The National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) season came to an end recently and teams are well on their way into the playoffs. With the final coming on November 11, this season has been one of the most eventful yet and will likely continue to be. The NWSL is composed of twelve teams, all competing for both the regular season title and the six playoff spots. Two of these teams, San Diego Wave and Angel City Football Club, are new additions to the lineup, but most other teams have struggled through upheaval and extreme changes in recent years.
The San Diego Wave, led by Alex Morgan, captain of the US Women’s National Team, finished in the top spot for the regular season. In close second was Portland Thorns, who finished only two points behind the Wave. Chicago Red Stars finished out the season last, with only twenty four points and a goal differential (number of goals conceded subtracted from those scored) of -22. However, there was other turmoil this season. A total of six coaches were fired throughout the season, meaning half the teams in the NWSL had a management change during the season. Some teams, like Angel City Football Club who made a surprise run at the end of the season into the playoffs, benefited immensely from this change while for others, like the Kansas City Current, did not.
This season had some of the most memorable moments in recent NWSL history. Megan Rapinoe played her final home game in front of a sold-out crowd before her retirement. The match also had 683 thousand viewers, making it the most-watched game from the regular season. North Carolina Courage won their second Challenge Cup in a row, the annual tournament established by the NWSL, which all teams in the league in. This season also featured some record-breaking moments. Chloe Ricketts became the youngest goalscorer in league history for the OL Reign and Melanie Barcenas was the youngest person to ever play in an NWSL game, for the San Diego Wave. The playoffs are bound to create some more unforgettable games, with four teams left to battle for the championship. On Sunday, November 5, catch Gotham Football Club vs. the Portland Thorns at 7 p.m. and San Diego Wave vs. OL Reign at 9:30 p.m. as they play for a spot in the final.
Even though the NWSL is still working out many issues, the league has a bright future ahead of it. Two new teams, the Utah Royals and Bay Football Club (located in the San Francisco Bay
Area), will be joining in 2024. This expansion is looking to answer a new demand for investments in women’s soccer throughout the sports world and will bring more attention and support to the league. The 2023 season has already shown an increase in interest, as attendance has been up by around 32 percent from the previous season. The San Diego Wave had the highest overall attendance with almost twenty-one thousand fans per game. The NWSL is looking to bigger and better things as it continues to grow and inspire young people all over the world to support it.