The 2018 National Women's Soccer League season was the sixth season of the National Women's Soccer League, 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 twelfth overall season of FIFA and USSF-sanctioned top division women's soccer in the United States. The league is operated by the United States Soccer Federation and receives major financial backing from that body. Further financial backing is provided by the Canadian Soccer Association. Both national federations pay the league salaries of many of their respective national team members in an effort to nurture talent in those nations and take the financial burden off individual clubs.
The off-season brought significant changes, with FC Kansas City and the Boston Breakers ceasing operations, while new club Utah Royals FC joined the league. The 2018 season began on March 24, and ended on September 8. Teams once again played 24 regular-season games this year, with the top four teams making a single-elimination playoff. The North Carolina Courage won the NWSL Shield with 15 more points than second place Thorns. The NWSL Playoffs began on September 15 with the two semifinal matches, which were won by the Thorns and the Courage. The NWSL Championship Game was held on September 22 at Providence Park in Portland. The Courage won 3–0, becoming the first team to win both the NWSL Shield and the NWSL Championship in the same season.
Teams, stadiums, and personnel
Stadiums and locations
Two teams, the Dash and Reign, do not make their stadiums' entire capacity available for home games, instead restricting ticket sales at a lower level. The full capacities of their venues are included in parentheses and italics.
TeamStadiumCapacity Chicago Red Stars Toyota Park 20,000 Houston Dash BBVA Compass Stadium 7,000 (22,039) North Carolina Courage Sahlen's Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park 10,000 Orlando Pride Orlando City Stadium 25,500 Portland Thorns Providence Park 21,144 Seattle Reign FC Memorial Stadium 6,088 (12,000) Sky Blue FC Yurcak Field 5,000 Utah Royals FC Rio Tinto Stadium 20,213 Washington Spirit Maryland SoccerPlex 4,000
Personnel and sponsorship
Note: All of the teams use Nike as their kit manufacturer.
Team Head coach Shirt sponsor Chicago Red Stars Magellan Corporation Houston Dash BBVA Compass North Carolina Courage Continental AG Orlando Pride Orlando Health Portland Thorns Providence Health & Services Seattle Reign FC Microsoft Sky Blue FC Meridian Health Utah Royals FC Conservice Washington Spirit Tom Torres (interim) ProChain Solutions, Inc.
Coaching changes TeamOutgoing managerManner of departureDate of vacancyIncoming managerDate of appointmentRef. Seattle Reign FC Mutual separation November 7, 2017 November 7, 2017 Sky Blue FC Vacant August 16, 2017 November 15, 2017 Utah Royals FCNew franchise November 27, 2017 Houston Dash Omar Morales End of interim period September 29, 2017 November 27, 2017 Washington Spirit Fired August 21, 2018 Tom Torres (interim) August 21, 2018
Competition format
Each team will play each team 3 times, for a total of 24 games (12 home and 12 away). The four teams at the end of the season with the most points qualify for the playoffs.
League standings
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 point total, when determining rank and playoff qualification and seeding, the NWSL uses the following tiebreaker rules, going down the list until all teams are ranked.
Head-to-head win–loss record between the teams (or points-per-game if more than two teams). Greater goal difference across the entire season (against all teams, not just tied teams). Greatest total number of goals scored (against all teams). Apply #1–3 to games played on the road. Apply #1–3 to games played at home. If teams are still equal, ranking will be determined by a coin toss. NOTE: If two clubs remain tied after another club with the same number of points advances during any step, the tie breaker reverts to step 1 of the two-club format.
Attendance
Average home attendances
Ranked from highest to lowest average attendance.
Team Portland Thorns FC 12 203,506 21,144 14,485 16,959 Utah Royals FC 12 113,593 19,203 7,137 9,466 North Carolina Courage 12 61,549 9,505 3,011 5,129 Orlando Pride 12 58,046 9,017 3,104 4,837 Chicago Red Stars 12 48,048 13,678 2,027 4,004 Washington Spirit 12 46,704 7,976 2,433 3,892 Seattle Reign FC 12 45,885 5,251 3,172 3,824 Houston Dash 12 42,859 5,846 2,376 3,572 Sky Blue FC 12 30,372 4,086 1,913 2,531 Total 108 650,562 21,144 1,913 6,024 Updated to games played on September 8, 2018.
Highest attendances Regular season Rank Home team Score Away team Attendance Date Stadium1Portland Thorns FC3–1Seattle Reign FC21,144Providence Park1Portland Thorns FC0–3North Carolina Courage21,144Providence Park3Utah Royals FC0–1Chicago Red Stars19,203Rio Tinto Stadium4Portland Thorns FC2–2Chicago Red Stars18,631Providence Park5Portland Thorns FC1–1Sky Blue FC18,237Providence Park6Portland Thorns FC2–1Sky Blue FC17,986Providence Park7Portland Thorns FC4–0Utah Royals FC17,930Providence Park8Portland Thorns FC1–2Orlando Pride17,115Providence Park9Portland Thorns FC2–1Orlando Pride16,466Providence Park10Portland Thorns FC2–3Seattle Reign FC16,054Providence Park Updated to games played on November 3, 2018.
Statistical leaders
Top scorers RankPlayerClubGoals1 Sam Kerr Chicago Red Stars162 Lynn Williams North Carolina Courage143 Lindsey Horan Portland Thorns FC134 Rachel Daly Houston Dash105 Jodie Taylor Seattle Reign FC9 Christine Sinclair Portland Thorns FC7 Debinha North Carolina Courage8 Crystal Dunn North Carolina Courage Sofia Huerta Houston Dash10 Tobin Heath Portland Thorns FC7 Jessica McDonald North Carolina Courage Megan Rapinoe Seattle Reign FC Updated: September 8, 2018
Top assists RankPlayerClubAssists1 Jessica McDonald North Carolina Courage82 Yuki Nagasato Chicago Red Stars7 Tobin Heath Portland Thorns FC4 Sofia Huerta Houston Dash6 Megan Rapinoe Seattle Reign FC Christine Sinclair Portland Thorns FC7 Crystal Dunn North Carolina Courage5 Lynn Williams North Carolina Courage9 Danielle Colaprico Chicago Red Stars4 Arin Gilliland Chicago Red Stars Kristen Hamilton North Carolina Courage Jaelene Hinkle North Carolina Courage Sam Kerr Chicago Red Stars Marta Orlando Pride Christine Nairn Orlando Pride Kealia Ohai Houston Dash Updated: September 8, 2018
NWSL Playoffs
The top four teams from the regular season compete for the NWSL Championship. The North Carolina Courage secured the number one seed on August 5, winning their second straight NWSL Shield.
Semi-finals
*Originally scheduled for September 16 at Sahlen's Stadium in Cary, North Carolina; rescheduled and moved due to Hurricane Florence.
Championship
Individual awards
Monthly awards
Player of the Month
Team of the Month
Month Goalkeeper Defenders Midfielders Forwards RefMarch Jane Campbell, HOU Jaelene Hinkle, NC Becky Sauerbrunn, UTA Emily Sonnett, POR Rachel Daly, HOU Lindsey Horan, POR Debinha, NC Gunnhildur Yrsa Jónsdóttir, UTA Megan Rapinoe, SEA Mallory Pugh, WAS Crystal Dunn, NCApril Aubrey Bledsoe, WAS Jaelene Hinkle, NC Estelle Johnson, WAS Becky Sauerbrunn, UTA Emily Sonnett, POR Sofia Huerta, CHI Crystal Dunn, NC McCall Zerboni, NC Francisca Ordega, WAS Jessica McDonald, NC Mallory Pugh, WASMay Abby Smith, UTA Steph Catley, SEA Abby Erceg, NC Becky Sauerbrunn, UTA Ali Krieger, ORL Kristie Mewis, HOU Lindsey Horan, POR McCall Zerboni, NC Rachel Daly, HOU Christine Sinclair, POR Crystal Dunn, NCJune Alyssa Naeher, CHI Becca Moros, UTA Abby Erceg, NC Becky Sauerbrunn, UTA Merritt Mathias, NC Lindsey Horan, POR Yuki Nagasato, CHI McCall Zerboni, NC Kealia Ohai, HOU Christine Sinclair, POR Crystal Dunn, NCJuly Adrianna Franch, POR Katie Naughton, CHI Abby Erceg, NC Rachel Corsie, UTA Theresa Nielsen, SEA Lindsey Horan, POR Yuki Nagasato, CHI McCall Zerboni, NC Megan Rapinoe, SEA Rachel Daly, HOU Sam Kerr, CHIAugust Lydia Williams, SEA Megan Oyster, SEA Abby Erceg, NC Taylor Comeau, HOU Theresa Nielsen, SEA Lindsey Horan, POR Sofia Huerta, HOU Vanessa DiBernardo, CHI Lynn Williams, NC Tobin Heath, POR Sam Kerr, CHI
Weekly awards
WeekNWSL Player of the WeekNWSL Goal of the WeekNWSL Save of the WeekReference Player Club Player Club Player Club1 Megan Rapinoe Seattle Reign FC Gunnhildur Yrsa Jónsdóttir Utah Royals FC Adrianna Franch Portland Thorns FC2 Mallory Pugh Washington Spirit Lindsey Horan Portland Thorns FC Jane Campbell Houston Dash3 McCall Zerboni North Carolina Courage Lindsey Horan Portland Thorns FC Ashlyn Harris Orlando Pride4 Sofia Huerta Chicago Red Stars Merritt Mathias North Carolina Courage Aubrey Bledsoe Washington Spirit5 McCall Zerboni North Carolina Courage Tobin Heath Portland Thorns FC Aubrey Bledsoe Washington Spirit6 Alyssa Naeher Chicago Red Stars Diana Matheson Utah Royals FC Alyssa Naeher Chicago Red Stars7 Megan Rapinoe Seattle Reign FC Christine Nairn Orlando Pride Ashlyn Harris Orlando Pride8 Crystal Dunn North Carolina Courage Carli Lloyd Sky Blue FC Katelyn Rowland North Carolina Courage9 Rachel Daly Houston Dash Sydney Leroux Orlando Pride Ashlyn Harris Orlando Pride10 Yuki Nagasato Chicago Red Stars Katherine Reynolds Portland Thorns FC Haley Kopmeyer Orlando Pride11/12 Aubrey Bledsoe Washington Spirit Brittany Ratcliffe Utah Royals FC Britt Eckerstrom Portland Thorns FC13 Crystal Dunn North Carolina Courage Alanna Kennedy Orlando Pride Ashlyn Harris Orlando Pride14 Adrianna Franch Portland Thorns FC Kealia Ohai Houston Dash Adrianna Franch Portland Thorns FC15 Sam Kerr Chicago Red Stars Marta Orlando Pride Adrianna Franch Portland Thorns FC16 Lynn Williams North Carolina Courage Kristen Edmonds Orlando Pride Rachel Corsie Utah Royals FC 17 Jane Campbell Houston Dash Toni Pressley Orlando Pride Rachel Corsie Utah Royals FC 19 Lynn Williams North Carolina Courage Katie Stengel Utah Royals FC Ashlyn Harris Orlando Pride 20 Adrianna Franch Portland Thorns FC Hayley Raso Portland Thorns FC Adrianna Franch Portland Thorns FC 21 Katie Johnson Sky Blue FC Christine Sinclair Portland Thorns FC Ashlyn Harris Orlando Pride 22 Sam Kerr Chicago Red Stars Tobin Heath Portland Thorns FC Ashlyn Harris Orlando Pride 24 Lindsey Horan Portland Thorns FC Lindsey Horan Portland Thorns FC Nicole Barnhart Utah Royals FC
Annual awards
AwardWinnerGolden Boot Sam Kerr Chicago Red Stars 16 goalsCoach of the Year Paul Riley North Carolina Courage Won both NWSL Shield & ChampionshipRookie of the Year Imani Dorsey Sky Blue FC 4 goals, 1 assistGoalkeeper of the Year Adrianna Franch Portland Thorns FC 45 saves, three shutoutsDefender of the Year Abby Erceg North Carolina Courage All 2,160 minutes, fewest goals allowedMost Valuable Player Lindsey Horan Portland Thorns FC 13 goals, 2 assists, 1,800 minutes