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 National Women’s Soccer League Players Association (NWSLPA) filed a grievance against the NWSL's implementation of the “High Impact Player" (HIP) Rule. The NWSLPA states that the HIP violates the terms of the collective bargaining agreement and federal labor law. This is the second grievance filed by the NWSLPA against the league.
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.
United States Women's national team star Sam Coffey has completed a move from the Portland Thorns to Manchester City, signing a three-and-a-half-year contract with the current Women's Super League leaders.
U.S. Women’s National Team captain Lindsey Heaps is returning to her home state of Colorado, set to join NWSL expansion side Denver Summit FC in a blockbuster signing. The midfielder will link up with the club following the conclusion of her season with OL Lyonnes, expected in June 2026. Heaps has 170 international caps and has scored 38 goals.
Arsenal have had their fair share of success stories over the years when it comes to the women's side of the academy. Leah Williamson, England's two-time European Championship-winning captain, and Lotte Wubben-Moy, also part of those triumphs with the Lionesses, are two of the most high-profiles examples of players who have progressed through the youth set-up and become key members of the first team - and they will not be the last.
Manchester City are reportedly in advanced talks to sign United States international Sam Coffey from Portland Thorns. The Women's Super League pacesetters are seeking to end Chelsea's six-year stranglehold on the division, and now they are progressing with an eye-catching move for the midfielder. If they get this deal over the line, this could be a huge boost in their title bid.
Trinity Rodman headlines U.S. Women’s National Team head coach Emma Hayes’ 26-player January training camp roster ahead of matches against Paraguay and Chile. The camp falls outside a FIFA international window and features exclusively NWSL players, with Rodman - currently unattached to a club - included in the squad.
GOAL predicts how the the top USWNT players will do abroad in 2026, from Girma, Thompson and Macario at Chelsea to Heaps and Yohannes at Lyon, Tullis-Joyce at United and Fox at Arsenal.
From Christian Pulisic’s individual success to the USMNT exiting the World Cup earlier than hoped, GOAL outlines its predictions for American soccer in 2026.
The NWSL announced Tuesday that it will introduce a new “High Impact Player” (HIP) rule beginning in 2026, allowing teams to spend up to $1 million above the league’s salary cap on qualifying players. The decision was met with swift opposition from the NWSL Players Association, which argues the league cannot unilaterally alter compensation structures without collective bargaining.
Sophia Wilson will return to the Portland Thorns for the 2026 NWSL season after exercising the player option in her contract. The 25-year-old U.S. women’s national team forward missed the 2025 campaign while on maternity leave, but is set to resume her career with the club where it began after she was selected No. 1 in the 2020 NWSL College Draft, and became a central figure in Portland’s sustained success.
Mic'd Up: The analyst revealed all on Women's Sevens, broke down the Trinity Rodman contract dispute, and explained why some of the USWNT's top talents are looking abroad.
Manchester United Women are reportedly trying to sign Swedish defender Hanna Lundkvist and German forward Lea Schuller as the January transfer window nears. The Red Devils sit fourth in the Women's Super League and are in with a shout of reaching the knockout stages of the Champions League. Now, it seems, Marc Skinner's side are keen to strengthen their squad next month.
Emma Coates has left her role as England women’s under-23s head coach to become the new manager of National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) side Bay FC. The Football Association (FA) has announced the recruitment process will begin “imminently” as they look to identify a successor to the 34-year-old, who worked closely with Sarina Wiegman while in charge of the young Lionesses.
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.
U.S. international Trinity Rodman said she is still weighing her next move as her contract with the Washington Spirit nears its end, noting that emotions and timing are shaping a decision she hasn’t made yet. Her deal expired after Sunday’s NWSL final against Gotham FC, officially making her a free agent and leaving her at a potential career crossroads.
Was this Trinity Rodman’s last match for the Spirit - and is Gotham’s quiet confidence about to reshape the league? Here’s what comes next for both finalists after a dramatic NWSL final.
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.
For the second time in three seasons, Gotham FC are NWSL champions after a 1-0 win over the Washington Spirit in San Jose. U.S. international Rose Lavelle - who scored against Gotham for the Seattle Reign in the 2023 Championship defeat - secured her first NWSL title with the game-winning strike. Trinity Rodman also featured for the Spirit in what could be her final game in the league.
Trinity Rodman has received a contract offer from DC Power of the Gainbridge Super League that reportedly exceeds what the Washington Spirit or the NWSL can match. The U.S. forward’s contract with the Spirit expires next month, and negotiations over an extension have stalled. NWSL Commissioner Jessica Berman has stressed her league will fight to keep the American star.
United States forward Trinity Rodman’s future with the Washington Spirit is reportedly uncertain as she weighs more lucrative offers from overseas. Saturday’s NWSL semifinal win over the Portland Thorns at Audi Field may have been her final home appearance, with her contract set to expire next month and extension talks stalling.
Mic'd Up: The former UNC stalwart knows college soccer is as crazy as ever, and figuring out who might win the NCAA Tournament is a frightening prospect.
The NWSL has reportedly awarded its 17th franchise to Atlanta, with Arthur Blank’s AMB Sports and Entertainment securing the expansion rights for a record $165 million fee, according to The Athletic. The team is set to begin play in 2028 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, which also hosts Blank’s other professional teams - the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons and MLS’s Atlanta United 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)
.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&width=3840&quality=60)
.JPG?auto=webp&format=pjpg&width=3840&quality=60)
