List of National Women's Soccer League seasons

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A 2023 regular season match hosted by Seattle Reign FC against the Washington Spirit at Lumen Field in Seattle OL Reign vs. Washington Spirit - October 6, 2023 - view from southeast.jpg
A 2023 regular season match hosted by Seattle Reign FC against the Washington Spirit at Lumen Field in Seattle

The National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) is a top-flight professional women's soccer league in the United States. It shares first-division status with the USL Super League. As of 2024, the league has 14 teams and uses a schedule that runs from spring to fall within a single calendar year. [1] The champion is determined by the NWSL Championship and the playoffs, a postseason knockout tournament for top teams in the regular season similar to those for other North American sports leagues. The team with the best record during the regular season, as determined by the number of points or another tiebreaker, is awarded the NWSL Shield. [2] Several NWSL teams share ownership or their home venues with men's teams in Major League Soccer (MLS) and the USL Championship who play in the same markets. [3] [4] The league had an average attendance of over 11,000 during the 2024 regular season and set a record for total attendance of over 2 million spectators. [5]

Contents

The NWSL was founded in November 2012 under the administration of the United States Soccer Federation with eight teams who would begin play the following year. It was the third professional women's soccer league to be established in the United States, following the Women's United Soccer Association from 2001 to 2003 and Women's Professional Soccer, which folded in early 2012 after three seasons. [6] [7] The inaugural season in 2013 was played over a five-month calendar by the eight charter teams; [6] the championship was won by Portland Thorns FC, while the NWSL Shield was awarded to the Western New York Flash—who were playing in their fourth league in four years. [8] The first NWSL expansion team were the Houston Dash in 2014, who were followed two years later by the Orlando Pride. [9] Two of the league's ten teams ceased operations prior to the 2018 season, while another had relocated a year earlier. [10] [11] NWSL added pairs of expansion teams in 2021, 2022, and 2024, including re-entering markets where teams had folded. [9] The league announced plans to grow to 16 teams by 2026 with a set bidding process and fee similar to older North American sports leagues. [12] [13]

As of the 12th season in 2024, each team plays 26 matches during the regular season in a round-robin home-and-away series against the remaining 13 teams. The regular season runs from March to November; the 2024 season included a month-long break from July to August for the 2024 Summer Olympics. The top eight teams qualified for the playoffs, which were played over three rounds in November and culminated in the NWSL Championship. Most of the league's matches are broadcast in the U.S. by national television stations and streaming services. [14] [15] All NWSL teams also played in the concurrent NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup, an international competition with six Mexican clubs from Liga MX Femenil. [16] The league champions, runners-up, and NWSL Shield winner also qualify for the CONCACAF W Champions Cup, the continental championship for women's teams in North America, Central America, and the Caribbean since 2024. [17] A preseason super cup match, named the NWSL Challenge Cup, is contested by the reigning champions of the NWSL Championship and NWSL Shield; it was originally conceived during the COVID-19 pandemic to replace the cancelled 2020 season and had all NWSL teams from 2020 to 2023. [16]

Portland Thorns FC have won three NWSL Championships, the most of any team in the league's history; the team also has two NWSL Shields. [18] Seattle Reign FC hold the record for most NWSL Shields, at three, and have finished as runners-up in three NWSL Championship games. [19] [20] The "double"—an NWSL Championship and NWSL Shield in the same season—has been won three times: by the North Carolina Courage in 2018 and 2019, and by the Orlando Pride in 2024. [19] [21] Orlando also set the league's all-time points record during the 2024 season, with 60 points and an 18–2–6 record. [22] The league has several annual awards for individual players and coaches to recognize their accomplishments, including the Most Valuable Player Award for the best player of the year and the Golden Boot for the player who scored the most goals during the regular season. [23] The single-season scoring record of 20 goals was set by Malawian forward Temwa Chawinga of the Kansas City Current during the 2024 season; she also won the Most Valuable Player Award. [24]

List of seasons

National Women's Soccer League seasons
SeasonTeams NWSL playoffs Regular season Most valuable player Golden Boot [a] Ref.
Champion ScoreRunners-up NWSL Shield Record [b] Pts. MP Avg.
attendance
2013 8 Portland Thorns FC 2–0 Western New York Flash Western New York Flash [c] 10–4–838224,270 [26] Lauren Holiday Lauren Holiday (12) [27]
2014 9 FC Kansas City 2–1 Seattle Reign FC Seattle Reign FC 16–2–654244,139 [26] Kim Little Kim Little (16) [28]
2015 9 FC Kansas City (2nd title)1–0 Seattle Reign FC Seattle Reign FC (2nd title)13–3–443205,046 [26] Crystal Dunn Crystal Dunn (15) [29]
2016 10 Western New York Flash 2–2
(3–2 p. )		 Washington Spirit Portland Thorns FC 12–3–541205,558 [26] Lynn Williams Lynn Williams (11) [30]
2017 10 Portland Thorns FC (2nd title)1–0 North Carolina Courage North Carolina Courage [d] 16–7–149245,083 [26] Sam Kerr Sam Kerr (17) [33]
2018 9 North Carolina Courage 3–0 Portland Thorns FC North Carolina Courage (2nd title)17–1–657246,024 [34] Lindsey Horan Sam Kerr (16) [35]
2019 9 North Carolina Courage (2nd title)4–0 Chicago Red Stars North Carolina Courage (3rd title)15–5–449247,386 [34] Sam Kerr Sam Kerr (18) [36]
2020 9Regular season and playoffs cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic and replaced by alternative competitions. [37]
2021 10 Washington Spirit 2–1 Chicago Red Stars Portland Thorns FC (2nd title)13–6–544245,528 [38] [e] Jess Fishlock Ashley Hatch (10) [40]
2022 12 Portland Thorns FC (3rd title)2–0 Kansas City Current OL Reign (3rd title) [f] 11–4–740227,894 [42] Sophia Smith Alex Morgan (15) [43]
2023 12 NJ/NY Gotham FC 2–1 OL Reign [f] San Diego Wave FC 11–7–4372210,638 [44] Sophia Smith Sophia Smith (11) [45]
2024 14 Orlando Pride 1–0 Washington Spirit Orlando Pride 18–2–6602611,250 [44] Temwa Chawinga Temwa Chawinga (20) [46]

Notes

  1. ↑ The Golden Boot column is sorted by number of goals scored, followed by the player's surname.
  2. ↑ The record column is sorted by points per game due to the changes in the number of matches played per season.
  3. ↑ The Western New York Flash, FC Kansas City, and Portland Thorns FC all finished the regular season with 38 points in a tie for first place. The NWSL Shield was determined by the first tiebreaker, the head-to-head record between tied teams, which Western New York won against Kansas City, who placed second as a result. [25]
  4. ↑ The North Carolina Courage was established in 2017 using the franchise rights it acquired from the Western New York Flash; [31] for statistical purposes, the two teams have separate histories. [32]
  5. ↑ Some matches during the 2021 season had limited attendance due to capacity limits imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic. [39]
  6. 1 2 Seattle Reign FC was named Reign FC in 2019 and OL Reign from 2020 to 2023. [41]

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References

  1. ↑ Nudelstejer, Abraham (May 9, 2024). "Dallas Trinity FC, new women's pro soccer team, faces big opportunity, challenges" . The Dallas Morning News . Retrieved January 1, 2025.
  2. ↑ Tonelli, Jenna (November 22, 2024). "It's NWSL Championship Weekend, but Is the Winner Truly the Best Team in the League?". Sports Illustrated . Retrieved January 1, 2025.
  3. ↑ Silverman, Alex (December 2, 2024). "Facilities: Kansas City Blueprint" . Sports Business Journal . Retrieved January 1, 2025.
  4. ↑ Evans, Jayda (June 16, 2024). "Sounders' purchase of Reign FC finalized, ushering in new era of Seattle soccer" . The Seattle Times . Retrieved January 1, 2025.
  5. ↑ Sullivan, Becky (November 16, 2024). "The NWSL rides a 'rocket ship' of interest in women's sports to a record-setting year". NPR . Retrieved January 1, 2025.
  6. 1 2 Bell, Jack (April 13, 2013). "Another Attempt at Women's Circuit, but With a Twist" . The New York Times . Retrieved January 1, 2025.
  7. ↑ Becker, Josie (December 18, 2012). "A new league and another new dawn for US women's soccer". The Guardian . Retrieved January 1, 2025.
  8. ↑ DiVeronica, Jeff (September 1, 2013). "Portland Thorns win inaugural NWSL title against Western New York Flash". USA Today . Retrieved January 1, 2025.
  9. 1 2 Kassouf, Jeff (June 30, 2022). "As expansion race heats up, NWSL faces tough questions about its future with Utah expected to join in 2024". ESPN . Retrieved January 1, 2025.
  10. ↑ "Events and Milestones". National Women's Soccer League. March 20, 2024. Retrieved January 1, 2025.
  11. ↑ Goldberg, Jamie (January 28, 2018). "Boston Breakers officially cease operations, NWSL to hold dispersal draft". The Oregonian . Retrieved January 1, 2025.
  12. ↑ Anzidei, Melanie (October 5, 2024). "NWSL expansion: Where things stand as the league looks to add a 16th team" . The Athletic . Retrieved January 1, 2025.
  13. ↑ Toonkel, Jessica; Bachman, Rachel (January 27, 2023). "NWSL Set to Expand With Record-Setting $50 Million Franchise Fees" . The Wall Street Journal . Retrieved January 1, 2025.
  14. ↑ Hernandez, Victoria (December 7, 2023). "2024 NWSL schedule includes expanded playoffs, break for Paris Olympics". USA Today. Retrieved January 1, 2025.
  15. ↑ Goff, Steven (November 24, 2024). "In a breakout year for women's sports, the NWSL shows how far it has come" . The Washington Post . Retrieved January 1, 2025.
  16. 1 2 Kassouf, Jeff (October 29, 2024). "Does the NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup have a future?". ESPN. Retrieved January 1, 2025.
  17. ↑ "Gotham FC, San Diego and Portland are inaugural NWSL entrants in Concacaf W Champions Cup" . Soccer America . April 25, 2024. Retrieved January 1, 2025.
  18. ↑ Yang, Steph (November 2, 2024). "On the cusp of NWSL dynasty, the Portland Thorns enter a crucial transition" . The Athletic. Retrieved January 1, 2025.
  19. 1 2 Jenkins, Keith (November 23, 2024). "NWSL all-time winners: Championship, Shield, Challenge Cup". ESPN. Retrieved January 1, 2025.
  20. ↑ Evans, Jayda (March 16, 2024). "Why Lu Barnes is the 'glue' holding the Reign together, despite changes" . The Seattle Times. Retrieved January 1, 2025.
  21. ↑ Dart, Tom (November 23, 2024). "Orlando Pride lift first NWSL title behind Barbra Banda's early strike". The Guardian. Retrieved January 1, 2025.
  22. ↑ Peterson, Anne M. (November 22, 2024). "Marta's magic helped get the Pride to Saturday's NWSL title game against the Washington Spirit". Associated Press . Retrieved January 1, 2025.
  23. ↑ Lewis, Michael (November 12, 2024). "NWSL Award Finalists: Banda, Chawinga, Marta, Rodman, Smith vie for MVP". Front Row Soccer. Retrieved January 1, 2025.
  24. ↑ Peterson, Anne M. (November 22, 2024). "Kansas City Current forward Temwa Chawinga named NWSL MVP". Toronto Star . Associated Press. Retrieved January 1, 2025.
  25. ↑ Kassouf, Jeff (August 18, 2013). "WNY Flash win inaugural NWSL regular season title". The Equalizer . Retrieved January 1, 2025.
  26. 1 2 3 4 5 Kennedy, Paul (October 3, 2017). "Crowd Count: NWSL average attendance down despite another Portland record". Soccer America. Archived from the original on November 24, 2024. Retrieved January 1, 2025.
  27. ↑ "2013 NWSL Stats". FBref.com. Sports Reference . Retrieved January 1, 2025.
  28. ↑ "2014 NWSL Stats". FBref.com. Sports Reference. Retrieved January 1, 2025.
  29. ↑ "2015 NWSL Stats". FBref.com. Sports Reference. Retrieved January 1, 2025.
  30. ↑
  31. ↑ Pierno, Ian (January 10, 2017). "NC Courage, professional women's soccer team, to play in Cary" . The News & Observer . Retrieved January 1, 2025.
  32. ↑ "History of the NWSL Shield". NWSLsoccer.com. October 13, 2023. Retrieved January 1, 2025.
  33. ↑ "2017 NWSL Stats". FBref.com. Sports Reference. Retrieved January 1, 2025.
  34. 1 2 Kennedy, Paul (October 13, 2019). "NWSL attendance jumps 23 percent to new record in 2019". Soccer America. Archived from the original on December 8, 2019. Retrieved January 1, 2025.
  35. ↑ "2018 NWSL Stats". FBref.com. Sports Reference. Retrieved January 1, 2025.
  36. ↑ "2019 NWSL Stats". FBref.com. Sports Reference. Retrieved January 1, 2025.
  37. ↑ Geary, Molly (October 19, 2020). "NWSL Turns Unorthodox Year Into Opportunity". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved January 1, 2025.
  38. ↑ Badenhausen, Kurt (November 2, 2024). "NWSL 2024 Attendance Hits Record 2 Million Fans". Sportico . Retrieved January 1, 2025.
  39. ↑ Thompson, Tisha; Voepel, Michael (October 15, 2021). "WNBA commissioner outlines transformative plan to pivot league from 'survive to thrive'". ESPN. Retrieved January 1, 2025.
  40. ↑ "2021 NWSL Stats". FBref.com. Sports Reference. Retrieved January 1, 2025.
  41. ↑ Evans, Jayda (January 9, 2024). "OL Reign transform to Seattle Reign FC in throwback to original name and crest" . The Seattle Times. Retrieved January 1, 2025.
  42. ↑ Asch, Sarah (October 24, 2022). "Austin soccer fans want a women's pro team. Could that happen soon?". Austin American-Statesman . Retrieved January 1, 2025.
  43. ↑ "2022 NWSL Stats". FBref.com. Sports Reference. Retrieved January 1, 2025.
  44. 1 2 Silverman, Alex (November 26, 2024). "NWSL rides 6% uptick to record attendance in '24" . Sports Business Journal. Retrieved January 1, 2025.
  45. ↑ "2023 NWSL Stats". FBref.com. Sports Reference. Retrieved January 1, 2025.
  46. ↑ "2024 NWSL Stats". FBref.com. Sports Reference. Retrieved January 1, 2025.
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