2025 NWSL Free Agents: Top 15

Taylor Vincent
Taylor Vincent, Resident NWSL ExpertSeptember 04, 2024
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The NWSL’s free agency opened up on September 1st—and the NWSL has 129 players on the free agency list. As a reminder, there was a new CBA announced in late August which expanded free agency to any player with an expiring contract regardless of years of service and it also pulled in the negotiation/signing deadline from October and the end of the season to September 1st. 

With forward Bárbara Olivieri being the first player on the list to re-sign with a team, here’s a look at the top 15 free agents to keep an eye on (plus some notable mentions)

Top 15 Free Agents

1. Kerolin - NC Courage, Forward

Kerolin tore her ACL in the regular season finale in 2023, and although she hasn’t played any minutes with the Courage this season, she did get the call-up from Brazil to play at the Olympics. There Kerolin started a group play match against Spain and came in as a substitute in four matches as well as scoring a goal in Brazil’s 4–2 win against Spain to send them to the gold medal match. As a reminder, in 2023 Kerolin was the NWSL MVP scoring ten goals. Kerolin’s dynamic attack would be an asset for any team’s offense. 

2. Claire Emslie - Angel City FC, Forward

Emslie has played in all 18 regular season matches for Angel City this year—starting in all but one—scoring six goals and assisting in an additional two. She also leads the team and is fourth in the league with 34 chances created and has played the second most minutes of any Angel City player this season. The set piece and corner service that Emslie provides as well as her speed on the left wing has been instrumental in Angel City’s success this season. 

3. Alyssa Naeher - Chicago Red Stars, Goalkeeper

This is Naeher’s eighth season with the Red Stars and following an incredible showing at the 2024 Paris Olympics that helped the USA bring home gold including a few absolutely mind-boggling saves. On the club side, Naeher has had to deal with three offseasons in a row which included mass exodus from the team leading to a constantly changing backline. It will be interesting to see whether Naeher takes her first swing at free agency or whether she chooses to continue with Chicago on their journey under new ownership. 

4. Vanessa Dibernardo - Kansas City Current, Midfielder

After spending a significant amount of time on the availability report in 2023 being out with a concussion, Dibernardo started 2024 with a bang and had two assists and two goals in the first three matches for Kansas City. She continued her run of form and by mid-May had four goals and five assists. Unfortunately Dibernardo had an aerial challenge end up with head contact and she missed the last three matches ahead of the regular season Olympic break. The Summer Cup was used to build her minutes back and the midfielder tallied another two assists, and she’s back to starting matches for a Kansas City side which currently sits third in the table. 

5. Debinha - Kansas City Current, Midfielder

Debinha did originally have a mutual option for 2025 with Kansas City, but it looks like either Debinha or the Current declined to exercise putting Debinha back on the free agency list. Debinha was one of the big names who got to enjoy the freedom of free agency in its first iteration in the 2022-23 offseason and whose autonomy allowed her to land in Kansas City. During the Summer Cup, Debinha scored four goals in four matches with the Current, and during this regular season she’s tallied one goal and two assists 

6. Sophie Schmidt - Houston Dash, Midfielder

Schmidt has been a beacon of continuity for a Houston Dash which has seen a lot of coaching changes and thrash over the last few years. The Canadian midfielder recently retired from international play with an impressive 226 caps to her name. This season for the Dash, she has the second most minutes of any field player for the Dash, playing in 17 of the team’s 18 matches, with a 81% passing accuracy and over 100 possessions won. 

7. Annaïg Butel - Washington Spirit, Defender

The French defender arrived in Washington D.C. last July and in the back half of the season played in seven matches for the Spirit. This season, Butel has played in every single regular season match for the Spirit, starting in all but the season opener where she played the entirety of the second half. She has the second most minutes of any Spirit field player and has earned 23 interceptions and 72 possessions won thus far this season while having a passing accuracy over 85%. 

8. Sydney Leroux - Angel City FC, Forward

Leroux had her 16th game winning goal this past Sunday as Angel City broke their 1–1 stalemate with Chicago to take home three points. The goal was also her 48th career goal, and her fifth of the 2024 regular season. She also scored an additional goal in the one game of the Summer Cup in which she played. After only scoring two goals in the 2023 season, Leroux seems to really be finding her stride with the LA-based club this season.

9. Maitane Lopez - Gotham FC, Defender

The Spanish defender joined Gotham in the 2023 Secondary Transfer Window and immediately fit right in, after her debut substitution in, starting the next ten games—including the NWSL Championship match. In the offseason, Gotham made a number of defensive acquisitions, and although Lopez hasn’t been injured she hasn’t been seeing consistent minutes this season, only tallying 402 minutes thus far in the regular season. It wouldn’t be surprising if Lopez attempts to leverage her free agency to head to a team (with an unused INTL spot) where she can see more play time. 

10. Elli Pikkujamsa - Racing Louisville FC, Defender

Unfortunately the 24-year old Finnish defender was the second victim of the Providence Park turf this year, tearing her patellar tendon in the 72nd minute of the third regular season match of the 2024 season. Pikkujämsä showed her versatility in the 2023 Louisville season switching between defensive midfield and centerback multiple times throughout the season and starting in 18 regular season matches. Racing exercised its half of Pikkujämsä’s 2025 mutual option and contract negotiations are ongoing. 

11. Midge Purce - Gotham FC, Forward

Purce was unfortunately the first SEI victim of the Providence Park artificial turf this season—in only the second regular season match of the season—when she tore her ACL in the second half. Purce is coming off an NWSL Championship winning 2023 season with Gotham—where she took home the NWSL Championship MVP award—-alongside scoring four goals and earning four assists during the regular season, and an additional goal and three assists in the Challenge Cup. 

12. Danielle Colaprico - San Diego Wave FC, Midfielder

Following the opening of the NWSL’s first iteration of free agency, Colaprico signed with San Diego in December of 2022 following eight seasons in Chicago. Her time in San Diego has included overcoming a persistent ankle ‘niggle’ in 2023 and she’s currently dealing with knee issues which have prevented  her from playing in a match since the Summer Cup. Despite the minor injury setbacks, Colaprico when healthy is a vital part of the Wave midfield, playing in 23 matches for the San Diego side in 2023 and has played in 15 matches for the Wave this season. 

13. Quinn - Seattle Reign FC, Midfielder

Quinn has been battling some knee injury issues through the first half of the season, only playing in 11 of the Reign’s 18 regular season matches. They started three of the four matches for the Canadian women’s national team at the 2024 Paris Olympics, and during the tournament broke the 100 cap mark for Canada. Quinn has boasted an impressive 82% passing accuracy over the last four seasons of NWSL regular season play. 

14. Elizabeth Ball - Kansas City Current, Defender

In the first half of the season, Ball started 11 matches for Kansas City—playing in 13—boasting an 80% passing accuracy, one goal, and three assists. June alone Ball earned a spot on the NWSL Best XI of the Month with 13 duels won and two blocks in that month alone. However, in the Summer Cup Ball was dealing with some upper leg issues which then led to Kansas City receiving centerback Alana Cook from Seattle in a trade to add some depth. Since the return of the regular season following the Olympics, Ball has yet to see playing time.  

15. Kristen McNabb - San Diego Wave FC, Defender 

Although 2023 saw McNabb on the D45 list toward the back half of the season due to an unfortunate hip injury, she has been essential for the Wave defense in 2024, playing in 16 of their 18 regular season matches and starting in all but two of those. She had seven interceptions in the Sunday draw against the Spirit, and her ability to play both centerback and outside back gives her a lot of flexibility when it comes to potentially looking for new teams, or looking for better contract terms with the Wave. 

Notable Mentions

1. Ann-Katrin Berger - Gotham FC, Goalkeeper

Berger entered the NWSL in April and over 14 games has allowed just 11 goals and two multi goal games. With Berger’s fiance joining Gotham through the end of the 2026 season, it is unlikely that she re-signs with another NWSL side. 

2. Marta - Orlando Pride, Midfielder 

After eight years with Orlando and retiring from national team play following the 2024 Paris Olympics, it would be highly surprising if Marta signed with another NWSL team.The six time FIFA World Player of the Year is performing even better following her 2022 ACL tear and at 38 years old shows no signs of slowing down. 

3. Christen Press - Angel City FC, Forward

Press just got back from a two year ACL recovery journey. With only eight games left in the season, her return to play progress has her up to 30 minutes of play. It’s not clear if the LA native would want to leave her home market to explore other opportunities. 

 


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