Could Marta and Orlando Pride repeat? Will Temwa Chawinga energize Kansas City Current? Can San Diego Wave replace Naomi Girma? Previewing 2025 NWSL season

The Washington Spirit already kicked off 2025 with a Challenge Cup victory over Orlando - what to expect next in NWSL?

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  Angel City

  Angel City was 7-13-6 in 2024, scoring 29 goals and giving up 42. For Angel City, they will rely heavily on the local Thompson sisters to create a winning culture. Alyssa and Gisele both extended their contracts through 2028 and were called up to the recent USWNT SheBelieves Cup roster.

  Angel City have lots of attacking options, and some of the best outside backs in the game: Gisele, Sarah Gorden, and others. Savy King joining the LA team will also be a huge victory, as she adds a lot of dimension both on the attack and defensively.

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  Bay FC

  Bay FC finished the 2024 season with an 11-14-1 record. They managed to get past the playoff line cutoff, and put in a good performance in playoffs, despite falling short against a rapid Washington Spirit side.

  Bay FC is stacked with talent, whether it's Rachel Kundanji creating chaos down the line, or Abby Dahlkemper scoring crazy header goals - or even Alyssa Malonson leaving it all on the line defensively.

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  Chicago Stars FC

  Chicago Stars FC was 10-14-2 in 2024, and the great Alyssa Naeher helped anchor the backline earning 87 saves on the season. The Stars will continue to be a threat on all sides of the ball, with Sam Staab in the back, Julia Grosso in the middle, and Nadia Gomes and Ally Schlegel on the attack.

  Mallory Swanson is pivotal to the Stars' attack, but has informed the club that she will not be joining them for the first part of the season due to personal reasons.

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  Gotham FC

  Gotham FC finished the 2024 regular season in third place with a 17-4-5 overall record. The 2023 NWSL champs were hunting for another trophy, however fell short in the semifinals against the Washington Spirit.

  Gotham FC had significant change in the offseason, with key players such as Lynn Biyendolo, Yazmeen Ryan, Jenna Nighswonger and Crystal Dunn either joining other NWSL teams or going abroad. Gotham does have a deep squad, with Emily Sonnet and Rose Lavelle still on the roster for 2025.

  While the team will have to find new ways to score, they recently announced that Midge Purce is back and ready to go.
  

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  Houston Dash

  The Houston Dash finished the 2024 season in last place at 5-16-5. Despite a tough season, 2025 is looking much brighter with some new signings. The Dash acquired Yazmeen Ryan from Gotham as well as forward Messiah Bright from Angel City.

  The Dash have struggled many seasons in the league, so with the new leadership of Angela Hucles, plus new talent, perhaps this is their turning point.

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  Kansas City Current

  The Kansas City Current were one of the teams to beat in 2024, finishing the year in fourth place with a record of 16-3-7. The Current's success last year showcase what happens when clubs invest.

  From the first women's soccer specific stadium, to celebrity investment, the Current set a standard for the league. It also helps that they have Temwa Chawinga, arguably the best goal scorer the NWSL has ever seen.

  In her first season in the league, she scored a league-best 21 goals in 27 games. The roster doesn't just have Chawinga though, the Current have Lo'ea LaBonta, Claire Hutton, Debinha and Michelle Cooper. Plenty stacked, and for many reasons a contender for the 2025 season.

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  North Carolina Courage

  The North Carolina Courage finished the league standings in fifth place with a record of 12-11-3. The Courage are always part of the conversation, whether it's by way of Casey Murphy's solid saves, Ashley Sanchez' craft in the middle, or the newly signed forward Jaedyn Shaw.

  Shaw will provide the Courage a new threat up top, and we can expect to see the Courage very much part of the conversation this year.

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  Orlando Pride

  The Orlando Pride dominated the 2024 season, winning the Shield and the NWSL championship. The Pride topped the standings with a record of 18-2-6. The 2025 season should fall a similar path, but then again anything can happen in the NWSL.

  The Pride haven't lost many players in the offseason. Marta has returned, Barbra Banda too, and of course the staples of the backline Emily Sams and Kylie Nadener.

  The Pride do have the pressure on them to build on the near-perfect 2024 season, but with the leadership of Marta and the dialed-in approach of Seb Hines, we will likely see another strong season out of Orlando.

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  Portland Thorns

  Portland Thorns finished the 2024 season with a 10-12-4 overall record. Like Gotham, the Thorns experienced change in the offseason, including the retirement of legendary center back Becky Sauerbrunn and iconic forward, Christine Sinclair.

  Their roster is still deep, though, think Sam Coffey and newly signed Deyna Castellanos. They will be relying on newcomers to lead the charge, such as Pietra Tordin who joined the team from Princeton, and still young, but not necessarily new, Olivia Moultrie.

  Also impact news from Sophia Wilson, who announced her pregnancy ahead of the start of the 2025 NWSL season.

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  Racing Louisville

  Racing Louisville finished the 2024 regular season with a 7-12-7 record. Despite missing the playoffs by one spot, the squad is well equipped to make a run for post-season in 2025. Emma Sears is a massive threat for Louisville. She's dangerous on the attack and managed to score five goals in her rookie campaign.

  The roster also have playmaker Savannah DeMelo who is creator in the midfield and is complemented by Taylor Flint in the midfield. Flint is a ball winner and is able to use her defensive prowess to win 50/50 balls and create off of them. She scored three times in 2024, and logged one assist.

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  San Diego Wave FC

  San Diego Wave finished the 2024 season with a record of 16-3-7. Out of all the teams in 2024, the Wave may have seen the most shake up. Whether it was Alex Morgan announcing her retirement or Abby Dahlkemper returning home to the Bay, there were a lot of changes to the what appeared to be a stacked southern California team.

  Perhaps the biggest shock was Naomi Girma heading overseas to Chelsea. The Wave will have to fully reinvent themselves in 2025, and that's also with a new head coach. The Wave will likely lean on Canadian veteran Kailen Sheridan in goal, as well as french superstar Delphine Cascarino to find the back of the net.

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  Seattle Reign

  Seattle Reign finished the 2024 season bottom of the table with a 6-15-5 record. After signing Biyendolo, the future is looking bright for the Reign. They struggled to make it above the playoff line last season, so they hope bring out the best of some of the most talented international talent - Jess Fishlock and Jordyn Huitema to name two.

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  Utah Royals FC

  Utah Royals FC finished the 2024 season in 11th place with a record of 7-15-4. U.S. Soccer Young Female Player of the Year Ally Sentnor is a Royal, and in her rookie season scored three goals and added four assists.

  Sentnor was selected to the Royals first overall in the 2023 NWSL College Draft, and although the team struggled to collect points, her role will only grow this next season. Utah has had significant turnover in recent years, so with a relatively new head coach the club will look to position themselves in a better spot in 2025.

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  Washington Spirit

  The Washington Spirit had a historic season, finishing in second place and posting a 18-6-2 record. From Croix Bethune's mastery earning Rookie of the Year and Midfielder of the Year honors, to Trinity Rodman's clutch performances, it was a group effort that went in the history books.

  The Spirit haven't had many changes in the offseason, besides Andi Sullivan announcing her pregnancy. Unfortunately for Sullivan, 2024 saw her on the sidelines with an injury for most of the season. The Spirit already kicked off the season to a strong start, defeating the Orlando Pride in penalty kicks at Inter&Co Stadium for the Challenge Cup last weekend.

  The Spirit were back to their winning ways with Tara McKeown holding down the backline and Ashley Hatch cooking up chances offensively. Chloe Ricketts, just 17-years-old, became the youngest player to ever appear in the NWSL Challenge Cup.