National Women's Soccer League

Women play soccer in a big league.

It has 16 teams in the United States. Teams play games from March to November.

Teams work hard to win prizes. One prize is a shield. It goes to the best team.

Other teams play for a big cup. The playoff winner gets the cup. Gotham FC is a current champion.

Players from many lands play here. They come from the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.

It is exciting to watch them play. Do you like soccer?

The National Women's Soccer League, or NWSL, is a top pro league.

It has 16 teams across the United States. The league began in 2013 with only eight teams. It grew over time to include more clubs.

Teams play many games from March to November. Each team plays 26 games in a regular season. They play 13 games at home and 13 away. The team with the most points wins the NWSL Shield. This prize goes to the best team at the end of the season. The Kansas City Current won the Shield in 2025.

After the regular season, teams play in a playoff tournament. The winner of the playoffs is the league champion. Gotham FC is the current champion.

There is also a special game called the Challenge Cup. It is a single game between the Shield winner and the Champion. Players come from many places to play. They come from the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. The league is owned by the teams themselves.

The National Women's Soccer League, or NWSL, is the highest level of professional women's soccer in the United States.

It is a special league because the teams themselves own it. The NWSL is sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation and is based in New York City. Currently, the league has 16 different teams playing across the country. Fans love watching these athletes compete for big prizes. The league represents the top tier of the American soccer system.

Playing in the NWSL follows a clear schedule from March to November. Each team plays 26 regular-season games during this time. They play 13 games at their own home stadium and 13 games away. The team that earns the most points gets the NWSL Shield. In 2025, the Kansas City Current won this prestigious Shield. After the regular season ends, the best teams enter a playoff tournament. The winner of these playoffs becomes the NWSL Champion. In 2025, Gotham FC took home the championship title.

The league has a long history of growing and changing. It was established in 2012 to follow other leagues like Women's Professional Soccer. The NWSL officially began playing its first matches in 2013. That first season started with only eight teams. Some of those original teams were the Boston Breakers and the Chicago Red Stars. The very first game was played on April 13, 2013. In that match, the Portland Thorns played against FC Kansas City. Renae Cuellar scored the very first goal in league history.

Building the league required a lot of teamwork and planning. In 2012, leaders held a roundtable meeting to discuss the future of women's soccer. Owners from several teams worked together to recruit more clubs. They wanted to manage the league in a way that could last a long time. To help create great teams, player salaries were supported by different groups. The US Soccer Federation, the Canadian Soccer Association, and the Mexican Football Federation all helped. They paid for the salaries of many national team players to help the teams.

Today, the NWSL connects to the wider world of soccer. Teams can qualify for the CONCACAF W Champions Cup. This is a big tournament for teams from different regions. Gotham FC even won the first CONCACAF W Champions Cup in 2024–25. NWSL teams also play in special events like the NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup. In that tournament, the Kansas City Current won against teams from Mexico. This shows how NWSL players compete against the best in the world.

The National Women's Soccer League, or NWSL, is the premier professional women's soccer league in the United States.

It sits at the highest level of the American soccer league system. The league is unique because it is owned by the participating teams. The United States Soccer Federation sanctions the league, which maintains its headquarters in New York City. Currently, the NWSL consists of 16 professional teams. These clubs compete to prove they are the best in the country.

Competition follows a structured seasonal format. The regular season runs from March through November. During this time, each team plays 26 scheduled matches. This includes 13 home games and 13 away games. In 2026, the league will expand this to 30 games to accommodate all 16 teams. The team with the highest total points at the end of the season receives the NWSL Shield.

Following the regular season, the top teams enter a playoff tournament. In 2024, the league introduced a full quarterfinal round. This allows the eight teams with the most points to qualify for the postseason. The tournament culminates in a championship game in late November to crown the NWSL Champion.

Success in the NWSL is measured by two distinct honors. The NWSL Shield recognizes consistency throughout the entire regular season. The NWSL Championship recognizes the winner of the post-season knockout tournament. For the 2025 season, Gotham FC is the NWSL Champion. The Kansas City Current is the 2025 NWSL Shield winner. These awards represent different types of excellence in professional soccer. One rewards long-term performance, while the other rewards tournament skill.

The league's history is a story of rebuilding and growth. The NWSL was established in 2012. It was created to succeed Women's Professional Soccer, which had folded in April 2012. Before that, the Women's United Soccer Association had also operated in the United States. To start the NWSL, US Soccer held a roundtable discussion in June 2012. This meeting included representatives from various soccer organizations. By November 2012, owners from the Chicago Red Stars and Boston Breakers helped recruit six more teams. The league officially began play in 2013 with eight original teams.

Founding leaders focused on a sustainable economic model. They intentionally chose a lower cost structure than previous leagues. To build world-class rosters, the league used a player allocation system. The US Soccer Federation, the Canadian Soccer Association, and the Mexican Football Federation all subsidized national team players. These federations paid the salaries for 24 American, 16 Canadian, and up to 16 Mexican players. This helped teams stay under the salary cap while maintaining high skill levels. This allocation system was eventually abolished after the 2022 season.

The league has also shown resilience during global challenges. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 season was initially postponed and later canceled. However, the NWSL became the first major U.S. sports league to return to play. It did this by hosting the NWSL Challenge Cup in the Salt Lake City region. This tournament allowed teams to compete without spectators. The league also used a federal loan from the Paycheck Protection Program to compensate players.

Today, the NWSL is a vital part of the international soccer landscape. The league connects to broader regional competitions. Since 2023, three NWSL teams qualify for the CONCACAF W Champions Cup. These spots go to the playoff champion, the Shield winner, and the Shield runner-up. Gotham FC won the inaugural 2024–25 CONCACAF W Champions Cup. Additionally, teams compete in the NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup. In 2024, the Kansas City Current won this tournament against Mexican top-division teams. These matches demonstrate the high level of talent within the NWSL.