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.
The NWSL has seen remarkable growth in its second season on ESPN platforms, with viewership reaching record levels. According to Nielsen’s Big Data + Panel, the league’s average viewership for the 2025 regular season rose 61 percent compared to the previous year, while Spanish-language broadcasts grew by an impressive 109 percent from the 2024 average audience.
The NWSL finished the season with a five-percent overall dip in attendance from its record-setting 2024 season, when it averaged 11,235 fans per game. This year, the league had an average attendance of 10,669 across 182 games, nearly even with 2023. Eight of the NWSL's 14 teams had year-over-year drops. Meanwhile, four clubs set attendance records.
The Boston Legacy FC and Denver Summit, NWSL expansion sides debuting in 2026, will play their first home matches at iconic NFL venues, the teams announced. The legacy will play in the New England Patriots’ Gillette Stadium on March 14, and the Summit will open in the Denver Broncos’ Empower Field on March 28.
Fans across the planet are patiently waiting for the release of Ted Lasso Season 4, with it being confirmed that a “whole different set of characters” are ready to be introduced. Filming has begun, with there more wild adventures to be enjoyed in the world of AFC Richmond, but it is yet to be revealed who will be filling new roles and which popular stars will be returning.
Laura Harvey, who has coached the Seattle Reign since 2021, revealed that she used ChatGPT to help form her tactics this season. The English manager admitted that the AI system helped her lay out a defensive system, which she then put into place for her playoff-bound Reign ahead of the campaign. They are currently fourth in the NWSL after finishing 13th last season.
NWSL sides San Diego Wave and Kansas City Current will join the World Sevens Football tournament in Fort Lauderdale, Florida in December, the organization announced. The two clubs join an Americas-focused iteration of the tournament, which now has seven teams committed to play. The debut edition of the tournament featured entirely European clubs.
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.”
Jimmy Butler has bought a minority stake in the San Diego Wave, who compete in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL). The 36-year-old NBA star, famously nicknamed “Jimmy Buckets” for his fierce competitiveness, has revealed he wants to help “build something lasting” in the women’s game.
Kansas City Current captain Lo'eau LaBonta has been added to the U.S. women's national team roster for the upcoming October friendlies, replacing injured Seattle Reign midfielder Sam Meza ahead of matches against Portugal and New Zealand. LaBonta will have opportunity to play in front of her club crowd on Oct. 29.
Trinity Rodman has been diagnosed with a Grade 1 MCL sprain, having seemingly avoided a more serious injury after being helped off the field in tears during Wednesday's 4-0 win over Monterrey in the CONCACAF W Champions Cup. There has been no timetable set for her return, but Rodman is expected to miss the U.S. women's national team's upcoming friendlies.
Two-time World Cup champion Christen Press announced her retirement from professional soccer on Wednesday, bringing an end to a remarkable 14-year career as one of the most accomplished forwards in United States women's national team history. The 36-year-old star scored 64 international goals, ranking ninth all-time in USWNT history.
The NWSL has granted Commissioner Jessica Berman a three-year contract extension, keeping her in charge through the 2028 season. Berman’s initial four-year deal, signed in 2022, was set to expire after the current season. The extension comes after months of deliberation among league ownership, and puts her in position to lead into new phases.
