The National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) stands as the premier professional women’s soccer league in the United States, representing the pinnacle of Women’s Soccer in the country. With US soccer growing rapidly every day, where top US academies are producing some of the best players and women’s soccer continues breaking new records, the NWSL has become a vital symbol of this progress.
Since its founding in 2012 and inaugural season in 2013, the NWSL has grown from eight founding teams to a thriving 14-team league with plans for continued expansion.
NWSL History and Foundation
Origins and Early Development
The NWSL emerged from the ashes of Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS), which folded in April 2012 after five seasons. Learning from the financial struggles that plagued previous women’s professional leagues in the United States, including the Women’s United Soccer Association (WUSA) that operated from 2001-2003, the NWSL was designed with sustainability as its core principle.
The league was officially announced in November 2012 with eight founding teams and a unique financial structure that included support from three national federations: the United States Soccer Federation, Canadian Soccer Association, and Mexican Football Federation.
These federations subsidized the salaries of their national team players (24 from the US, 16 from Canada, and 12-16 from Mexico) to help teams build competitive rosters while maintaining fiscal responsibility.
- Founded – November 21, 2012
- Confederation – CONCACAF (North America)
- clubs – 16 (2025) and 18 (2026)
- Current Title holder – Orlando Pride
- Most Successful – Portland Thorns FC (3 titles)
Key Milestones
April 13, 2013: The NWSL played its inaugural match between FC Kansas City and Portland Thorns FC, ending in a 1-1 draw with Renae Cuéllar scoring the first goal in league history.
August 31, 2013: Portland Thorns FC defeated Western New York Flash 2-0 to claim the first NWSL Championship.
2020: The league terminated its management contract with US Soccer and became fully independent.
2023: The NWSL finalized a groundbreaking four-year broadcasting deal worth $240 million, representing a 40x increase from their previous agreement.
National Women’s Soccer League Current Teams and Structure
2025 NWSL Teams
The league features 14 teams competing in the 2025 season, with plans to expand to 16 teams by 2026:
Western Conference:
- Angel City FC (Los Angeles, California)
- Bay FC (San Jose, California)
- Kansas City Current (Kansas City, Missouri)
- Portland Thorns FC (Portland, Oregon)
- San Diego Wave FC (San Diego, California)
- Seattle Reign FC (Seattle, Washington)
- Utah Royals (Sandy, Utah)
Eastern Conference:
- Chicago Stars FC (Bridgeview, Illinois)
- Houston Dash (Houston, Texas)
- NJ/NY Gotham FC (Harrison, New Jersey)
- North Carolina Courage (Cary, North Carolina)
- Orlando Pride (Orlando, Florida)
- Racing Louisville FC (Louisville, Kentucky)
- Washington Spirit (Washington, D.C.)
Expansion Plans
BOS Nation FC (now Boston Legacy FC) is set to begin play in 2026, while Denver Summit FC will also join the league in 2026, bringing the total to 16 teams.
National Women’s Soccer League Records and Statistics (All-time)
Top Goal Scorers
Lynn Williams holds the distinction as the NWSL’s all-time leading goal scorer across all competitions with 79 goals. She surpassed Sam Kerr’s previous record of 78 goals in May 2024 during NJ/NY Gotham FC’s 2-1 victory over Chicago Red Stars.
Top 5 All-Time Goal Scorers
- Lynn Williams – 79 goals
- Sam Kerr – 78 goals
- Christine Sinclair – 76 goals
- Alex Morgan – 66 goals
- Debinha – 63 goals
Most Appearances
Lauren Barnes of Seattle Reign FC became the first player to reach 200 regular-season appearances in NWSL history in March 2024. She also holds league records for most games started (196) and minutes played (17,328) with the same club.
Top Appearance Leaders:
- Lauren Barnes – 211 games
- McCall Zerboni – 204 games
- Merritt Mathias – 183 games
- Jessica McDonald – 182 games
- Jess Fishlock – 180 games
Single-Season Records
Temwa Chawinga of Kansas City Current set the new single-season goal record in 2024 with 20 goals, breaking Sam Kerr’s previous mark of 18 goals set in 2019. Chawinga also became the first player to score against every team in a season since the league expanded beyond 10 teams.
Championship History and Most Successful Teams
NWSL Championship Winners
Portland Thorns FC leads all teams with 3 NWSL Championships (2013, 2017, 2022). North Carolina Courage and the defunct FC Kansas City each have 2 titles.
Championship History:
- 2024: Orlando Pride
- 2023: NJ/NY Gotham FC
- 2022: Portland Thorns FC
- 2021: Washington Spirit
- 2019: North Carolina Courage
- 2018: North Carolina Courage
- 2017: Portland Thorns FC
- 2016: Western New York Flash
- 2015: FC Kansas City
- 2014: FC Kansas City
- 2013: Portland Thorns FC
Most Successful Franchise
North Carolina Courage holds the record for most total trophies.
- North Carolina
- 7 trophies (2 Championships, 3 NWSL Shields, 2 Challenge Cups)
- Portland Thorns FC
- 6 trophies (3 Championships, 2 Shields, 1 Challenge Cup)
Top Players and Awards
MVP Winners
The NWSL Most Valuable Player award recognizes the league’s best player annually. Sam Kerr (2017, 2019) is the only player to win multiple MVP awards.
Recent MVP Winners:
- 2024: Temwa Chawinga (Kansas City Current)
- 2023: Kerolin (North Carolina Courage)
- 2022: Sophia Smith (Portland Thorns FC)
- 2021: Jess Fishlock (OL Reign)
International Recognition
Five players born outside the United States have won MVP honors: Kim Little (Scotland, 2014), Sam Kerr (Australia, 2017, 2019), Jess Fishlock (Wales, 2021), Kerolin (Brazil, 2023), and Temwa Chawinga (Malawi, 2024).
NWSL Stadiums and Infrastructure
Notable Venues
The NWSL operates from a diverse range of stadiums, from soccer-specific facilities to shared venues with MLS teams:
Largest Capacity: Seattle Reign FC plays at Lumen Field (68,740 capacity, though typically configured for 10,000 for NWSL matches).
Historic First: Kansas City Current’s CPKC Stadium (11,500 capacity) made history in 2024 as the first stadium built specifically for a women’s professional sports team worldwide. The $120 million facility was mostly privately funded, and the Current sold out every home match during their inaugural season there.
Soccer-Specific Venues: Most teams play in dedicated soccer stadiums, including BMO Stadium (Angel City FC, 22,000), Providence Park (Portland Thorns FC, 25,218), and Inter&Co Stadium (Orlando Pride, 25,500).
Financial Structure and Growth
Broadcasting Revolution
The NWSL secured a transformative $240 million, four-year media rights deal in 2023 with ESPN, CBS Sports, Amazon Prime Video, and Scripps’ ION network. This agreement represents a 4,000% increase from their previous $1.5 million annual deal with CBS.
Annual Value: $60 million per year, including approximately $20-25 million in cash rights fees and $35-40 million in value-in-kind benefits such as marketing and production costs.
Salary Structure and Cap
2025 Salary Cap: $3.3 million per team (up from $2.75 million in 2024), with revenue sharing potentially increasing this to $3.5 million.
Player Salaries:
- Minimum Salary (2025): $48,500
- Projected Minimum (2030): $82,500
- Salary Cap Projection (2030): $5.1 million per team
- Average Player Salary: Approximately $65,000
Unlike MLS, the NWSL has no maximum individual salary cap, allowing teams to pay star players market rates within the overall team budget.
Global Impact and Future Outlook
Attendance and Fan Growth
The league has experienced remarkable attendance growth, with Bay FC setting a new NWSL record of 40,091 fans at Oracle Park in 2024. Kansas City Current became the first NWSL team to sell out every home match during a regular season at their new CPKC Stadium.
International Talent
According to recent data, 33% of NWSL players are foreign-born, representing 38 different countries, which demonstrates the league’s global appeal and talent acquisition.
Revenue and Sustainability
The NWSL’s business model has evolved significantly, with team sponsorship worth $66.46 million across the league in 2025, combined with the substantial media rights revenue, creating a more sustainable foundation for growth.
The National Women’s Soccer League has evolved from a survival-focused startup into a thriving professional league that has become a global destination for elite women’s soccer talent. With continued expansion, record-breaking media deals, and growing fan support, the NWSL is positioned to lead the next generation of women’s professional sports leagues worldwide.