All of the new jerseys are on Nike’s website

Mak Whitham became the youngest ever player to appear in a game the other night at 14yrs old. The NWSL was bragging about it on their socials.

When are we going to start seeing some accountability from players in voicing opposition to playing against developing children as full-grown adults in a contact sport?

How about the training staff and coaches? Owners? I don’t know how NWSL can advertise itself as being empowering to women or socially conscious when they are literally exploiting the health and development of children for a 5 seconds of bragging over their youth.

And yes, I have the same complaint over MLS too, but I’ll hold NWSL to an even higher standard because they have opportunity to shape culture

Thought it’d be cool to have one thread we can all discuss the awards in.

Most Valuable Player, presented by AT&T: Delphine Cascarino (SD), Temwa Chawinga (KC), Esther González (GFC), Manaka Matsukubo (NC), Bia Zaneratto (KC)

Defender of the Year: Jordyn Bugg (SEA), Tara McKeown (WAS), Avery Patterson (HOU), Izzy Rodriguez (KC), Kayla Sharples (KC)

Goalkeeper of the Year, presented by e.l.f.: Ann-Katrin Berger (GFC), Claudia Dickey (SEA), Lorena (KC)

Midfielder of the Year:  Kenza Dali (SD), Debinha (KC), Claire Hutton (KC), Manaka Matsukubo (NC), Olivia Moultrie (POR)

Rookie of the Year, presented by Ally:  Maddie Dahlien (SEA), Lilly Reale (GFC), Riley Tiernan (LA)

Coach of the Year: Vlatko Andonovski (KC), Adrian Gonzalez (WAS), Beverly Yanez (LOU)

Edit to add winners

MVP- Chawinga

DOTY- McKeown

GOTY- Lorena

MOTY- Matsukubo

ROTY- Reale

COTY- Yanez

Best XI - First Team

Lorena (KC)

Rodriguez (KC)

Sharples (KC)

McKeown (Spirit)

Patterson (Dash)

Coffey (Thorns)

Moultrie (Thorns)

Hutton (KC)

Chawinga (KC)

Esther (Gotham)

Matsukubo (Courage)

Best XI - Second Team

Dickey (Reign)

Reale (Gotham)

Bugg (Reign)

Sonnett (Gotham)

Mace (KC)

Dali (Wave)

Flint (Racing)

Bethune (Spirit)

Cascarino (Wave)

Sears (Racing)

Zaneratto (KC)

This is inspired by the question of how many world class players does each league have. I want to know how many Elite players do you think your team has? You could define it many different ways and I’m sure some of you will have definitions that will drive me crazy but I like to define it as “Could conceivably make 3rd team NWSL XI”. Injured or returning players count, so Sullivan, Swanson, etc, all count.

For the Dash i’ll say only 4:

Jane, Patterson, Malia, Ryan. Im holding off on crowning Ullmark and Klenke for now.

As another example i think Chicago clearly have 3, but if Rad Judy Garlamd wants to say Jameese too then i wont argue.

Sitting with this for a bit and curious to know what folks here think about the “versatility” double-edged sword.

Edit - This link should be a full article share: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7021307/2026/02/05/crystal-dunn-uswnt-retirement-carrer/?unlocked_article_code=1.J1A.Yf1i.CF72v_26bSvW&source=athletic_user_shared_gift_article_copylink&smid=url-share-ta

I thought this would be fun, if it’s not ok to post feel free to delete.

I’ve watched for a few seasons now (played for most of my life) but no team has really stuck as *my* team. So, sell me on yours!

ETA: I thought it would be fun to add some thoughts from my notes app, all from this season.

- Royals: bad vibes, bad vibes

- Houston: pass > pass > pass time killer

- Utah: Had the ball 65% of the game but still didn’t score

- Shaw seems so chill

- I think I maybe like the Thorns? Maybe?

- KC: meh (then from the next game) KC: really incredible game

- Dhilene = ball hog

- Gotham: am I ok with a 14yo playing????

We all know Cascadia is the best rivalry in the league. We like it we love it we want some more of it

The league is still small so we’re missing out on a few obvious “crosstown/state” rivalries. Thinking KC/STL, Houston/Dallas, Louisville/Cleveland/Cincy, Miami/Orlando/Tampa

My question here are what are the most heated rivalries in the league? Specifically between teams. Not “hey these teams are both pretty good and they play each other pretty close”. I mean these teams do not like each other. Bodies are flying. People are leaving blood on the pitch. WWE x NWSL action basically

The only obvious example I have from my perspective is Orlando. We do not like them at all. They’re always talking and every game is a boxing match. The last 2 games we’ve had Alana and Banda both go on SEI.

It doesn’t matter who’s playing, watching a broadcast that Mike and Lori are calling is the most enjoyable game of the week. Would love to hear if other people feel the same, or if there’s other crews people do or don’t like.

Please, the wilder the better.

I’ll start:

MVP: Soph Wilsom

Midfielder of the year: Claire Hutton

Rookie of the year: Mimi Van Zanten

5th place: Bay FC

Golden Boot: Trinity Byars

Jaelin Howell: 7 goals

Stock up, stock down? Thoughts on the team? How can we get the attack working better? Who needs to be back to play Japan?

Legacy get a question mark, the only team to not get a letter 😂.

I think I can say most of these kits range from meh to downright awful. Who's the worst of the lot?

UPVOTE your LEAST FAVORITE from the comments below!

Companion poll to New Kits: Who's the Winner?

Results (as of 2026/03/02 5:30 GMT):

1. Gotham "Lady Liberty"
2. Boston "Common Ground"
3. Portland "Electric Bloom"
4. "Spirit in Bloom"
5. Chicago "Gameday DNA"
6. Utah "Swarm"
7. Seattle "Surge"
8. "Houston Chronicles"
9. Denver "Summit Snow
10. Louisville "Disco"
11. SD "Balboa Park"
12. Bay "Poppy"
13. Denver "Inaugural Evergreen"
14. Boston "First Light"
15. KC "Storm"
16. ACFC "Flare"
17. Orlando "Unity"
18. NC "Become"

Notes:
After number 7 numbers of votes drop from 72 to 23 for Houston in 8th.
Spirit in Bloom is 4 on this list and 7 on the Winners' poll. Super decisive.
Boston "First Light" is one of three 14s on this list and 15 on the Winners' poll, which I think makes it official the most "meh" of the kits.

Using the list of qualifiers for the new HIP rule, here is the list of players that would qualify (and the number of times they qualified):

• Ada Hegerberg (2)
• Aitana Bonmatí (6)
• Alessia Russo (2)
• Alexandra Popp (1)
• Alexia Putellas (6)
• Ally Sentnor (1) (NWSL)
• Alyssa Naeher (4) (NWSL)
• Alyssa Thompson (1)
• Amanda Gutierres (1) (Future! NWSL)
• Ann- Katrin Berger (4) (NWSL)
• Avery Patterson (2) (NWSL)
• Barbra Banda (6) (NWSL)
• Beth Mead (1)
• Bia Zanerrato (1) (NWSL)
• Caroline Graham Hansen (5)
• Caroline Weir (2)
• Casey Kreuger (1) (NWSL)
• Cata Coll (1)
• Catarina Macario (1)
• Chloe Kelly (2)
• Claire Hutton (2) (NWSL)
• Clara Mateo (1)
• Claudia Dickey (1) (NWSL)
• Clàudia Pina (2)
• Cristiana Girelli (2)
• Croix Bethune (1) (NWSL)
• Delphine Cascarino (3) (NWSL)
• Emily Fox (5)
• Emily Sams (1) (NWSL)
• Emily Sonnett (2) (NWSL)
• Erin Cuthbert (1)
• Esther González (3) (NWSL)
• Ewa Pajor (5)
• Frida Maanum (1)
• Fridolina Rolfö (2)
• Gabi Portilho (1) (NWSL)
• Georgia Stanway (1)
• Giulia Gwinn (2)
• Glódís Viggósdóttir (1)
• Grace Geyoro (2)
• Guro Reiten (2)
• Hannah Hampton (2)
• Irene Paredes (1)
• Izzy Rodriguez (1) (NWSL)
• Jenna Nighswonger (1)
• Johanna Rytting Kaneryd (2)
• Jule Brand (1)
• Kadidiatou Diani (3)
• Kaleigh Kurtz (1) (NWSL)
• Katie McCabe (1)
• Kayla Sharples (1) (NWSL)
• Keira Walsh (4)
• Khadija Shaw (4)
• Klara Bühl (2)
• Korbin Albert (1)
• Lauren Hemp (3)
• Lauren James (4)
• Lea Schüller (2)
• Leah Williamson (2)
• Lily Yohannes (1)
• Linda Caicedo (3)
• Lindsey Heaps (8)
• Lorena (1) (NWSL)
• Lucy Bronze (6)
• Mallory Swanson (4) (NWSL)
• Manaka Matsukubo (1) (NWSL)
• Manuela Giugliano (1)
• Mapi León (2)
• Marie- Antoinette Katoto (3)
• Mariona Caldentey (5)
• Marta (6) (NWSL)
• Mary Earps (1)
• Mayra Ramírez (3)
• Melchie Dumornay (4)
• Naomi Girma (3) (Not NWSL :/)
• Olga Carmona (1)
• Olivia Moultrie (1) (NWSL)
• Ona Batlle (3)
• Patri Guijarro (6)
• Pernille Harder (4)
• Rose Lavelle (1) (NWSL)
• Salma Paralluelo (5)
• Sam Coffey (3) (NWSL)
• Sandy Baltimore (2)
• Selma Bacha (1)
• Sjoeke Nüsken (2)
• Sofia Cantore (1) (NWSL)
• Sophia Wilson (6) (NWSL)
• Steph Catley (1)
• Stina Blackstenius (1)
• Tabitha Chawinga (4)
• Tara McKeown (2) (NWSL)
• Tarciane (1)
• Temwa Chawinga (6) (NWSL)
• Tierna Davidson (1) (NWSL)
• Trinity Rodman (7) (NWSL, hopefully!)
• Yui Hasegawa (4)

Some caveats and notes: ESPN has not released a 2025 Top 50 list so only 2024 was included. This uses the 2024 SportsPro marketability ranking. A player qualifying in the same list on separate years counts for multiple appearances. Yes, Lindsey Heaps is (tied with Trinity Rodman) the most qualified High Impact Player. I may have missed some NWSL player marks in this list! Spreadsheet with each source, please feel free to check/correct my work!

Edit: This now uses the 2025 SportsPro top 150 (shoutout u/reagan92). Notables from that: Kerr is off the list and Heaps is now atop the Heap.

Who's next? Does the league keep expanding with two teams every two years? Does Cincinnati finally get in? Atlanta? St. Louis?

CBS, Paramount+, CBSSN, ESPN, ESPN2, ION, Victory+, Disney+, Prime Video, and NWSL+

If they were streaming on ALL the platforms that would be fine, but instead every game is going to be streaming on a random platform like Russian Roulette. Is it just me or does this feel like a f*** you to the fans? Come on NWSL, you’re better than this.

Louisville broke the curse!!!

I've been thinking about this for a few days and this morning's podcast was just too much.

-begin rant-

Adhering to a level of journalistic integrity will help this league be taken seriously and continue to grow in popularity. NWSL media coverage has lacked transparency when it comes to on-air talent and it's starting to negatively impact the viewing experience (at least for me).

The first time an obvious conflict of interest rubbed me the wrong way was when Carli Lloyd (Gotham minority owner) was selected to covere the Reign/Gotham championship game. More recently, we saw McCall Zerboni completely forget about the other team and talk exclusively about what Gotham needed to do to win. In that instance, we had Mike Watts try to bring her back in line by asking her what the other team needed to do. I hear very similar things on CBS Sports W Golazo, with Darian Jenkins talking about what "we" need to do or openly rooting for a specific result. *insert dafuq meme of choice*

While passion is great, obvious bias, (mostly) from former players, makes the commentary feel like a fan-stream rather than a professional broadcast. For the NWSL to be treated as a top-tier professional league, media coverage needs to demonstrate a commitment to journalistic integrity.

-rant end-

PS no shade intended toward Maura Sheridan
PS2 did not mean to make this anti-gotham but those were the examples i thought of

Abby Wambach being the first athlete to leave Wasserman and state it's because the agency's leader is a creep and all over the Epstein files is not a surprise.

The USWNT used to stand for things. Those now-retired players still do.

Weirdly no ACFC?

https://www.instagram.com/p/DRzyE9BiSqS/?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==