The National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL )2025 is set to kick off on March 14, Friday.
The tournament will be played in a 14-team league format for one last time as it will be expanded to 16 teams next season.
Each side will play 26 games across the regular season. The club that finishes top will lift the NWSL Shield.
The top sides will advance for the play-offs- quarter-final, semi-final, and final. The winner in the final will be crowned the NWSL Champions.
The victors of each trophy will then meet in the Challenge Cup the following year, just before the start of a new season.
Last year Orlando Pride notched up a double by topping the table and then winning the Championship under Seb Hines.
Washington Spirit were the unlucky side that finished runners-up to them on both occasions and will be looking to get their own back this time around.
As the new edition is set to start, let us have a look at the teams to watch at NWSL 2025:
Orlando Pride
Orlando Pride will enter the tournament as the defending champions after a sensational performance last season. They not only clinched the Shield but also won their first-ever Championship title.
Seb Hines’s side have the core team in their squad. Football legend Marta has struck a new deal, along with defender Emily Sams and midfielder Cori Dyke. They will also have the service of World Cup-winning full-back Oihane Hernandez from Real Madrid in their attempt to defend their titles.
Also Read:NWSL 2025: Crucial Dates Not To Be Missed
Washington Spirit
Washington Spirit are another top contenders for the title. After narrowly missing out on the title in the last edition, Spirits will be looking to redeem themselves this time round.
Under the guidance of manager Jonatan Giraldez, the team can regroup and play with positivity. Giraldez has several league and Champions League titles under his belt. With players like Portland Thorns, The Washington side looks to be a a position to pull off a title win.
San Diego Wave
San Diego Wave are among the clubs that have been struggling in the last couple of years. While they won the Shield in 2023, they could not make it to the playoffs the following year. That season they managed to finish just five points off the bottom of the table.
The California side is transitioning on to its next phase, with the appointment of a new coach and losing key players like Jaedyn Shaw to NWSL rivals. They also had to part ways with one of the world’s best defenders Naomi Girma who left the club for a world record transfer fee.
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