2026 National Women's Soccer League season

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Season2026
DatesMarch 13 – November 1 (regular season)
November 6 – November 21 (playoffs)
Matches49
Goals127 (2.59 per match)
National Women's Soccer League
Season2026
DatesMarch 13 – November 1 (regular season)
November 6 – November 21 (playoffs)
Matches49
Goals127 (2.59 per match)
Top goalscorerBarbra Banda
Ashley Sanchez
(5 goals)
Best goalkeeperAnn-Katrin Berger
(5 clean sheets)
Biggest home win4 goals
Angel City 4–0 Chicago
(Mar 15)
Washington 4–0 Kansas City
(Apr 24)
Biggest away win3 goals
Chicago 0–3 Orlando
(Mar 25)
Seattle 0–3 Utah
(Apr 26)
Highest scoring7 goals
Houston 4–3 Louisville
(Apr 3)
Longest winning run5 matches
San Diego
(Mar 22 – Apr 29)
Longest unbeaten run6 matches
Washington
(Mar 21 – present)
Longest winless run6 matches
Boston
(Mar 14 – present)
Longest losing run5 matches
Boston
(Mar 14 – Apr 29)
Highest attendance63,004
Denver 0–0 Washington
(Mar 28)
Lowest attendance1,821
Chicago 0–3 Orlando
(Mar 26)
Total attendance557,545
Average attendance11,378
← 2025
2027 →
All statistics correct as of April 29, 2026.

The 2026 season is the 14th 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 is the 20th overall season of FIFA and USSF-sanctioned top division women's soccer in the United States.

The league has 16 teams, with 2 expansion teams Boston Legacy and Denver Summit joining the 14 teams that contested the 2025 NWSL season. All teams are scheduled to play 30 regular-season matches.[1]

The defending NWSL champion is Gotham FC, and the defending NWSL Shield winner is Kansas City Current.

Expansion teams

Regular season

Standings

Pos Team
 Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Portland Thorns FC 7 5 1 1 12 6 +6 16 Playoffs and CONCACAF W Champions Cup
2 San Diego Wave FC 7 5 0 2 11 7 +4 15
3 Washington Spirit 7 3 3 1 10 4 +6 12 Playoffs
4 Gotham FC 7 3 2 2 7 4 +3 11
5 Utah Royals 6 3 1 2 9 6 +3 10
6 Seattle Reign FC 6 3 1 2 7 7 0 10
7 Angel City FC 5 3 0 2 11 6 +5 9
8 Houston Dash 5 3 0 2 9 6 +3 9
9 North Carolina Courage 6 2 3 1 8 8 0 9
10 Orlando Pride 6 2 2 2 9 7 +2 8
11 Denver Summit FC 6 1 3 2 6 6 0 6
12 Bay FC 5 2 0 3 6 10 −4 6
13 Kansas City Current 6 2 0 4 5 13 −8 6
14 Chicago Stars FC 7 2 0 5 4 13 −9 6
15 Racing Louisville FC 6 1 1 4 10 13 −3 4
16 Boston Legacy FC 6 0 1 5 3 11 −8 1
Updated to match(es) played on April 29, 2026. Source: NWSL
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 goal goals scored; 7) fewest disciplinary points; 8) coin toss (if 2 clubs tied) or drawing of lots (if ≥3 clubs tied).

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.[20]

  1. Greater goal difference across the entire regular season (against all teams, not just tied teams).
  2. Most total wins across the entire regular season (against all teams, not just tied teams).
  3. Most goals scored across the entire regular season (against all teams, not just tied teams).
  4. Head-to-head results (total points) between the tied teams.
  5. Head-to-head most goals scored between the tied teams.
  6. Fewest disciplinary points accumulated across the entire regular season (against all teams, not just tied teams).
  7. Coin flip (if two teams are tied) or drawing of lots (if three or more teams are tied).

Format

Results

Home \ Away BAY BOS CHI DEN GFC HOU KC LA LOU NC ORL POR SD SEA UTA WAS
Bay FC — May 15 May 24 2–1 Jul 29 Aug 23 Sep 4 1–3 Sep 20 Jul 18 Sep 27 Oct 18 Nov 1 Aug 1 May 10 0–2
Boston Legacy FC Jul 5 — Jul 10 May 3 0–1 Sep 20 Jul 25 Aug 31 Oct 16 2–2 May 12 Aug 9 0–1 May 22 1–2 Jul 19
Chicago Stars FC Aug 9 2–0 — Oct 4 0–2 Oct 23 2–1 Jul 18 Aug 23 Sep 6 0–3 May 3 May 31 Oct 18 Jul 5 Sep 20
Denver Summit FC Sep 16 Aug 2 Aug 29 — Sep 6 Jul 12 Jul 3 Oct 17 Oct 24 Aug 5 May 16 Jul 18 2–3 Sep 19 Aug 8 0–0
Gotham FC 3–0 May 9 Sep 25 0–2 — May 31 Aug 14 Oct 4 May 3 0–0 0–0 Aug 28 Aug 7 Jul 18 Nov 1 Jul 15
Houston Dash Jul 24 3–0 Aug 19 May 9 Aug 1 — Aug 8 May 23 4–3 0–1 Oct 18 Nov 1 May 20 May 1 Sep 12 Oct 4
Kansas City Current Oct 3 May 30 May 10 Sep 26 2–1 May 15 — Aug 1 Jul 29 Aug 29 Sep 11 May 24 Jul 17 Aug 22 2–1 Oct 25
Angel City FC Oct 24 Nov 1 4–0 Sep 11 Aug 23 2–1 May 20 — Jul 26 May 31 Jul 3 1–2 May 9 Sep 16 May 2 Aug 16
Racing Louisville FC Jul 10 Aug 15 Aug 1 May 29 Sep 11 Jul 18 Nov 1 Sep 5 — May 23 3–2 May 8 Sep 25 Aug 19 Oct 3 2–2
North Carolina Courage 1–3 Aug 22 May 16 Nov 1 Sep 19 Aug 16 May 2 Aug 26 2–1 — Jul 31 2–2 Oct 17 Jul 4 Jul 25 Jul 11
Orlando Pride May 29 Jul 15 Jul 24 1–1 Oct 25 Sep 6 Jul 10 2–1 Aug 7 May 8 — Sep 19 Oct 2 1–2 Aug 29 May 2
Portland Thorns FC May 20 Oct 3 Sep 13 Aug 22 Jul 24 Sep 26 2–0 May 17 Jul 5 Oct 23 Aug 15 — 2–0 2–0 May 30 Sep 6
San Diego Wave FC May 3 Oct 25 2–0 Aug 14 Jul 4 0–1 Sep 18 Jul 11 Aug 28 Sep 12 May 24 3–1 — Jul 26 Aug 21 May 15
Seattle Reign FC Sep 12 Sep 25 Aug 14 0–0 May 15 Aug 30 3–0 Aug 9 2–1 Oct 2 Nov 1 Jul 12 Sep 6 — 0–3 May 10
Utah Royals Aug 14 Sep 4 1–0 May 23 Jul 10 May 6 Oct 17 Sep 20 May 17 Sep 27 Jul 18 Aug 2 1–2 Oct 23 — Jul 29
Washington Spirit Aug 30 Sep 13 Nov 1 Jul 26 Oct 17 Jul 3 4–0 Sep 26 1–0 Aug 8 Aug 23 0–1 Aug 2 May 30 1–1 —
Updated to match(es) played on April 29, 2026. Source: NWSL
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Attendance

Average home attendances

Ranked from highest to lowest average attendance.

Regular season
Rank Team GP Attendance High Low Average
1Denver Summit FC279,93663,00416,93239,968
2Portland Thorns FC357,86121,32116,73419,287
3Angel City FC347,37516,81313,89615,782
4Washington Spirit458,34619,2159,34914,587
5Boston Legacy FC454,23630,20710,21313,559
6San Diego Wave FC335,31614,0788,42811,772
7Kansas City Current223,00011,50011,50011,500
8Bay FC333,64613,11010,23711,215
9Orlando Pride331,43616,1207,07610,479
10Utah Royals219,79010,0129,7789,895
11Houston Dash322,51210,2595,4427,504
12North Carolina Courage322,1888,1577,0137,396
13Gotham FC428,98910,7965,0007,247
14Racing Louisville FC210,6505,7224,9285,722
15Seattle Reign FC419,0658,2113,0234,776
16Chicago Stars FC413,1994,5791,8213,300
Total49557,54563,0041,82111,378

Updated through April 29, 2026
Note: Seattle Reign FC's first three home matches were played at One Spokane Stadium while their home stadium of Lumen Field underwent renovations.[21]

Highest attendances

Regular season[22]
Rank Home team Score Away team Attendance Date Stadium
1Denver Summit FC0–0Washington Spirit63,004March 28, 2026Empower Field at Mile High
2Boston Legacy FC0–1Gotham FC30,207March 14, 2026Gillette Stadium
3Portland Thorns FC2–0Seattle Reign FC21,321March 20, 2026Providence Park
4Portland Thorns FC2–0San Diego Wave FC19,806April 29, 2026Providence Park
5Washington Spirit0–1Portland Thorns FC19,215March 13, 2026Audi Field
6Angel City FC4–0Chicago Stars FC16,813March 15, 2026BMO Stadium
7Portland Thorns FC2–0Kansas City Current16,734March 28, 2026Providence Park
8Orlando Pride1–2Seattle Reign FC16,120March 15, 2026Inter&Co Stadium
9San Diego Wave FC0–1Houston Dash14,078March 14, 2026Snapdragon Stadium
10Angel City FC2–1Houston Dash13,896March 27, 2026BMO Stadium

Updated through April 29, 2026

Statistical leaders

As of April 29, 2026.[23]

Playoffs

Challenge Cup

Individual awards

References

External links

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