Gotham FC and Washington Spirit NWSL Championship final posts record 1.18M viewers on CBS

The 2025 NWSL Championship saw Gotham FC edge the Washington Spirit 1-0 to claim their second title in three years. The broadcast peaked at 1.55 million viewers, reflecting the rising national interest in women’s professional soccer. The number marks a significant year-over-year increase from the 2024 final and further demonstrates that the league’s marquee events are drawing mainstream audiences on network television.

Across seven linear postseason telecasts on ABC, ESPN and CBS the league averaged about 550,000 viewers and drew a cumulative audience of approximately 3.36 million, up around 11 percent from last year. The live spectacle was matched by record gate figures: playoff attendance totaled 114,459 across seven matches, marking the most attended NWSL postseason to date and continuing a multi-year trend of rising in-person support.

The championship’s viewership jump came with a pronounced surge among younger adults, as viewers aged 18–34 increased by about 70 percent compared with the 2024 final. Social and digital metrics also exploded during championship week, producing tens of millions of impressions and sharply higher engagement rates that fed into merchandise and onsite sales gains. Together, the TV, attendance and social lifts strengthen the NWSL’s commercial case with sponsors and media partners.

The 2025 season’s record-breaking viewership, attendance, and engagement underscore the NWSL’s increasing prominence in the sports landscape. With continued investment and fan support, the league is poised to build on this momentum and further elevate the profile of women’s soccer nationally and internationally.