The 2023 National Women's Soccer League season was the eleventh 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 17th overall season of FIFA and USSF-sanctioned top division women's soccer in the United States. Twelve teams compete in the league.
The NWSL regular season, comprising 22 games for each team, began on March 25 and ended on October 15, 2023. The playoffs followed from October 22 and ended with the championship match on November 11. For the first time, the NWSL Challenge Cup ran entirely concurrent with the regular season from April to September 9, 2023. NJ/NY Gotham FC won their first league championship by defeating OL Reign in the NWSL Championship at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego, California.
Teams, stadiums, and personnel Stadiums and locations
Team Stadium Capacity Angel City FC BMO Stadium 22,000 Chicago Red Stars SeatGeek Stadium 20,000 Houston Dash Shell Energy Stadium 7,000 Kansas City Current Children's Mercy Park 18,467 NJ/NY Gotham FC Red Bull Arena 25,000 North Carolina Courage WakeMed Soccer Park 10,000 OL Reign Lumen Field 10,000 Orlando Pride Exploria Stadium 25,500 Portland Thorns FC Providence Park 25,218 Racing Louisville FC Lynn Family Stadium 11,700 San Diego Wave FC Snapdragon Stadium 35,000 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. Team Head coach Captain Shirt sponsor Angel City FC (interim) DoorDash Chicago Red Stars (interim) CIBC Houston Dash (interim) MD Anderson Cancer Center Kansas City Current (interim) Saint Luke's Health System NJ/NY Gotham FC Algorand North Carolina Courage Merz Aesthetics OL Reign Black Future Co-op Fund Orlando Pride Orlando Health Portland Thorns FC Providence Health & Services Racing Louisville FC GE Appliances San Diego Wave FC Kaiser Permanente Washington Spirit CVS Health
Coaching changes Team Outgoing coach Manner of departure Date of vacancy Position in table Incoming coach Date of appointment NJ/NY Gotham FC (interim) End of interim period October 2, 2022 Preseason November 1, 2022 Orlando Pride (interim) End of interim period October 2, 2022 Preseason November 11, 2022 Washington Spirit (interim) End of interim period October 2, 2022 Preseason November 21, 2022 Houston Dash (interim) Resigned October 28, 2022 Preseason December 21, 2022 Portland Thorns FC Resigned December 2, 2022 Preseason January 9, 2023 Kansas City Current Fired April 19, 2023 11th (interim) April 19, 2023 Angel City FC Fired June 15, 2023 11th (interim) June 15, 2023 Houston Dash Fired September 6, 2023 10th (interim) September 8, 2023 Chicago Red Stars Fired October 10, 2023 12th (interim) October 10, 2023
Regular season 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 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.
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).
Results
Attendance
Average home attendances Ranked from highest to lowest average attendance.
+ Regular season Team San Diego Wave FC 11 227,893 30,854 14,362 20,718 Angel City FC 11 217,313 22,000 16,682 19,756 Portland Thorns FC 11 208,094 25,218 14,972 18,918 OL Reign 11 149,704 42,054 6,132 13,609 Kansas City Current 11 124,878 15,671 9,409 11,353 Washington Spirit 11 119,748 15,479 7,073 10,886 Orlando Pride 11 69,878 8,504 4,290 6,353 NJ/NY Gotham FC 11 69,223 15,058 3,200 6,293 Racing Louisville FC 11 65,989 10,214 4,143 5,999 Houston Dash 10 58,569 9,175 4,536 5,857 North Carolina Courage 11 59,225 10,434 4,000 5,384 Chicago Red Stars 11 53,332 8,961 2,356 4,848 Total 131 1,423,846 42,054 2,356 10,869
Highest attendances + Regular season Rank Home team Score Away team Attendance Date Stadium 1 OL Reign 0–2 Portland Thorns FC 42,054 Lumen Field 2 OL Reign 0–0 Washington Spirit 34,130 Lumen Field 3 San Diego Wave FC 3–2 Chicago Red Stars 30,854 Snapdragon Stadium 4 San Diego Wave FC 2–0 Racing Louisville FC 30,312 Snapdragon Stadium 5 San Diego Wave FC 1–2 Angel City FC 25,515 Snapdragon Stadium 6 Portland Thorns FC 2–0 OL Reign 25,218 Providence Park 7 San Diego Wave FC 1–0 Houston Dash 24,936 Snapdragon Stadium 8 San Diego Wave FC 1–2 OL Reign 22,682 Snapdragon Stadium 9 Portland Thorns FC 2–1 North Carolina Courage 22,107 Providence Park 10 Angel City FC 1–2 NJ/NY Gotham FC 22,000 BMO Stadium
Statistical leaders
Top scorers
Rank Player Club Goals 1 Sophia SmithPortland Thorns FC 11 2 KerolinNorth Carolina Courage 10 3 DebinhaKansas City Current 9 Ashley HatchWashington Spirit 5 Alex MorganSan Diego Wave FC 7 Morgan WeaverPortland Thorns FC Lynn WilliamsNJ/NY Gotham FC 8 Bethany BalcerOL Reign 6 Messiah BrightOrlando Pride Cece KizerKansas City Current Adriana Leal da SilvaOrlando Pride Tyler LussiNorth Carolina Courage Jaedyn ShawSan Diego Wave FC Hina SugitaPortland Thorns FC
Top assists
Rank Player Club Assists 1 Sam Coffey Portland Thorns FC 8 2 Julia Bianchi Chicago Red Stars 5 Claire EmslieAngel City FC Alex MorganSan Diego Wave FC Megan Rapinoe OL Reign Sophia Smith Portland Thorns FC 7 Adriana Leal da Silva Orlando Pride 4 Clarisse Le Bihan Angel City FC Alex Loera Kansas City Current Marta Orlando Pride María Sánchez Houston Dash Morgan Weaver Portland Thorns FC Christen Westphal San Diego Wave FC
Clean sheets
Rank Player Club Clean sheets 1 Casey MurphyNorth Carolina Courage 9 Kailen SheridanSan Diego Wave FC 3 Jane CampbellHouston Dash 8 4 Anna MoorhouseOrlando Pride 7 5 Bella BixbyPortland Thorns FC 6 Katie LundRacing Louisville FC 7 Aubrey KingsburyWashington Spirit 4 Cassie MillerKansas City Current Abby SmithNJ/NY Gotham FC Phallon Tullis-JoyceOL Reign
Hat-tricks
+ Player For Against Score Date Sophia Smith Portland Thorns FC at Kansas City Current 1–4 April 1, 2023 Kerolin North Carolina Courage at Chicago Red Stars 0–5 June 10, 2023 Sophia Smith Portland Thorns FC vs. Washington Spirit 4–2 June 23, 2023
Playoffs
The top six teams from the regular season will qualify for the NWSL Championship playoffs, with the top two teams receiving a quarterfinal bye. The playoffs begin with the quarterfinals on October 20, with semifinals scheduled for November 5 and the championship finals match on November 11 at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego, California.
Bracket
Quarterfinals
Semifinals
Championship
Championship Game MVP: Midge Purce (NJNY)
Challenge Cup
Individual awards
Annual awards
AwardWinnerNomineesRef.Golden Boot Sophia Smith (11 G)Portland Thorns FCN/AMost Valuable Player KerolinNorth Carolina Courage Sam Coffey, POR Debinha, KC Naomi Girma, SD Sophia Smith, PORDefender of the Year Naomi GirmaSan Diego Wave FC Sarah Gorden, LA Ali Krieger, NJNY Kaleigh Kurtz, NCC Sam Staab, WASGoalkeeper of the Year Jane CampbellHouston Dash Katie Lund, LOU Kailen Sheridan, SDRookie of the Year Jenna NighswongerNJ/NY Gotham FC Messiah Bright, ORL Alyssa Thompson, LACoach of the Year Juan Carlos AmorósNJ/NY Gotham FC Casey Stoney, SD Becki Tweed, LA
Teams of the Year Announced November 6, 2023
Best XI POSITIONPLAYERCLUBGoalkeeper Houston DashDefender San Diego Wave FC NJ/NY Gotham FC Angel City FC Washington SpiritMidfielder/Forward Portland Thorns FC Kansas City Current San Diego Wave FC North Carolina Courage Portland Thorns FC NJ/NY Gotham FC Second XI POSITIONPLAYERCLUBGoalkeeper San Diego Wave FCDefender North Carolina Courage North Carolina Courage NJ/NY Gotham FC Angel City FCMidfielder/Forward Racing Louisville FC Angel City FC North Carolina Courage Washington Spirit San Diego Wave FC Washington Spirit
Most selections
Monthly awards
Player of the Month
Month Player Team March/April Sophia Smith Portland Thorns FC May Savannah DeMelo Racing Louisville FC June (2) Portland Thorns FC July Savannah McCaskill Angel City FC August Messiah Bright Orlando Pride September/October Savannah McCaskill (2) Angel City FC
Rookie of the Month
Month Player Team March/April Alyssa Thompson Angel City FC May Jenna Nighswonger NJ/NY Gotham FC June Paige Metayer Washington Spirit July Jenna Nighswonger (2) NJ/NY Gotham FC August Messiah Bright Orlando Pride September/October Alexa Spaanstra Kansas City Current
Team of the Month
Month Goalkeeper Defenders Midfielders Forwards March/April Phallon Tullis-Joyce, RGN May Abby Smith, NJY June Casey Murphy, NC July Emily Boyd, CHI August Adrianna Franch, KC September/ October Jane Campbell, HOU
Weekly awards Week Player of the Week Save of the Week Player Club Player Club 1 Lynn Williams NJ/NY Gotham FC 2 Sophia Smith Portland Thorns FC 3 Phallon Tullis-Joyce OL Reign 4 Lynn Williams (2) NJ/NY Gotham FC Abby Smith NJ/NY Gotham FC 5 Debinha Kansas City Current Abby Smith (2) NJ/NY Gotham FC 6 Crystal Dunn Portland Thorns FC Katie Lund Racing Louisville FC 7 Abby Smith NJ/NY Gotham FC Abby Smith (3) NJ/NY Gotham FC 8 Lynn Williams (3) NJ/NY Gotham FC Alyssa Naeher Chicago Red Stars 9 Bruninha NJ/NY Gotham FC Alyssa Naeher (2) Chicago Red Stars 10 Sydney Leroux Angel City FC Bruninha Abby Smith (4) NJ/NY Gotham FC 11 Kerolin North Carolina Courage Phallon Tullis-Joyce OL Reign 12 Tara McKeown Washington Spirit Phallon Tullis-Joyce (2) OL Reign 13 Sophia Smith (2) Portland Thorns FC Phallon Tullis-Joyce (3) OL Reign 14 Orlando Pride (5) NJ/NY Gotham FC 15 Orlando Pride (6) NJ/NY Gotham FC
References
External links