NWSL 2025 starts in just three days with the 2025 Challenge Cup, followed the next week by the first regular season games! It's a season of unknowns. Even though there are no new teams this season, there is no longer a college draft and all current year rookies are free agents. Chicago Red Stars have rebranded to "Chicago Stars FC," and there's no word on what will replace the NWSL x Liga MX F Summer Cup. About new coaches, we've had a few, San Diego, Houston, and Angel City's had two! Who'll be the champions, my friends? Who will keep fighting until the end? CHALLENGE CUP FRI Mar 7 20:00 Orlando hosts Washington (Prime) WEEK 1 GAMES All times US East (daylight time) FRI Mar 14 20:00 Orlando hosts Chicago (Prime) 20:00 Houston hosts Washington (NWSL+) SAT Mar 15 12:45 Kansas City hosts Portland (ABC/ESPN+) 17:00 Louisville hosts North Carolina (NWSL+) 19:30 Utah hosts Bay FC (ION) 22:00 Seattle hosts Gotham (ION) SUN Mar 16 18:50 Angel City hosts San Diego (ESPN2/ESPN+)
I guess my preseason curiosity centers around how Utah and Bay will do in their second seasons. They both appeared to get better as the season wore on, and I look forward to seeing if either or both can carry that momentum into this season. And it is kind of funny to me to see them facing each other opening week. I am also curious how San Diego responds with so many changes and drama surrounding the club over the previous year. This time last year they won the Challenge cup and on paper looked like they would be one of the best teams.
Looked at that map and thought, "Yeah, that map is current...but why is there a dot next to 'Current'?...Oh, Kansas City Current. Doh!"
so now the Bay FC coach is under investigation! Can there be any NWSL team functioning without some kind of scandal? it was interesting in one of the articles that former staff and players have signed NDA’s but in the Yates report that is to be prohibited
Washington beat Orlando on PK’s 4-2 to win thr Challenge Cup, after tho 90 minute 1-1 draw. Both teams looked a bit rusty or at least, out of rhythm, though I guess expected since it’s the start of the season. Washington currently missing quite a few players; obviously Rodman, Sullivan, Bethune, Sarr, Kouassi. Orlando made a big mistake of selling off one of the best wingers in world In Adriana, but their LB, Kate Abelo’s performance was a nice surprise for them. as usual, an small crowd for Orlando, though basketball star Grant Hill said he’s an investor in the club @blissett the Spirit’s Muira was involved in both goals; she committed the foul that gave Pride a free kick & goal, but then got the foul which team mate turned into an goal via her free kick, plus she had an successful PK in the shootout
Why wasn’t Maura given a red card when the penalty was overturned? It appeared that the ref gave her a yellow card for denying an obvious goal scoring opportunity. When that is a result of playing or attempting to play the ball it is a yellow card if a penalty is awarded but a red card if it results in a free kick. When the penalty was overturned the card should have changed to a red which would have resulted in the Spirit being a player down for the entire second half.
There was a defender (Esme Morgan) goal side of the Orlando player when Maura tripped her from behind. I believe the yellow card was for a dangerous play.
Still no NWSL+ app for Google TV and their website is so jacked up right now it's showing both of tonight's games as not yet started even though they're in the second half.
NWSL’s rep as a well balanced league took a major blow yesterday as Orlando simply annihilated Chicago, 6-0 and yep, it could have been even worse! The Pride did have that extra game under their belt but there was something definitely lacking about the Red Stars—-though missing Swanson, they still had Naeher at goal, previous fav vet like Shea Groom & Canadian starting NT Grosso, but that back line looked awful—especially defending against Banda who’s added being phenomenal high presser to her repot(sorry folks, she’s still the best player in the world in my book) Orlando might be now the team you love to hate, but then maybe it hurts the league in another way if fans might just boycott them instead whatever, please don’t talk about expansion until one sided games like this are rectified
Well, she got an assist for Houston -- so I'll insert my favorite nwsl photo. She's not the best, she's not my favorite, but Ryan Gareis takes a good photo. Poetry and power in motion.
Lianne Sanderson has made another game unwatchable. Just the single worst announcer in modern sports broadcasting. Thankfully KC is blowing the doors off Portland so it doesn't feel like I'm missing anything.
Their deal with Ion TV was a great part of the broadcast package. My local Ion station is a digital subnet of the local Fox station and in the last 2 years it's upgraded from 480i to 720p broadcasts, so I can watch the games with my antenna, but if the weather gets out of hand it's always nice to have that Ion livestream on Tubi and Roku. It's also on services like Frndly TV and Pluto TV, so you have to try pretty hard to not get those games.
Mine is too. Last year it was a 480i broadcast with the black bars on the side of the screen like they were airing a 1960s sitcom.
Mak Whitham comes on for Gotham and becomes the youngest player to appear in an NWSL regular season game (14 years, 220 days).
Of the 50 plus college players who were signed by NWSL teams to play this year, I only find three who started their team's first game: Sarah Schupansky of Pittsburg who played 89 minutes for Gotham; Taylor Huff of FL State who played a full 90 for Bay; and Jayden Perry of UCLA who played a full 90 for Portland. That seems an unusually small number of rookies starting to me -- but maybe not. And there's still one match to go this weekend.
Dahlien started for Reign tonight, plus Angel City and Wave play tomorrow and I think it is likely there will be rookies starting for the Wave at a minimum.