The NWSL was final seen … by greater than one million folks.
That was the championship sport final November, when a league-record common tv viewers of 1.2 million viewers tuned in to look at Rose Lavelle’s put-it-on-a-poster aim elevate
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Gotham triumphed for the second time in three years because the lowest playoff seed, however as star Jaedyn Shaw put it, they had been “underdogs, my ass.”
Now the NWSL, with a aggressive and cultural footprint solely imagined when the league launched in 2013, returns for its greatest season but.
Gotham FC are the defending NWSL champs. AP
There at the moment are 16 groups (and counting). There are seven-figure free brokers producing buzz by coming, going and staying. And there stays the any-given-Saturday parity that makes the league distinctive in girls’s soccer.
Right here’s what you have to know for the 2026 season, which kicks off Friday night time:
Rodman guidelines
The NWSL offseason was dominated by one query: Would Trinity Rodman stick round?
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The stakes appeared nearly existential after NWSL stars Naomi Girma (San Diego to Chelsea), Alyssa Thompson (Angel Metropolis to Chelsea) and Sam Coffey (Portland to Manchester Metropolis) had decamped for England.
Trinity Rodman leads Washington after signing a report deal. AP
Ultimately, Rodman — an electrical expertise on the sector and billboard-ready presence off it — determined to re-up with the Spirit That was facilitated by the controversial introduction of the Excessive Affect Participant rule, aka the “Rodman Rule,” which permits groups to exceed the NWSL’s arduous wage cap for sure extremely marketable gamers.
The problem for Washington and the 23-year-old Rodman, who has been bothered by continual again points, is to again it up on the sector.
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Enlargement pack
The Boston Legacy and Denver Summit be a part of the NWSL as growth groups. For a way of the monetary development, Boston paid a $53 million growth price; that greater than doubled a bit greater than a yr later to $110 million for Denver.
Boston, anchored by goalie Casey Murphy, will break up residence video games between Foxborough (Gillette Stadium) and Pawtucket whereas renovations proceed on White Stadium within the metropolis.
Lindsey Heaps is ready to hitch Denver. AP
Denver lured USWNT captain Lindsey Heaps, an area native, to return from years of enjoying overseas to be the workforce’s centerpiece. They’ve offered greater than 50,000 tickets for the March 28 residence opener at Mile Excessive Stadium.
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Atlanta is ready to hitch in 2028, and Columbus has been rumored because the vacation spot for the 18th workforce.
Present occasions
The Kansas Metropolis Present stormed by way of the NWSL final season to the tune of a 21W-2D-3L report, good for a report 65 factors — and proceeded to drop a playoff quarterfinal at residence to Gotham.
That led to Vlatko Andonovski getting kicked upstairs, and after hiring MLS vet Chris Armas as coach, they shook up the midfield with a blockbuster offseason commerce to usher in Croix Bethune.
Temwa Chawinga, who received the Golden Boot with 15 objectives a yr in the past, returns to steer what’s nonetheless the league’s most loaded roster. However can they recover from the playoff hump?
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Pictures of Espresso
Together with Rodman’s return, that is positive to caffeinate the NWSL this yr: Portland Thorns ahead Sophia Wilson and Chicago Stars ahead Mallory Swanson — fellow members of the USWNT’s famed Triple Espresso attacking line that achieved gold-medal glory on the 2024 Olympics — are due again after giving delivery to their first youngsters.
The Thorns, onboarding a coach employed simply two weeks in the past, and bottom-rung Stars each positively might use the firepower.
California dreamin’
Issues haven’t been in a golden state currently for the league’s three California groups.
San Diego Wave, semifinalists in Yr 1 (2022) and Defend winners in Yr 2, are down from these Alex Morgan-led highs and have confronted allegations of misconduct contained in the entrance workplace. Delphine Cascarino and Kailen Sheridan bailed this offseason. However Ludmila and Gotham’s Gabi Portilho represented marquee additions, and Cat Macario could possibly be subsequent.
Claire Hutton joins Bay FC from the Kansas Metropolis Present. AP
Angel Metropolis have by no means mustered the outcomes to match their celebrity-coded branding, and now they’re rebuilding after Thompson’s exit. Emily Sams joins to regular the protection.
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Bay FC are likewise resetting below coach Emma Coates. Claire Hutton, the precocious 20-year-old midfielder, is an effective place to start out.
Predictions
Champions — Washington
Defend winners — Kansas Metropolis
MVP — Emma Sears, Louisville
Rookie of the Yr — Jordynn Dudley, Gotham