Gotham Wins NWSL Championship
Volume 02 | Issue 09 | November 2025
NWSL News
NWSL Playoff Recap
November was a packed month of excitement in the NWSL, starting with Decision Day on November 2 and ending with the NWSL Championship on November 22.
Here is everything that happened in the final month of 2025 NWSL play:
NWSL Power Rankings
After 26 weeks of regular-season play, the top eight teams advanced to the NWSL playoffs.
The top four teams earned a home-field advantage for the NWSL Quarterfinals. With the Kansas City Current and the Washington Spirit securing the first and second seeds prior to NWSL Decision Day, the coveted third and fourth place spots were awarded to the Portland Thorns FC and the Orlando Pride on November 2.
NWSL Standings at the end of regular-season play (Team - Points | Goal Differential):
Kansas City Current - 65 | 36
Washington Spirit - 44 | 9
Portland Thorns FC - 40 | 7
Orlando Pride - 40 | 6
Seattle Reign - 39 | 3
San Diego Wave - 37 | 7
Racing Louisville FC - 37 | -3
NJ/NY Gotham FC - 36 | 10
North Carolina Courage - 35 | -2
Houston Dash - 30 | -12
Angel City FC - 27 | -10
Utah Royals - 25 | -14
Bay FC - 20 | -15
Chicago Stars - 20 | -22
Photo credit: Kansas City Current
Photo credit: Racing Louisville FC
Photo credit: Orlando Pride
NWSL Quarterfinals Recap
The NWSL playoffs kicked off on November 7 with the 2025 NWSL Quarterfinals.
Orlando Pride Advances to Semifinals
The Orlando Pride advanced to the NWSL Semifinals with a 2-0 victory over Seattle Reign FC.
Haley McCutcheon scored the Pride’s first goal in the 21st minute, earning her third NWSL career goal.
In the 90th plus 6th minute, Marta astonished fans with a breakaway from the Pride’s defense half into the box, where she was fouled and drew a PK in the last minute of stoppage time.
Luana stepped up to the spot and shot the ball high and to the left, sinking it into the side of the net for her first NWSL career goal.
The Brazilian international player was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma in April 2024 and underwent chemotherapy treatment. Luana returned to the pitch this past August.
“One year ago, I didn’t even know if I would be playing again, and today I’m here,” said Luana in a post-match interview.
“Nothing is impossible.”
Washington Spirit Eliminates Racing Louisville
The Washington Spirit beat Racing Louisville 1(3) - 1(1) to reach the NWSL semifinals in a hard-fought match that ended in a penalty shoot-out.
Gift Monday found the back of the net off a header in the 73rd minute from a cross played in by Rosemonde Kouassi, earning the Spirit a 1-0 lead.
Kayla Fischer scored an equalizer for Racing in the 90th plus 2nd minute with an assist from Bethany Balcer.
With the match tied at the end of regulation play, the game moved into two 15-minute extra-time periods as per the NWSL playoff game rules. Extra time ended in a tie, and the game advanced into a penalty shoot-out where the Spirit claimed victory.
The quarterfinal match was a franchise first for Louisville, with this year’s inaugural playoff run making club history. Racing ended the regular season ranked seventh in the league and gave the second-place Washington Spirit a challenging Quarterfinal match at Audi Field.
Trinity Rodman was listed as a sub for the Spirit for the match after previously being marked as Questionable on the November 7 NWSL Availability Report. Rodman suffered a knee injury on October 15.
Gotham FC Upsets KC Current
Number eight seed NJ/NY Gotham FC upset the number 1 seed, the Kansas City Current, in a 2-1 win in extra time, sending Gotham into the NWSL Semifinals.
The game was an evenly held match with neither team scoring in the first half.
Jaedyn Shaw found the first goal for Gotham in the 68th minute in a shot that sliced through Kansas City’s defense.
The Current found an equalizer in the 90th plus 6th minute with a powerful shot from Ellie Wheeler at the top corner of the box.
The 1-1 tie at the end of regulation play moved the game into two extra-time sessions.
Gotham’s Katie Stengel scored the winning goal in the 120th plus 1st minute with a shot ripped from the top corner of the six.
“I think it showed how hard our team worked all game long,” said Stengel in a post-match interview about her game-winning goal.
Gotham’s win against the Current was an unexpected victory for many who thought the Current would reign as Champions over the 2025 NWSL season.
Kansas City maintained a strong lead over the rest of the teams in the league throughout the majority of the season, breaking away from the pack in May and ending the regular season with a 21-point lead over second-place Washington Spirit.
The Current clinched the NWSL Shield in Week 21 of NWSL play and were favored by many fans and media outlets to win the NWSL Championship.
Michelle Cooper and Temwa Chawinga were both unavailable for Kansas City, with Cooper managing a foot injury and Chawinga a knee injury. Esther Gonzalez was listed as Questionable for Gotham and was available as a sub but did not enter the game.
Thorns FC Pushes to Semifinals with Victory over Wave
The Portland Thorns FC earned its spot in the NWSL Semifinals with a 1-0 victory over the San Diego Wave FC during extra time.
The two teams held each other at bay throughout regulation play, moving into the two extra-time halves with no goals on the scoreboard for either team.
Reilyn Turner brought home the win for the Thorns with a header off a cross from Olivia Moultrie in the 94th minute. Turner’s goal in the quarterfinal match was her sixth for the season.
“We just felt the momentum was with us, not just in the stands but on the field,” said Rob Gale, Head Coach of the Thorns, in a post-match press conference.
Advancing to the semifinals is familiar ground for the Thorns. The team will play in the NWSL Semifinals for the 10th time in franchise history, the most of any NWSL team since the league’s inaugural season in 2013.
Photo credit: Washington Spirit
Photo credit: NJ/NY Gotham FC
Photo credit: Portland Thorns FC
Photo credit: Washington Spirit
NWSL SEMIFINALS
The NWSL Semifinals featured four teams that all previously won an NWSL Championship in the last four years.
Winners of the 2021 NWSL Championship, the Washington Spirit, faced off against the 2022 champs, the Portland Thorns FC; the reigning champions from the 2024 season, the Orlando Pride, competed against 2023’s winners, NJ/NY Gotham FC.
Spirit Beats Thorns in NWSL Semifinals
The Washington Spirit beat the Portland Thorns FC in a 2-0 victory at Audi Field.
Gift Monday was hungry for a goal and, after her first attempt was called back in the fourth minute for offsides, found her way onto the scoreboard in the 27th minute with an assist made by Rosemonde Kouassi following a tireless breakaway from the Spirit’s defensive half.
Portland put up a hard fight, but the Thorns struggled to find their edge at a sold-out Rowdy Audi. An attempted pass back to the Thorns goalkeeper provided an opportunity for Croix Bethune to intercept the ball outside the 18 and place it firmly in the back of the net in the 83rd minute, securing the win for the Spirit.
The crowd at Audi erupted a third time when Trinity Rodman entered the match in the 88th, returning to the pitch for the first time since spraining her MCL in October.
Gotham Advances with Late Goal over Pride
NJ/NY Gotham FC advanced to the NWSL Championship after a 1-0 win over the Orlando Pride at Inter&Co Stadium.
Both teams battled intensely throughout the evenly-played match, but a late goal by Jaedyn Shaw in the 90th plus 7th minute gave Gotham an electrifying lead in the final minutes of the match.
The Pride delivered a last-ditch effort to equalize the score by pulling its goalkeeper into the offensive half in an attempt to find the back of the net off a free kick in the 90th plus 9th minute; however, Gotham’s goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger put the Pride’s dreams of back-to-back Championships to rest with a block that earned the NWSL Save of the Week.
Esther González returned to the field in the starting XI for Gotham after being sidelined by a hip injury in October.
Gotham entered the playoffs as the last-seeded team in the group of eight.
Photo credit: NJ/NY Gotham FC
Photo credit: NJ/NY Gotham FC
Gotham Wins NWSL Championship
The eighth-seeded NJ/NY Gotham FC won the 2025 NWSL Championship with a 1-0 victory over the second-seeded Washington Spirit at PayPal Park in San Jose, California.
Despite the Spirit maintaining a slight edge in possession throughout the game, Gotham pulled through with more attempted shots and shots on goal.
The Spirit looked like they were going to capitalize on an opportunity early in the second half, but Gotham defender Emily Sonnett slid to the ground and used her body to block the low shot fired by Leicy Santos.
Trinity Rodman entered the match for the Spirit in the 56th minute to the excitement of the crowd in the Bay Area; however, the Spirit fans’ elation faded nearly 20 minutes later when Hal Hershfelt suffered an apparent calf injury.
With Hershfelt temporarily off the pitch and the Spirit a player down, Gotham gained momentum and applied pressure in the offensive half. Within moments of Hershfelt re-entering the game, Bruninha fed the ball across the back of the box where Lavelle placed a left-footed shot into the lower left corner of the net in the 80th minute.
“The adversity we faced throughout the season, I think, set us up for moments like this, and I just couldn’t be prouder,” said Lavelle in a post-game interview with former teammate Kelley O’Hara for CBS Sports.
“It’s just icing on the cake.”
Lavelle’s game-winning goal earned her the NWSL Championship MVP title.
Photo credit: Kansas City Current
Photo credit: Seattle Reign FC - Jane Gershovich
NWSL Player Updates
Lauren Barnes retired from professional soccer with her final match at the NWSL Quarterfinals.
Mal Swanson and husband, Dansby Swanson, welcomed the arrival of their first baby girl. Swanson announced the arrival of Josie James Swanson on her Instagram account on November 15.
NWSL Contracts and Transfers
Jaedyn Shaw extended her contract with NJ/NY Gotham FC through the 2029 season. Shaw recently transferred to Gotham from the North Carolina Courage in September 2025 with a record NWSL intra-league transfer fee of $1.25 million.
Denver Summit FC signed two defenders to its roster. Kaleigh Kurtz and Megan Reid each signed a three-year contract with the Summit through the 2028 season. Kurtz moves to the Summit after seven years with the North Carolina Courage, while Reid comes to the Summit from Angel City FC and plays for the Canadian Women’s National Team (CANWNT).
Olivia Moultrie extended her contract with the Portland Thorns FC through the 2029 season. Moultrie initially signed with the Thorns in 2021 at 15 years old.
Hina Sugita extended her contract with Angel City FC through 2029. Sugita traded to Angel City from the Portland Thorns FC in September 2025 and represents the Japanese Women’s National Team.
Hailie Mace is leaving the Kansas City Current at the end of her contract on December 31, 2025. Mace has not announced her new endeavor after she departs the Current.
Julia Grosso resigned with the Chicago Stars through the 2028 season. Grosso initially signed with the Stars in July 2024 and plays for the CANWNT.
Luana extended her contract with the Orlando Pride through the 2026 season, with a mutual option for 2027. The Brazilian international signed with the Pride in 2023 and recently returned to the pitch after being diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
Temwa Chawinga Wins NWSL Golden Boot
Temwa Chawinga won the 2025 NWSL Golden Boot, scoring 15 goals and earning three assists during regular-season play.
Chawinga successfully defended her reign as the NWSL lead scorer by winning the Golden Boot in two consecutive years. In 2024, Chawinga won the prestigious award with 20 goals to her name during her first season in the league.
Photo credit: Angel City FC
Photo credit: Portland Thorns FC
Photo credit: Racing Louisville FC
NWSL League Updates
The North Carolina Courage broke a statewide professional women’s sports attendance record at NWSL Decision Day on November 2, with 11,170 fans in attendance. The state’s previous record of 10,782 fans was held by the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) this past March.
The Portland Thorns FC announced the club was parting ways with Head Coach Rob Gale and First Assistant Coach Adam Day.
Gale coached the Thorns to back-to-back playoff runs in his short tenure with the club since he assumed the role of Head Coach in the middle of the 2023 season.
Sarah Lowdon will act as Interim Head Coach. Lowdon joined the Thorns as Assistant Head Coach in 2023.
2025 NWSL Awards Celebrate League’s Top Talent
The NWSL recognized the top talent in the league at the 2025 NWSL Awards presented by AT&T on November 19.
This year’s winners include
MVP, presented by AT&T: Temwa Chawinga (Kansas City Current)
Midfielder of the Year: Manaka Matsukubo (North Carolina Courage)
Defender of the Year: Tara McKeown (Washington Spirit)
Goalkeeper of the Year, presented by e.l.f.: Lorena (Kansas City Current)
Rookie of the Year, presented by Ally: Lilly Reale (NJ/NY Gotham FC)
Coach of the Year: Beverly Yanez (Racing Louisville FC)
Lauren Holiday Impact Award, presented by Nationwide: Sam Hiatt (Portland Thorns FC)
Best XI First Team, presented by Amazon Prime
Goalkeeper: Lorena (Kansas City Current)
Center Back: Tara McKeown (Washington Spirit)
Center Back: Kayla Sharples (Kansas City Current)
Fullback: Izzy Rodriguez (Kansas City Current)
Fullback: Avery Patterson (Houston Dash)
Midfield/Forward: Temwa Chawinga (Kansas City Current)
Midfield/Forward: Manaka Matsukubo (North Carolina Courage)
Midfield/Forward: Esther González (NJ/NY Gotham FC)
Midfield/Forward: Sam Coffey (Portland Thorns FC)
Midfield/Forward: Claire Hutton (Kansas City Current)
Midfield/Forward: Olivia Moultrie (Portland Thorns FC)
Best XI Second Team, presented by Amazon Prime
Goalkeeper: Claudia Dickey (Seattle Reign FC)
Center Back: Emily Sonnett (NJ/NY Gotham FC)
Center Back: Jordyn Bugg (Seattle Reign FC)
Fullback: Lilly Reale (NJ/NY Gotham FC)
Fullback: Hailie Mace (Kansas City Current)
Midfield/Forward: Delphine Cascarino (San Diego Wave FC)
Midfield/Forward: Bia Zaneratto (Kansas City Current)
Midfield/Forward: Emma Sears (Racing Louisville FC)
Midfield/Forward: Taylor Flint (Racing Louisville FC)
Midfield/Forward: Croix Bethune (Washington Spirit)
Midfield/Forward: Kenza Dali (San Diego Wave FC)
Photo credit: Kansas City Current
Photo credit: NJ/NY Gotham FC
Photo credit: Adobe
NWSL Expansion Teams
2026 Inaugural Matches Announced
Denver Summit FC and Boston Legacy FC announced their inaugural home matches for the 2026 NWSL season.
The Summit will play at Empower Field at Mile High on March 28, and the Legacy’s first home game will be on March 14 at Gillette Stadium.
In an email to its Club 5280 members on November 3, Denver Summit FC noted that season tickets have sold out. Tickets went on sale to early deposit holders on October 14.
Atlanta Wins NWSL Franchise Bid
Atlanta won the bid to become the 17th NWSL franchise, according to The Athletic.
The $165 million reported expansion fee for Atlanta is the highest yet in the league, surpassing the previous high-water mark of $110 million for Denver Summit FC.
Atlanta’s expansion team is expected to launch its inaugural season in 2028.
Denver Summit Sells 8,500 Season Tickets
Denver Summit FC announced that more than 8,500 season tickets have been sold for the franchise’s inaugural season in 2026, selling out the available season-ticket inventory. The Summit’s 2026 temporary stadium, which is under construction in Centennial, Colorado, will have a 12,000-seat capacity.
Concerns Raised over Denver Summit Stadium Location
Local reports surfaced that Denver Summit FC is considering alternate locations for its 14,500-seat, purpose-built stadium, which was originally slated for construction at Santa Fe Yards near downtown Denver, according to Denver7.
Denver Summit FC cited challenges with the Denver City Council as a reason for the relocation consideration.
The Denver City Council raised questions concerning clarity in the allocation of public funds for the project, including a pedestrian bridge that would connect the community to the stadium that was included in the infrastructure plan.
The Denver Summit stadium is slated to open in the spring of 2028.
Summit Sells Over 25K Home Opener Tickets
Denver Summit FC announced that more than 25,000 tickets have been sold for the club’s inaugural home match at Empower Field at Mile High on March 28, 2026.
The current NWSL record for the largest single-game attendance sits at 40,091 for the sold-out crowd that watched Bay FC play the Washington Spirit at Oracle Park in San Francisco on August 23, 2025.
Photo credit: Adobe
Photo credit: San Diego Wave FC
World Sevens Releases Schedule
The World Sevens Football tournament released the schedule for the upcoming three-day competition.
Group stage starts on December 5 and will consist of two groups with four teams each with a total of 12 matches played over two days.
Group 1 includes the Kansas City Current, Club Tigres (Mexico), AFC Toronto (Canada), and Flamengo (Brazil).
Nacional (Uruguay), San Diego Wave FC, Deportivo Cali (Colombia), and Club América (Mexico) make up Group 2.
The Semifinals, Third Place Match, and Finals will all be played on December 7.
USWNT NEws
Hayes Announces USWNT November Camp Roster
Emma Hayes, Head Coach for the US Women’s National Team, released the November camp roster on November 19 for the USWNT’s matches against Italy on November 28 and December 1.
Hayes named 26 players to this month’s roster:
Goalkeepers (3): Claudia Dickey, Mandy McGlynn, Jordan Silkowitz
Defenders (10): Jordyn Bugg, Emily Fox, Naomi Girma, Avery Patterson, Lilly Reale, Izzy Rodriguez, Emily Sams, Emily Sonnett, Kennedy Wesley, Kate Wiesner
Midfielders (7): Croix Bethune, Sam Coffey, Lindsey Heaps, Jaelin Howell, Claire Hutton, Rose Lavelle, Lily Yohannes
Forwards (6): Jameese Joseph, Catarina Macario, Olivia Moultrie, Emma Sears, Jaedyn Shaw, Alyssa Thompson
In keeping with her tradition of building a deep pool for the upcoming 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup and 2028 Olympic Games, Hayes made two first-time call-ups within her selection of three uncapped players. Goalkeeper Jordan Silkowitz and forward Jameese Joseph both earned their first call-ups in this camp and join Kate Wiesner in the hopes of earning their first caps with the USWNT.
Including the three uncapped players, 11 players have five caps or fewer, representing just over 40 percent of the total roster.
Heaps, Lavelle, and Sonnett are the only players with more than 100 caps to their name, followed by Fox with 69.
Girma returns to the roster for the first time since July 2 after suffering a calf injury.
Noticeably missing from are forward Trinity Rodman and goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce. Rodman returned to the pitch for the Washington Spirit on November 15 after recovering from an MCL sprain she suffered in October. Tullis-Joyce fractured her eye socket in a recent Manchester United match.
“It’s been an exciting and important year for our group, and we’ve accomplished a lot of goals, expanded the player pool and made strides in our game model, so this camp will be an extension of that, but it will also set the groundwork for 2026, which will be our World Cup qualifying year,” said Hayes in a US Soccer press release.
Photo credit: Chicago Stars FC
USWNT Beats Italy in Dual Friendlies
The USWNT defeated Italy in back-to-back shutouts in Florida on November 28 and December 1.
November 28 - Inter&Co Stadium in Orlando
For the first match of the international friendlies, USWNT Head Coach Emma Hayes employed a more veteran line-up in the Starting XI.
Rose Lavelle and Emily Sonnett, fresh off their victory celebration after winning the NWSL Championship, were the two most veteran players on the pitch with each having more than 110 caps.
Naomi Girma returned to the Starting XI wearing the captain’s armband after being away from international play for nearly five months due to injury.
The US came out of the gate strong from the starting whistle, and Olivia Moultrie put the team on the scoreboard in the 67th second.
Catarina Macario earned her fifth career brace for the USWNT with two goals in the second half.
Jameese Joseph and Kate Wiesner each earned their first cap for the USWNT when they were substituted into the match towards the end of the second half.
According to US Soccer, 43 players earned their first caps in 2025 under Emma Hayes.
USWNT Starting XI
Emma Hayes employed a 4-2-3-1 line-up for the match with
Claudia Dickey in goal
Emily Fox, Emily Sonnett, Naomi Girma, and Lilly Reale in the defensive line
Claire Hutton and Sam Coffey playing defensive midfield
Rose Lavelle in the attacking midfield position with Olivia Moultrie and Alyssa Thompson on the wings, and
Catarina Macario in the striker position
Substitutes (Minute)
Jaedyn Shaw for Olivia Moultrie (70th)
Lily Yohannes for Rose Lavelle (70th)
Emily Sams for Naomi Girma (78th)
Jameese Joseph for Alyssa Thompson (78th)
Kate Wiesner for Lilly Reale (84th)
Substitutes Not Used
Mandy McGlynn, Jordyn Bugg, Avery Patterson, Kennedy Wesley, Lindsey Heaps, Emma Sears, and Jaelin Howell
Players Not Dressed
Jordan Silkowitz, Izzy Rodriguez, and Croix Bethune
December 1 - Chase Stadium in Ft. Lauderdale
Emma Hayes utilized a greener roster in the second match against Italy.
Captain Lindsey Heaps was the most capped player on the pitch, earning her 170th that evening.
Three teenagers were featured in the starting line-up: Jordyn Bugg, Claire Hutton, and Lily Yohannes.
Kate Weisner earned her first start for the USWNT in her second appearance, the 50th player to start under Emma Hayes in just 30 games.
The US took the lead in the first half with a goal from Catarina Macario in the 20th minute, then one from Jaedyn Shaw in the 41st.
Italy increased the pressure, but Claudia Dickey prevailed in goal and earned her third clean sheet in a row on the international stage.
USWNT Starting XI
Emma Hayes employed the same formation, a 4-2-3-1 line-up, for the second match with
Claudia Dickey in goal
Emily Fox, Jordyn Bugg, Naomi Girma, and Kate Weisner in the defensive line
Lindsey Heaps and Claire Hutton playing defensive midfield
Lily Yohannes in the attacking midfield position with Jaedyn Shaw and Alyssa Thompson on the wings, and
Catarina Macario in the striker position
Substitutes (Minute)
Avery Patterson for Emily Fox (46th)
Kennedy Wesley for Naomi Girma (46th)
Emma Sears for Alyssa Thompson (46th)
Lilly Reale for Kate Weisner (75th)
Croix Bethune for Lily Yohannes (75th)
Jaelin Howell for Lindsey Heaps (78th)
Substitutes Not Used
Mandy McGlynn, Olivia Moultrie, Emily Sonnett, Rose Lavelle, Sam Coffey, and Jameese Joseph
Players Not Dressed
Jordan Silkowitz, Izzy Rodriguez, and Emily Sams
Three players in the end-of-year camp did not make an appearance: Mandy McGlynn, Jordan Silkowitz, and Izzy Rodriguez. This was Silkowitz’s first call-up.
USWNT’s Next Camp
Emma Hayes will call up players again for training camp in Southern California from January 17-24 in preparation for two international friendlies.
The first match is scheduled for January 24 against Paraguay at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California.
The details of the second match have not been announced.
Photo credit: Adobe
Photo credit: Washington Spirit
Photo credit: NJ/NY Gotham FC
Photo credit: Washington Spirit
Photo credit: Chicago Stars FC
Heath and O’Reilly Elected to Hall of Fame
Tobin Heath and Heather O’Reilly are elected to be inducted into the 2026 Class of the National Soccer Hall of Fame in their first year of eligibility.
The induction ceremony will take place on May 1, 2026, at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas.
US Soccer Announces Player of the Year Nominations
US Soccer announced the nominations for the 2025 Female Player of the Year and Young Female Player of the Year awards.
Five players were nominated for the Female Player of the Year award:
Sam Coffey (Portland Thorns FC)
Emily Fox (Arsenal)
Alyssa Thompson (Chelsea FC)
Rose Lavelle (NJ/NY Gotham FC)
Catarina Macario (Chelsea FC)
The five players nominated for the Young Female Player of the Year award include
Jordyn Bugg (Seattle Reign FC)
Pearl Cecil (University of Virginia)
Micayla Johnson (Chicago Stars FC)
Lilly Reale (NJ/NY Gotham FC)
Riley Tiernan (Angel City FC)
Winners will be announced in January 2026.
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