The National Women’s Soccer League is kicking off its season Friday. Here are all the biggest storylines to watch in the league, which is entering its 13th season.
With more and more attention being paid to women’s soccer and an expansion on the horizon, this season will be crucial to building on the league’s momentum in the years to come.
After USWNT star defender Naomi Girma’s record-breaking $1.1 million transfer to Chelsea in the Women’s Soccer League and the retirement of the GOAT, Alex Morgan, at the end of last season, the NWSL feels like a league in search of a star.
The “Triple Espresso” attacking trio of Mallory Swanson, Trinity Rodman and Sophia Wilson was absent from the USWNT’s roster at the SheBelieves Cup in February, leaving an empty hole in star power at the start of the season for the NWSL. While Rodman will be back on the pitch for the Washington Spirit, Wilson announced that she is expecting a child on March 5 and Swanson has been mysteriously absent “for personal reasons” from both the USWNT and the Chicago Stars since November.
Last season’s champs, the Orlando Pride, are in the unfamiliar position of league favorite after frequenting the bottom of the standings for much of their history. In order to win the league again, the Pride will have to contend with a young, talented group of rising stars across the league, including Angel City’s Alyssa Thompson, the Utah Royal’s Ally Sentnor, the Washington Spirit’s Croix Bethune and the Houston Dash’s Diana Ordóñez.
While the WSL is a perennial draw for American stars looking to play abroad, the NWSL is looking to elevate its profile as a league by attracting more fans to games and more viewers to the television.
The Kansas City Current, with backing from Patrick and Brittany Mahomes, opened the only stadium built for the women’s game last year, marking an impressive investment for a relatively new team looking to make waves in the league. Other teams are looking to follow suit, with Bay FC announcing plans for a brand-new training facility in San Francisco Bay on March 5.
However, Bay FC made the wrong kind of headlines last week, when it was announced that the coaching staff, headed by head coach Albertin Montoya, will be facing an independent review by the NWSL after the San Francisco Chronicle published an investigation into allegations of a “toxic” work environment by former players and staff.
For a league historically plagued by scandals and allegations of abuse and misconduct, this investigation isn’t a good look for the NWSL.
The league settled a $5 million emotional and sexual abuse lawsuit in January after players Sinead Farrelly and Mana Shim came forward in 2021 with allegations against now-former North Carolina head coach Paul Riley. An ensuing investigation by U.S. Soccer found “systemic” emotional abuse and sexual misconduct across the league, resulting in the firings or resignations of five coaches and the commissioner at the time.
No matter what happens, this year will determine the future trajectory of the league. As a long-time fan of the USWNT, I want the NWSL to succeed. To do so, it needs a star like the WNBA’s Caitlin Clark.
