Seven Teams Clinch NWSL Playoff Spots
Volume 02 | Issue 08 | October 2025
NWSL News
Seven Teams Clinch NWSL Playoff Spots
Seven teams clinched coveted NWSL playoff spots by the end of Week 25 of NWSL play:
Kansas City Current
Washington Spirit
Orlando Pride
Seattle Reign FC
San Diego Wave FC
NJ/NY Gotham FC
Portland Thorns FC
The final spot will be confirmed on Decision Day on November 2 and is between the North Carolina Courage and Racing Louisville FC.
What is NWSL Decision Day?
NWSL Decision Day is the final day of the regular season, with all teams competing. This year, the outcome of the day’s games will determine which team earns the final playoff spot and the remainder of the playoff seedings.
The first two playoff seeds are firmly secured by the Kansas City Current (1) and the Washington Spirit (2), giving each team home-field advantage for the start of the playoffs. The two remaining home-field seeds will be determined on Decision Day, going to the third- and fourth-place teams.
Photo credit: NJ/NY Gotham FC
Photo credit: San Diego Wave FC
Photo credit: Kansas City Current
Chawinga Eyes NWSL Golden Boot
Temwa Chawinga holds a two-goal lead in the race for the NWSL Golden Boot at the end of Week 25 of NWSL play with 15 goals and 3 assists.
With one regular-season game remaining for each team, the possibility remains for Esther González to retake the lead if she recovers from her hip injury by the November 2 game day.
González was reported out due to her injury in the October 19 NWSL availability report, while Chawinga was marked as questionable, citing a knee injury. Chawinga posted on Instagram on October 20, announcing she will miss Malawi’s game that week due to an adductor injury.
Photo credit: Angel City FC
NWSL Player Updates
Christen Press and Ali Riley were honored at Angel City’s final home match after the two players announced their retirements at the end of this season. The pair will have their final game on November 2 versus the Chicago Stars FC.
Trinity Rodman suffered an MCL sprain in mid-October and is expected to remain off the Spirit’s active roster in the near term. Rodman returned to play this season after managing a recurring back injury.
Lynn Biyendolo and her husband, Marley, announced their pregnancy on Instagram late in the month. This will be the couple’s first child.
Christine Sinclair was inducted into the Portland Thorns FC Hall of Fame on October 7. Sinclair was the first player to be inducted, and the Thorns retired her Number 12 jersey.
Jess Fishlock announced her retirement from international soccer, with her final match representing Wales on October 25 against Australia. Fishlock will continue to play in the NWSL for the Seattle Reign FC.
Lauren Barnes announced her retirement from soccer at the end of the 2025 NWSL season. Barnes played with the Reign since its inaugural season in 2013.
Kristen Hamilton will also retire at the end of the 2025 NWSL season. The Kansas City Current forward has played with the club since it launched in 2021.
NWSL Contracts and Transfers
Maithé López was recalled from her seven-month loan to Gainbridge Super League Team Lexington SC in Kentucky and returned to play for Angel City FC.
Prisca Chilufya was traded to Angel City FC from Orlando Pride for $50,000 in intra-league transfer funds.
Dorian Bailey signed a multi-year contract with her current club, Bay FC, which will keep Bailey in the Bay Area through the 2027 season.
Reilyn Turner extended her contract with the Portland Thorns FC through the 2028 season, with a club option for 2029.
M.A. Vignola signed a contract extension with the Thorns through the 2027 season. The club has the option to extend through 2028.
Olivia Van der Jagt was recalled back to Seattle from her loan to Spokane Zephyr FC of the Gainbridge Super League after playing with the club since July.
Maddie Mercado was also recalled by the Reign. Mercado had been on loan to Carolina Ascent FC of the Gainbridge Super League since August.
Sydney Schmidt signed a three-year contract with the North Carolina Courage through the 2027 season. The 17-year-old has 12 caps with the USYNT and played on an academy contract with Sporting JAX in the USL in September.
Stephanie Sparkowski signed a roster relief contract with the Chicago Stars FC. Sparkowski was previously with the Stars this season as a preseason non-roster invitee and a previous roster relief agreement.
Sam Staab re-signed with the Stars through the 2029 season.
Meg Boade signed an extension to her roster-relief contract with the Stars through November 22, the date of the 2025 NWSL Championship.
Rafaelle renewed her contract with the Orlando Pride through the 2028 season.
Chloe Ricketts was traded to the Houston Dash from the Washington Spirit for $15,000 in transfer threshold funds.
Photo credit: Chicago Stars FC
Photo credit: Washington Spirit
NWSL League Updates
The North Carolina Courage anticipates breaking a statewide professional women’s sports attendance record at NWSL Decision Day on November 2, with over 11,000 tickets sold by October 31. The state’s previous record of 10,782 fans was held by the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) this past March.
The Chicago Stars FC will launch season ticket memberships for its new 2026 home stadium, Northwestern Medicine Field at Martin Stadium, on November 3.
The Washington Spirit broke its single-season home-attendance record after the 12th game hosted at Audi Field. A total of 181,324 attended the club’s first 12 home games compared to the 181,226 spectators that showed up for the franchise’s 13 matches in the 2024 NWSL season.
Six NWSL teams announced their participation in the 2026 Coachella Valley Invitational, a preseason competition, training session, and organizational event taking place from February 7 to 21, 2026. The NWSL teams that will be joining the Invitational include
Angel City FC
Denver Summit FC
Houston Dash
Portland Thorns FC
San Diego Wave FC
Seattle Reign FC
The Kansas City Current and the San Diego Wave FC will participate in the inaugural North America World Sevens Football (W7F) competition December 5-7, 2025. W7F is a seven-versus-seven competition with a $5 million purse. The event will take place in Fort Lauderdale, FL.
2026 NWSL Expansion Teams
Boston Legacy FC signed forward Amanda Gutierres through the 2029 season. Gutierres currently plays for Palmeiras in Brazil, has eight caps with the Brazil national team, and was nominated for the 2025 Ballon d’Or Féminin.
The Legacy signed 18-year-old Chloe Ricketts through the 2028 season with a mutual option for 2029. Ricketts recently transferred from the Washington Spirit to the Houston Dash on a short-term deal.
Boston also appointed Rachel Duranwood as the club’s Soccer Engagement Lead. Duranwood previously played for the Boston Breakers in the NWSL.
The Legacy launched its season ticket sales for its debut NWSL season on October 15.
Denver Summit FC announced the team will make its first pre-season appearance at the Coachella Valley Invitational in February 2026.
The Summit began selling season tickets for its inaugural 2026 season on October 14.
USWNT NEws
USWNT Faces Portugal and New Zealand in Friendlies
USWNT vs Portugal
The USWNT faced off against Portugal in two stateside friendlies on October 23 and 26.
Rose Lavelle got the US on the scoreboard early in the first match at Subaru Park in Chester, Pennsylvania, with a goal in the first 33 seconds.
Portugal came back strong with an equalizer in the 41st minute and a second goal in the 72nd minute, bringing the final score to 2-1.
In the second faceoff at Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field in East Hartford, Connecticut, Olivia Moultrie found the back of the net for the USWNT in the first 44 seconds of the match.
Portugal responded with a goal in the 5th minute, but Moultrie earned herself a brace with a second goal in the 10th minute. Sam Coffey added a third in the 82nd, giving the US a 3-1 win.
Prior to both Portugal matches, renowned USWNT stars were honored for their respective retirements.
Alex Morgan retired from international and club play in September 2024 after a more than 13-year career that included two World Cup Champion titles and Olympic gold and bronze medals.
Alyssa Naeher announced her retirement from the international stage in November 2024 while continuing to play in the NWSL for the Chicago Stars. Naeher holds two World Cup Champion titles and Olympic gold and bronze medals.
USWNT vs New Zealand
The US turned up the heat against New Zealand on October 29 at CPCK Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri, in an energetic 6-0 win.
Emma Sears earned her first hat trick for the red, white, and blue, and Cat Macario scored a brace. Lavelle also found her way onto the scoreboard with her 27th career goal for the USWNT.
New Zealand star and Angel City FC fan favorite, Ali Riley, was honored prior to the match. Riley announced her retirement from soccer in September. She captained both the New Zealand international team and Angel City.
USWNT October Camp Roster
True to form, USWNT Head Coach Emma Hayes built the October Camp roster with a young pool of players as she continues her developmental process to field a strong and cohesive team for the upcoming 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup and 2028 Olympic Games.
The USWNT October training camp roster included 26 players:
Goalkeepers (3): Claudia Dickey, Mandy McGlynn, Phallon Tullis-Joyce
Defenders (8): Jordyn Bugg, Emily Fox, Lilly Reale, Tara McKeown, Avery Patterson, Emily Sams, Emily Sonnett, Kennedy Wesley
Midfielders (8): Sam Coffey, Lindsey Heaps, Claire Hutton, Rose Lavelle, Sam Meza, Olivia Moultrie, Jaedyn Shaw, Lily Yohannes
Forwards (7): Michelle Cooper, Catarina Macario, Trinity Rodman, Yazmeen Ryan, Emma Sears, Ally Sentnor, Alyssa Thompson
Trinity Rodman and Sam Meza were initially chosen for the camp but suffered injuries prior to the matches. Meza was replaced by Lo'eau Labonta, and no replacement was provided for Rodman.
Eight players on the roster entered the camp with five or fewer caps to their name (nine if counting both Meza and Labonta); Kennedy Wesley was the sole uncapped player.
Veterans Lindsey Heaps, Emily Sonnett, and Rose Lavelle each had over 100 caps.
“We’re developing real competition in our squad - and the expectations have always been here for this team, we understand that - but internally the important things for us [are] that we get to be ourselves and we get to play the way we want to play,” said Hayes.
“It’s starting to look like the team we are trying to create.”
The USWNT plays two friendlies against Italy in November and December:
November 28 at Inter&Co Stadium in Orlando, FL
December 1 at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, FL
Visit www.ussoccer.com for the full USWNT schedule.
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