Mexico.[3] It was the first season without a college draft; the 2025 rookie class entered the league as free agents.[4] All teams played 26 regular-season matches.[5]
The defending NWSL Championship and NWSL Shield winner was the Orlando Pride.[6] The Kansas City Current won the 2025 NWSL Shield with a record 21 wins and a record 65 points.[7]
Gotham FC defeated the Washington Spirit in the championship match, 1–0, to win their second title.
Teams, stadiums, and personnel
Team names
The Chicago Red Stars re-branded to Chicago Stars FC prior to the season.[8]
NJ/NY Gotham FC re-named to Gotham FC prior to the season.[citation needed]
Stadiums and locations
| Team | Stadium | Capacity |
|---|---|---|
| Angel City FC | BMO Stadium | 22,000 |
| Bay FC | PayPal Park | 18,000 |
| Chicago Stars FC | SeatGeek Stadium | 20,000 |
| Houston Dash | Shell Energy Stadium | 22,039 |
| Kansas City Current | CPKC Stadium | 11,500 |
| Gotham FC | Sports Illustrated Stadium | 25,000 |
| North Carolina Courage | First Horizon Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park | 10,000 |
| Orlando Pride | Inter&Co Stadium | 25,500 |
| Portland Thorns FC | Providence Park | 25,218 |
| Racing Louisville FC | Lynn Family Stadium | 11,700[a] |
| San Diego Wave FC | Snapdragon Stadium | 35,000 |
| Seattle Reign FC | Lumen Field | 10,000[b] |
| Utah Royals | America First Field | 20,213 |
| Washington Spirit | Audi Field | 20,000 |
Personnel and sponsorship
Note: All teams use Nike as their kit manufacturer as part of a league-wide sponsorship agreement renewed in November 2021.[11]
Coaching changes
| Team | Outgoing coach | Manner of departure | Date of vacancy | Position in table | Incoming coach | Date of appointment | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Diego Wave FC | End of interim period | November 18, 2024 | Preseason | January 7, 2025 | [20][21] | ||
| Houston Dash | End of interim period | December 9, 2024 | Preseason | January 3, 2025 | [22][23] | ||
| Angel City FC | Fired | December 9, 2024 | Preseason | December 9, 2024 | [24] | ||
| Angel City FC | End of interim period | January 22, 2025 | Preseason | January 22, 2025 | [25] | ||
| Chicago Stars FC | Fired | April 30, 2025 | 14th | April 30, 2025 | [26] | ||
| Angel City FC | End of interim period | May 31, 2025 | 7th | June 1, 2025 | [27] | ||
| Washington Spirit | Signed with Lyon | June 23, 2025 | 4th | July 18, 2025 | [28] | ||
| Chicago Stars FC | End of interim period | July 3, 2025 | 13th | July 3, 2025 | [29] | ||
| North Carolina Courage | Fired | August 6, 2025 | 9th | August 6, 2025 | [30][31] | ||
| Chicago Stars FC | End of interim period | August 13, 2025 | 13th | August 13, 2025 | [32] |
Regular season
Standings
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kansas City Current (S) | 26 | 21 | 2 | 3 | 49 | 13 | +36 | 65 | Playoffs and CONCACAF W Champions Cup |
| 2 | Washington Spirit | 26 | 12 | 8 | 6 | 42 | 33 | +9 | 44 | |
| 3 | Portland Thorns FC | 26 | 11 | 7 | 8 | 36 | 29 | +7 | 40 | Playoffs |
| 4 | Orlando Pride | 26 | 11 | 7 | 8 | 33 | 27 | +6 | 40 | |
| 5 | Seattle Reign FC | 26 | 10 | 9 | 7 | 32 | 29 | +3 | 39 | |
| 6 | San Diego Wave FC | 26 | 10 | 7 | 9 | 41 | 34 | +7 | 37 | |
| 7 | Racing Louisville FC | 26 | 10 | 7 | 9 | 35 | 38 | −3 | 37 | |
| 8 | Gotham FC (C) | 26 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 35 | 25 | +10 | 36 | Playoffs and CONCACAF W Champions Cup |
| 9 | North Carolina Courage | 26 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 37 | 39 | −2 | 35 | |
| 10 | Houston Dash | 26 | 8 | 6 | 12 | 27 | 39 | −12 | 30 | |
| 11 | Angel City FC | 26 | 7 | 6 | 13 | 31 | 41 | −10 | 27 | |
| 12 | Utah Royals | 26 | 6 | 7 | 13 | 28 | 42 | −14 | 25 | |
| 13 | Bay FC | 26 | 4 | 8 | 14 | 26 | 41 | −15 | 20 | |
| 14 | Chicago Stars FC | 26 | 3 | 11 | 12 | 32 | 54 | −22 | 20 |
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) total goal difference; 3) total wins; 4) total goals scored; 5) head-to-head points; 6) head-to-head goals scored; 7) fewest disciplinary points; 8) coin toss (if 2 clubs tied) or drawing of lots (if ≥3 clubs tied).
(C) Champions; (S) NWSL Shield
Tiebreakers
The initial determining factor for a team's position in the standings is most points earned, with three points earned for a win, one point for a draw, and zero points for a loss. If two or more teams tie in total points total when determining rank, playoff qualification, and seeding, the NWSL uses the following tiebreaker criteria, going down the list until all teams are ranked.[33]
- Greater goal difference across the entire regular season (against all teams, not just tied teams).
- Most total wins across the entire regular season (against all teams, not just tied teams).
- Most goals scored across the entire regular season (against all teams, not just tied teams).
- Head-to-head results (total points) between the tied teams.
- Head-to-head most goals scored between the tied teams.
- Fewest disciplinary points accumulated across the entire regular season (against all teams, not just tied teams).
- Coin flip (if two teams are tied) or drawing of lots (if three or more teams are tied).
Format
The regular season began on March 14 with each team playing 26 matches—13 at home and 13 away. Matches were paused from June 23 to July 31 to accommodate international competitions, including the UEFA Women's Euro and Copa América Femenina. The regular season culminated with "Decision Day" on November 2, when most teams played at the same time.[34][35] The NWSL playoffs will begin on November 7 and finish with the NWSL Championship on November 22.[36]
Results
Attendance
Average home attendances
Ranked from highest to lowest average attendance.
| Rank | Team | GP | Attendance | High | Low | Average |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Portland Thorns FC | 13 | 236,243 | 21,903 | 15,373 | 18,173 |
| 2 | Angel City FC | 13 | 211,336 | 19,841 | 11,147 | 16,257 |
| 3 | Washington Spirit | 13 | 198,362 | 19,254 | 12,140 | 15,259 |
| 4 | Bay FC | 13 | 192,695 | 40,091 | 10,798 | 14,823 |
| 5 | San Diego Wave FC | 13 | 174,550 | 18,465 | 10,403 | 13,427 |
| 6 | Kansas City Current | 13 | 149,500 | 11,500 | 11,500 | 11,500 |
| 7 | Gotham FC | 13 | 115,598 | 13,860 | 7,115 | 8,892 |
| 8 | Utah Royals | 13 | 113,452 | 17,085 | 5,051 | 8,727 |
| 9 | Orlando Pride | 13 | 109,832 | 19,237 | 5,307 | 8,449 |
| 10 | Seattle Reign FC | 13 | 102,310 | 10,117 | 5,912 | 7,870 |
| 11 | North Carolina Courage | 13 | 99,895 | 11,170 | 6,235 | 7,684 |
| 12 | Houston Dash | 13 | 78,533 | 8,436 | 5,084 | 6,041 |
| 13 | Chicago Stars FC | 13 | 72,009 | 26,492 | 1,806 | 5,539 |
| 14 | Racing Louisville FC | 13 | 71,775 | 8,113 | 2,847 | 5,521 |
| Total | 182 | 1,926,090 | 40,091 | 1,806 | 10,583 |
Updated through 2025 Season
Highest attendances
| Rank | Home team | Score | Away team | Attendance | Date | Stadium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bay FC | 2–3 | Washington Spirit | 40,091* | August 23, 2025 | Oracle Park |
| † | Chicago Stars FC | 2–2 | Seattle Reign FC | 26,942† | June 14, 2025 | Soldier Field |
| 2 | Portland Thorns FC | 2–0 | Houston Dash | 21,903 | November 2, 2025 | Providence Park |
| 3 | Portland Thorns FC | 4–2 | Seattle Reign FC | 21,811 | August 10, 2025 | Providence Park |
| 4 | Portland Thorns FC | 2–0 | Washington Spirit | 21,268 | June 17, 2025 | Providence Park |
| 5 | Portland Thorns FC | 2–1 | Bay FC | 21,104 | October 4, 2025 | Providence Park |
| 6 | Angel City FC | 1–1 | San Diego Wave FC | 19,728 | March 16, 2025 | BMO Stadium |
| 7 | Washington Spirit | 0–2 | Kansas City Current | 19,254 | March 22, 2025 | Audi Field |
| 8 | Orlando Pride | 6–0 | Chicago Stars FC | 19,237 | March 14, 2025 | Inter&Co Stadium |
| 9 | San Diego Wave FC | 3–2 | Utah Royals | 18,465 | March 22, 2025 | Snapdragon Stadium |
| Angel City FC | 0–4 | Gotham FC | 18,465 | April 18, 2025 | BMO Stadium | |
| 11 | Portland Thorns FC | 1–1 | San Diego Wave FC | 18,443 | September 20, 2025 | Providence Park |
| 12 | Portland Thorns FC | 1–0 | Orlando Pride | 17,776 | May 3, 2025 | Providence Park |
Updated through September 20, 2025
* NWSL attendance record for a standalone (non-doubleheader) game.
† Doubleheader match with Major League Soccer team; not included in ranking.
Statistical leaders
- As of November 2, 2025.[38]
Top scorers |
Top assists
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Clean sheets |
Hat-tricks
|
Playoffs
Bracket
| Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Championship | ||||||||||||
| 1 | Kansas City Current | 1 | ||||||||||||
| 8 | Gotham FC (a.e.t.) | 2 | ||||||||||||
| 8 | Gotham FC | 1 | ||||||||||||
| 4 | Orlando Pride | 0 | ||||||||||||
| 4 | Orlando Pride | 2 | ||||||||||||
| 5 | Seattle Reign FC | 0 | ||||||||||||
| 8 | Gotham FC | 1 | ||||||||||||
| 2 | Washington Spirit | 0 | ||||||||||||
| 2 | Washington Spirit (p) | 1 (3) | ||||||||||||
| 7 | Racing Louisville FC | 1 (1) | ||||||||||||
| 2 | Washington Spirit | 2 | ||||||||||||
| 3 | Portland Thorns FC | 0 | ||||||||||||
| 3 | Portland Thorns FC (a.e.t.) | 1 | ||||||||||||
| 6 | San Diego Wave FC | 0 | ||||||||||||
Quarterfinals
| Orlando Pride | 2–0 | Seattle Reign FC |
|---|---|---|
|
Report |
Semifinals
| Orlando Pride | 0–1 | Gotham FC |
|---|---|---|
| Report |
|
Championship
Challenge Cup
Individual awards
- As of November 20, 2025
Annual awards
Teams of the Year
Announced November 19, 2025[44]
Best XI
Second XI
Monthly awards
- As of November 7, 2025
Player of the Month
| Month | Player | Team | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| March | Kansas City Current | [46] | |
| April | Gotham FC | [47] | |
| May | Kansas City Current | [48] | |
| June | Gotham FC | [49] | |
| August | Chicago Stars FC | [50] | |
| September | Washington Spirit | [51] | |
| October/November | North Carolina Courage | [52] |
Rookie of the Month
| Month | Player | Team | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| March | Houston Dash | [53] | |
| April | Angel City FC | [54] | |
| May | Angel City FC | [55] | |
| June | Portland Thorns FC | [56] | |
| August | Portland Thorns FC | [57] | |
| September | Washington Spirit | [58] | |
| October/November | Bay FC | [59] |
Coach of the Month
| Month | Player | Team | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| March | No award | ||
| April | No award | ||
| May | San Diego Wave FC | [60] | |
| June | Kansas City Current | [61] | |
| August | Kansas City Current | [62] | |
| September | Kansas City Current | [63] | |
| October/November | Racing Louisville FC | [64] | |