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.
The league had 14 teams, unchanged from the 2024 season, which set a record for average attendance and television ratings. 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. 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. It was the first season without a college draft; the 2025 rookie class entered the league as free agents. All teams played 26 regular-season matches.
The defending NWSL Championship and NWSL Shield winner was the Orlando Pride. The Kansas City Current won the 2025 NWSL Shield with a record 21 wins and a record 65 points.
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.
NJ/NY Gotham FC re-named to Gotham FC prior to the season.
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 San Diego Wave FC Snapdragon Stadium 35,000 Seattle Reign FC Lumen Field 10,000 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. Team Head coach Captain(s) Shirt sponsor Angel City FC DoorDash Bay FC Sutter Health Chicago Stars FC (interim) Wintrust Gotham FC CarMax Houston Dash MD Anderson Cancer Center Kansas City Current United Way of Greater Kansas City North Carolina Courage (interim) Merz Aesthetics Orlando Pride Orlando Health Portland Thorns FC ring Racing Louisville FC GE Appliances San Diego Wave FC Kaiser Permanente Seattle Reign FC Trupanion Utah Royals America First Credit Union Washington Spirit CVS Health
Coaching changes Team Outgoing coach Manner of departure Date of vacancy Position in table Incoming coach Date of appointment San Diego Wave FC (interim) End of interim period November 18, 2024 Preseason January 7, 2025 Houston Dash (interim) End of interim period December 9, 2024 Preseason January 3, 2025 Angel City FC Fired December 9, 2024 Preseason (interim) December 9, 2024 Angel City FC (interim) End of interim period January 22, 2025 Preseason (interim) January 22, 2025 Chicago Stars FC Fired April 30, 2025 14th (interim) April 30, 2025 Angel City FC (interim) End of interim period May 31, 2025 7th June 1, 2025 Washington Spirit Signed with Lyon June 23, 2025 4th July 18, 2025 Chicago Stars FC (interim) End of interim period July 3, 2025 13th (interim) July 3, 2025 North Carolina Courage Fired August 6, 2025 9th Nathan Thackeray (interim) August 6, 2025 Chicago Stars FC (interim) End of interim period August 13, 2025 13th (interim) August 13, 2025
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).
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. The NWSL playoffs will begin on November 7 and finish with the NWSL Championship on November 22.
Results
Attendance
Average home attendances Ranked from highest to lowest average attendance.
+ Regular season Rank Team 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
Highest attendances + Regular season Rank Home team Score Away team Attendance Date Stadium 1 Bay FC 2–3 Washington Spirit 40,091* Oracle Park † Chicago Stars FC 2–2 Seattle Reign FC 26,942† Soldier Field2 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 Providence Park 4 Portland Thorns FC 2–0 Washington Spirit 21,268 Providence Park 5 Portland Thorns FC 2–1 Bay FC 21,104 Providence Park 6 Angel City FC 1–1 San Diego Wave FC 19,728 BMO Stadium 7 Washington Spirit 0–2 Kansas City Current 19,254 Audi Field 8 Orlando Pride 6–0 Chicago Stars FC 19,237 Inter&Co Stadium 9 San Diego Wave FC 3–2 Utah Royals 18,465 Snapdragon Stadium Angel City FC 0–4 Gotham FC 18,465 BMO Stadium 11 Portland Thorns FC 1–1 San Diego Wave FC 18,443 Providence Park 12 Portland Thorns FC 1–0 Orlando Pride 17,776 Providence Park
* NWSL attendance record for a standalone (non-doubleheader) game.
† Doubleheader match with Major League Soccer team; not included in ranking.
Statistical leaders
Top scorers
Rank Player Club Goals 1 Temwa ChawingaKansas City Current 15 2 Esther GonzálezGotham FC 13 3 Manaka MatsukuboNorth Carolina Courage 11 4 LudmilaChicago Stars FC 10 Emma SearsRacing Louisville FC 6 Barbra BandaOrlando Pride 8 DebinhaKansas City Current Gift MondayWashington Spirit Olivia MoultriePortland Thorns FC Riley TiernanAngel City FC
Top assists
Rank Player Club Assists1 Delphine CascarinoSan Diego Wave FC6 Izzy RodriguezKansas City Current3 Jessie FlemingPortland Thorns FC5 Hailie MaceKansas City Current Alyssa MalonsonBay FC Ally SchlegelChicago Stars FC Sarah SchupanskyGotham FC Janine SonisRacing Louisville FC Gisele ThompsonAngel City FC10 8 players tied4
Clean sheets
Rank Player Club Clean sheets 1 LorenaKansas City Current 14 2 Ann-Katrin BergerGotham FC 10 3 Aubrey KingsburyWashington Spirit 8 4 Claudia DickeySeattle Reign FC 7 Anna MoorhouseOrlando Pride 6 Jordyn BloomerRacing Louisville FC 5 Mandy McGlynnUtah Royals Kailen SheridanSan Diego Wave FC 9 Mackenzie ArnoldPortland Thorns FC 4 Jane CampbellHouston Dash Casey MurphyNorth Carolina Courage Jordan SilkowitzBay FC
Hat-tricks
+ Player For Against Score Date Barbra Banda Orlando Pride vs. Utah Royals 3–1 May 23, 2025 Ludmila Chicago Stars FC vs. North Carolina Courage 3–3 August 22, 2025 Gift Monday Washington Spirit vs. Houston Dash 4–0 September 28, 2025 Manaka Matsukubo North Carolina Courage vs. Bay FC 4–1 October 17, 2025
Playoffs Bracket
Quarterfinals
Semifinals
Championship
Challenge Cup
Individual awards
Annual awards
Award Winner Nominees Ref. Golden Boot Temwa Chawinga Kansas City Current N/A Most Valuable Player Temwa Chawinga Kansas City Current Delphine Cascarino, San Diego Wave Esther González, Gotham FC Manaka Matsukubo, North Carolina Courage Bia Zaneratto, Kansas City Current Defender of the Year Tara McKeown Washington Spirit Jordyn Bugg, Seattle Reign Avery Patterson, Houston Dash Izzy Rodriguez, Kansas City Current Kayla Sharples, Kansas City Current Midfielder of the Year Manaka Matsukubo North Carolina Courage Kenza Dali, San Diego Wave Debinha, Kansas City Current Claire Hutton, Kansas City Current Olivia Moultrie, Portland Thorns Goalkeeper of the Year Lorena Kansas City Current Ann-Katrin Berger, Gotham FC Claudia Dickey, Seattle Reign Rookie of the Year Lilly Reale Gotham FC Maddie Dahlien, Seattle Reign Riley Tiernan, Angel City FC Coach of the Year Beverly Yanez Racing Louisville FC Vlatko Andonovski, Kansas City Current Adrian Gonzalez, Washington Spirit
Teams of the Year
Announced November 19, 2025
Best XI POSITION PLAYER CLUB GK LorenaKansas City Current DF Washington Spirit Houston Dash Kansas City Current Kansas City Current MF/FW Kansas City Current Portland Thorns Gotham FC Kansas City Current North Carolina Courage Portland Thorns FC
Second XI POSITION PLAYER CLUB GK Seattle Reign DF Seattle Reign Kansas City Current Gotham FC Gotham FC MF/FW Washington Spirit San Diego Wave San Diego Wave Racing Louisville FC Racing Louisville FC Kansas City Current
Monthly awards
Player of the Month
Month Player Team March Temwa Chawinga Kansas City Current April Esther González Gotham FC May Temwa Chawinga (2)Kansas City Current June Esther González (2) Gotham FC August Ludmila Chicago Stars FC September Trinity Rodman Washington Spirit October/November Manaka Matsukubo North Carolina Courage
Rookie of the Month
Month Player Team March Maggie Graham Houston Dash April Riley Tiernan Angel City FC May Riley Tiernan (2)Angel City FCJune Pietra TordinPortland Thorns FCAugust Pietra Tordin (2)Portland Thorns FCSeptember Deborah Abiodun Washington SpiritOctober/November Taylor Huff Bay FC
Coach of the Month Month Player Team March April May Jonas Eidevall San Diego Wave FCJune Vlatko Andonovski Kansas City CurrentAugust Vlatko Andonovski (2)Kansas City CurrentSeptember Vlatko Andonovski (3)Kansas City CurrentOctober/November Bev YanezRacing Louisville FC
Team of the Month
Month Goalkeeper Defenders Midfielders Forwards March Lorena, KC April Aubrey Kingsbury, WAS (2) (2) May Claudia Dickey, SEA June Lorena, KC (2) August Jordyn Bloomer, LOU September Aubrey Kingsbury, WAS (2) October/November Mackenzie Arnold, POR (2)
Weekly awards