NWSL returns with a packed schedule and familiar chaos. From stars like Sophia Wilson, Marta, and Temwa Chawinga to the teams you can avoid, here’s who’s actually worth your weekend watch.
U.S. Women’s National Team head coach Emma Hayes named a 26-player roster for the 2026 SheBelieves Cup, marking her second edition of the tournament in charge. The squad features the return of nearly all U.S.-based players abroad, with Chelsea forward Catarina Macario the lone notable absence and no uncapped players included.
FIFA has raised the bar for women’s club football by unveiling a record-breaking prize pool for the first-ever FIFA Women’s Champions Cup. The 2026 champions will earn USD 2.3 million, the highest single payout in the history of the women’s club game, as the new intercontinental tournament makes its debut in London.
Gotham FC defender Lilly Reale has been named the 2025 U.S. Soccer Young Female Player of the Year following a remarkable rookie season that quickly elevated her to the senior national team. Reale enjoyed an immediate impact in her first professional campaign, establishing herself as a reliable presence at left back while contributing on both sides of the ball.
Rose Lavelle has been voted the 2025 U.S. Soccer Female Player of the Year, earning the honor for the first time in her decorated international career. The award caps a standout year in which the longtime U.S. Women’s National Team midfielder played a central role for both club and country. Lavelle overcame a delayed start to the season following ankle surgery.
The NWSL has unveiled its 2026 regular-season schedule, opening March 13 with Washington Spirit hosting the Portland Thorns. Opening weekend also features expansion sides Boston Legacy FC and Denver Summit FC making their league debuts on March 14, with Boston hosting defending champions Gotham FC and Denver opening on the road against Bay FC. Here are GOAL’s six takeaways.
In a celebration dubbed "Australian sport's wedding of the year," Matildas captain Sam Kerr married her long-time partner, American footballer Kristie Mewis, in a stunning private ceremony on New Year's Eve. The power couple, who welcomed their son Jagger earlier in 2025, exchanged vows in front of 120 guests at the picturesque Dionysus Villa in Perth's Swan Valley.
The 2025 NWSL Championship, presented by Google Pixel, delivered a landmark television audience, with Gotham FC’s 1-0 win over the Washington Spirit averaging 1,184,000 viewers in primetime on CBS. The broadcast capped a postseason marked by across-the-board gains in linear viewership, attendance and digital engagement, underscoring a peak moment in the league’s accelerating growth trajectory.
Trinity Rodman has spoken out about her NWSL future as the Washington Spirit look to retain the forward's services. USWNT star Rodman's current deal in the capital expires next month and the Spirit are keen to keep 23-year-old after another strong season. DC Power have reportedly lodged an offer, which exceeds the Spirit's offer owing to the NWSL wage cap structure, while there is also interest from England's WSL.
Featuring stamps from El Salvador, Costa Rica, Mexico and more, Jess Carter’s passport looks more like one belonging to a gap-year student than an England international as of late. Throw in all the flying that comes with playing your club football in the United States, for Gotham FC, and the two-time European champion must have more air miles than she knows what to do with. “I feel like you get used to it and then all of a sudden you don't,” Carter tells GOAL of all the travelling, just days before boarding her umpteenth flight of the year to report for Lionesses duty. “Everything you've then learned about how to manage yourself kind of goes out the window when you end up being on the west coast for 12 days.”
Gotham FC.png?auto=webp&format=pjpg&width=3840&quality=60)
.png?auto=webp&format=pjpg&width=3840&quality=60)
.png?auto=webp&format=pjpg&width=3840&quality=60)
.png?auto=webp&format=pjpg&width=3840&quality=60)
.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&width=3840&quality=60)
