I’m most excited about…
Seeing if the Orlando Pride’s 2024 is repeatable in any way, shape or form. I’m a firm believer that last year’s Shield and Championship winning team delivered the most impressive season in the history of the NWSL. Last week, Marta herself said it best that in 2025 “everyone will hunt us.” Seeing how Orlando will carry themselves as defending champions will be fascinating. TLH
Seeing how the young talents who joined the league last season progress in their second years as pros. Players like Claire Hutton (Kansas City), Gisele Thompson (Angel City) and Ally Sentnor (Utah) had excellent rookie seasons, but weren’t yet their teams’ most impactful players. I want to see how those players and lots of others in similar situations take a step forward in 2025. KM
The top-of-the-table battle. NWSL’s trademark has been riveting competition, from top to bottom of the table. But last year saw four team’s set themselves apart in their results: Orlando, Washington Spirit, Gotham and Kansas City. I think multiple teams will challenge them for those spots. But I’m excited to see if those teams can maintain their performance, and what clubs can upset the balance at the top. MS
An under-the-radar player who will turn heads…
Pride forward Ally Watt feels primed to take another leap in 2025. Despite starting just nine games in the 2024 regular season, she was sensational in the postseason starting all three playoff matches and notching four goal involvements on the way to lifting the Championship trophy. Pride head coach Seb Hines clearly trusts her when the spotlight is on, and with Adriana departing there is now an opening on the wing. TLH
Bárbara Olivieri quietly had an excellent second half of the season for a Houston Dash team going through some serious upheaval. She didn’t have much help in attack, but the additions of Messiah Bright and Yazmeen Ryan could give Olivieri more of an opportunity to shine if she ends up winning the starting left wing role. KM
30-year-old Japanese forward Mina Tanaka signed for Utah Royals midway through last season, scoring one goal in seven appearances during her first club stint outside of Japan. After scoring four goals in three appearances during the 2025 SheBelieves Cup (and 39 goals in 88 total appearances for Nadeshiko Japan), Tanaka seems poised to make an even bigger impact as a goalscorer for the Royals. MS
The trend that will define NWSL in 2025…
Retooling in the summer. With the NWSL opting for another summer break during the women’s Euros and Copa América Feminina, there will pretty much be a second pre-season in which teams have the time and space to evaluate. Whether that is by bringing in high-profile transfers or a new head coach, I think we see plenty of clubs strategizing the best way to upgrade in the warmer months. TLH
Teams finding valuable signings from countries that are not traditional women’s soccer powers. The success of Barbra Banda and Temwa Chawinga will have teams looking not just towards Africa, but completely re-thinking their assumptions about where successful NWSL players come from. Expect the league to get even more diverse during the summer transfer period. KM
Goals. The 2024 NWSL season averaged 2.66 goals a game, short of 2014’s record high of 3.04, but toward the high-end of goals-per-game in NWSL history. Part of that was due to teams like Kansas City, who broke the total goals record, in part thanks to the addition of sensational NWSL rookie and 2024 MVP Chawinga. In 2025, that pace of goals looks set to continue for teams like Kansas City, Washington Spirit or Orlando, while teams like North Carolina made moves that could unlock a higher output in the final third. MS
The most impactful offseason move will be…
Maddie Dahlien to Seattle Reign. Laura Harvey’s team has been calling out for some pace and freshness, someone who can really stretch opponents. This may feel a bit niche, but the 20-year-old former University of North Carolina Tarheel feels like the perfect addition to the Reign squad in terms of filling a need. TLH
Player returns and absences for medical reasons, which might end up having a much bigger impact on the season than any transfer. Double winners Orlando get to add Angelina and Grace Chanda back into their lineup, while Jun Endo returns for Angel City. Kansas City Current should get a massive boost to their attack when Bia returns to the lineup, and same for Croix Bethune and the Washington Spirit. On the other end of the spectrum, Sophia Wilson will miss this season due to pregnancy, while Mallory Swanson has yet to join Chicago training for undisclosed reasons. Those two teams will probably struggle without their superstars. KM
Jaedyn Shaw to North Carolina. San Diego saw a few exceptional talents depart in the offseason. That includes Chelsea’s record signing of US center back Naomi Girma, as well as North Carolina’s acquisition of USWNT midfielder/forward Shaw. Still just 20 years old, the Frisco-born creative talent has yet to fully unleash her potential on the league, and North Carolina’s system under Sean Nahas seems like an appropriate place for Shaw to reach her next level. MS
Playoff teams:
Kansas City Current, Washington Spirit, Orlando Pride, Gotham FC, North Carolina Courage, Seattle Reign, Utah Royals, Bay FC. TLH
Kansas City Current, Orlando Pride, Washington Spirit, Bay FC, Gotham FC, North Carolina Courage, Seattle Reign, Racing Louisville. KM
Washington Spirit, Kansas City Current, Orlando Pride, North Carolina Courage, Gotham, Angel City FC, Portland Thorns, Seattle Reign. MS
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Who will win…
Golden Boot
Chawinga. If Barbra Banda can score more than the 13 regular season goals she got in 2024 then this will be a closer race. But there is no evidence to suggest anyone has figured out how to stop Chawinga from finding the back of the net. She will get a minimum of 15. A braver person than I will bet against Chawinga. TLH
Banda. As incredible as Orlando’s 2024 was, they did it with a bit of a makeshift midfield. With Angelina, Grace Chanda and Morgan Gautrat starting the season healthy, Banda is going to get even better service and score more goals. KM
Chawinga. She scored 20 goals in 25 appearances last season and it’s hard to see her slowing down. Kansas City’s deep, deep bench of attacking talent helps her cause. It’s hard for opponents to isolate and try to stymie one elite goalscorer when there’s 4-5 others ready to bang them in, too. MS
MVP
Trinity Rodman. When she’s fully fit, there’s arguably no better all-round player in the NWSL. In a best-case scenario, I could see Rodman hit 20 goal involvements for the first time in her career (she had 14 in 2024 playing 75% of the Spirit’s total minutes). Furthermore, there is no US women’s national team tournament to exhaust her in the summer. TLH
Banda. The Golden Boot winner is usually an MVP frontrunner, and there’s no reason why Banda won’t be this year if she scores as much as I think she will KM
Rodman. The USWNT star forward has been absent from US rosters this winter while rehabilitating a lingering back injury. She appeared on Washington’s roster for the Challenge Cup but did not appear in the Spirit’s victory. If she’s healthy, Rodman will be as key to the Spirit’s season this year as she was in ‘24, as she operates fluidly up front combining with the talented players around her, both setting up and scoring a glorious glut of goals. MS
NWSL Shield
Kansas City Current. The entire club, top to bottom, just feels like it is moving in the right direction. If the Pride drop their levels a touch, and the Spirit still needs some time to get their squad back together and fully fit, over a 26-match season I think the Current are the most consistent and cohesive side. TLH
Kansas City Current. Their +29 xG differential according to FBRef was the best in the league, 10 better than Orlando. If the two teams duplicate their 2024 output, I think KC will be the one on more points this time around. KM
Washington Spirit. Ahead of the Spirit’s 2025 Challenge Cup victory, Washington Spirit goalkeeper Aubrey Kingsbury told the media, “I want to win everything and this is the first trophy.” Despite myriad injuries and taking on a new manager (former Barcelona boss Jonatan Giráldez) halfway through last season, they were one of the top teams and fell just short of both the NWSL Shield and the NWSL Championship. If everyone is healthy, I think they take the Shield in Giráldez’s first full season coaching in the US. MS
NWSL Championship
Washington Spirit. Team of destiny, anyone? There is something so dogged about the Spirit and their recent penalty shootout wins in the playoffs and the Challenge Cup. Even with so many players missing, and struggling to perform at times, they somehow find a way. After coming so close last year, they will have that extra drive to go one better in 2025. TLH
Kansas City Current. It might be surprising that I’m picking KC given my argument for an improvement to Orlando’s midfield, but the Current were unlucky last year. KM
Kansas City Current. Last season, the Current finished fourth in the regular season (while just five points short of first-place Orlando) before losing to the eventual Champions (Orlando) in a hotly contested semi-final. With a deep bench of talent returning, they seem ready to take the Championship trophy. MS
