By the end of this week, all of the end of season awards will be finalized. As they are announced, Spotrac will keep this page up-to-date with the latest:

As a reminder, all of this year’s awards from Best XI to MVP come with a $5,000 cash bonus as per the previous CBA. 

2024 NWSL Most Valuable Player

Temwa Chawinga (KC)

2024 NWSL Defender of the Year

Emily Sams (ORL)

2024 NWSL Midfielder of the Year

Croix Bethune (WAS)

2024 NWSL Goalkeeper of the Year

Ann-Katrin Berger (GFC)

2024 NWSL Coach of the Year

Seb Hines (ORL)

2024 NWSL Rookie of the Year

Croix Bethune (WAS)

2024 NWSL Best XI

First Team

Goalkeeper: Ann-Katrin Berger (GFC)

Defenders: Emily Sams (ORL), Casey Krueger (WAS), Kaleigh Kurtz (NC), Jenna Nighswonger (GFC)

Midfielders and Forwards: Temwa Chawinga (KC), Barbra Banda (ORL), Marta (ORL), Croix Bethune (WAS), Trinity Rodman (WAS), Sophia Smith (POR)

Second Team

Goalkeeper: Anna Moorhouse (ORL)

Defenders: Naomi Girma (SD), Tara McKeown (WAS), Kerry Abello (ORL), Ryan Williams (NC)

Midfielders and Forwards: Vanessa DiBernardo (KC), Lo’eau LaBonta (KC), Hal Hershfelt (WAS), Esther (GFC), Rose Lavelle (GFC), Yazmeen Ryan (GFC)

Monthly Award Winners (Best XI, Rookie of the Month, Player of the Month)

Awards History

NWSL MVP

NWSL Goalkeeper of the Year

NWSL Defender of the Year

NWSL Rookie of the Year

NWSL Best XI History

The 2023 NWSL season had 23 SEI’s. The 2024 NWSL season hit that number by the end of August, and with the NWSL Championship this weekend there are currently 32 players with SEI’s on rosters. Here Spotrac takes a look into when the SEI’s occurred and whose rosters were impacted.

February marked the return of players into market and unfortunately those six weeks saw five players join the SEI list before their season even started (Jun Endo—Angel City, Melissa Lowder—Bay FC, Simone Charley—Orlando Pride, Megan Montefusco—Orlando Pride, Gabby Provenzano—Portland Thorns). The first two weekends of the regular season Gotham FC forward Midge Purce and Utah Royals defender Imani Dorsey joined the group of 2024 SEIs. 

A graphical representation of when players were added to the SEI list throughout the 2024 NWSL season

By the end of April—which did include a short FIFA break—the total number of SEI’s was up to 13 including Bay FC’s Alex Loera, Chicago’s Ava Cook, Louisville’s Elli Pikkujamsa, Orlando’s Luana, and Washington’s Anna Heilferty. The May and June months thankfully had a slowdown with only Kansas City’s Gabby Robinson and Gotham’s Sinead Farrelly joining the SEI club. 

July had the internationals exit for the Olympics and the NWSL Summer Cup which saw four more additions to the SEI list, Chicago lost Sam Staab, Kansas City—Alex Pfieffer, Louisville—Kristen Wright, and Seattle—Ryanne Brown. August trended the same with an additional four players, Lyza Bosselmann from Washington, Ali Riley from Angel City, Lauren Flynn from Utah, and Grace Chanda from Orlando unfortunately before she was able to make her Pride debut. 

September’s SEIs included Washington’s Croix Bethune, Gotham’s Kelley O’Hara, and Houston’s Havana Solaun. As the season reaches closer to its ending, the bar for an SEI lowers as there is less time until the season concludes, so it is normal for the SEI’s per month to stay elevated. October was another four SEI month with Washington’s Andi Sullivan, Utah’s Cloe Lacasse, Portland’s Olivia Wade-Katoa, and Houston’s Diana Ordonez joining the club. Following the regular season conclusion, Kansas City’s Bia Zaneratto and Orlando’s Rafaelle Souza were the final members joining 2024’s 32 person SEI class. 

Of the 14 NWSL teams, only San Diego and North Carolina were able to make it through the entire season without a single SEI (although the Courage did have Sydney Collins on the D45 list from before opening day until the NWSL Quarterfinal that closed out their season). 

In 2023 there were 22 regular season games and minimally six Challenge Cup matches for teams, where the Challenge Cup matches were mainly played as midweek games throughout the regular season. 2024 saw 26 regular season matches, with only two midweek games per team and the NWSL Summer Cup did not overlap at all with the regular season but was used to keep games going while players were called away for the Olympics. 

While recovery time between matches was prioritized in the regular season scheduling this year, overall the 2024 regular season started one week earlier than 2023 and there was also the first inaugural Concacaf W Gold Cup which ran from February 20th until March 10th, giving some national team players less than a week before their NWSL seasons started. Compared to 2023 where the NWSL regular season slightly overlapped with the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, this year there were 13 days between the Olympic soccer final and NWSL regular season games being played. That being said, the 2024 regular season still did end two weeks later than it did in 2023. 

There are a lot of factors which one could blame for the increase of injuries, from field conditions, to number of games, length of the season, etc. but as the league expands in teams and games, there needs to be increased prioritization in player’s safety and health because a 40% increase of season-ending injuries year–over–year is not sustainable for the athletes, teams, or the league. 

The first round of voting for NWSL End-of-Season Awards has officially opened. As a reminder, the individual awards up for grab are Golden Boot, Most Valuable Player, Rookie of the Year, Midfielder of the Year, Defender of the Year, Goalkeeper of the Year, Coach of the Year, and a spot on the Best XI for 2024. Each of these comes along with a $5,000 bonus as per the current collective bargaining agreement (CBA). 

Under the new CBA, which hasn’t been fully released yet, all end-of-season competition bonuses will double their current rate ($5k) in 2027 up to $10k for Best XI, Rookie of the Year, Midfielder of the Year, Defender of the Year, Goalkeeper of the Year and the NWSL’s Golden Boot. Also doubling is the fiscal awards to the NWSL Shield and Championship Winners. The NWSL MVP award will be quadrupling up to $20k. 

The initial round is used to create a final list of nominees for the final round of voting. The breakdown for the first round is Players (50%), Boards/GM's/Head Coaches (25%), Media (25%), while the final round of voting uses a weighted scale of players (40%), Boards/GMs/Coaches (25%), Media (25%) and Fans (10%). In 2023, the MVP and Defender of the Year awards had five players on their shortlist while all of the other awards had three nominees for voting. 

For reference, here are the monthly Best XI, Player of the Month, and Rookie of the Month winners from March until September. Voting for October’s awards concluded on Monday and should be announced soon:

Golden Boot Winner: Temwa Chawinga

The Golden Boot is the only individual award which requires no voting. It is earned by the NWSL’s highest goalscorer. Temwa Chawinga not only led the league with 20 goals scored, she also set an NWSL Regular Season record, surpassing Sam Kerr’s previous record of 18 goals set in 2019. Fun fact: Chawinga scored as many goals as Houston did as a team. All the while Chawinga also became the first player to score against every active team in a single season. 

NWSL Regular Season Top Goalscorers List

Most Valuable Player: Temwa Chawinga

Sam Kerr’s record breaking 2019 season was the last time where the NWSL MVP and Golden Boot winner were the same person, that being said, of the ten regular seasons that the NWSL has had, only four have not had the golden boot winner not taking home the MVP trophy. [See Golden Boot section for more info on said incredible season]

Remaining Contract: 1 year thru 2025

Honorable Mentions: Barbra Banda, Trinity Rodman

NWSL MVP History List

Midfielder of the Year: Lo’eau LaBonta

LaBonta, a ten-year veteran of the league, was a four–time Best XI of the Month this season. She scored six regular season goals and one assist, with 8 goal scoring actions and 52 shot creating actions. In the NWSL Summer Cup she had an additional two goals and two assists. She also had 35 interceptions as well as 159 possessions won and an impressive 80% tackle success rate. 

Remaining Contract: 1 year thru 2025

Honorable Mentions: Croix Bethune, Taylor Flint

Defender of the Year: Kaleigh Kurtz

One Ironwoman season—playing every single regular season minute—is impressive. Kurtz earning three, back to back to back, is honestly just a ridiculous amount of performing at a high level and there’s also the fitness (midweek games are so much fun) and lack of injury part. Throughout the season Kurtz averaged an 87% passing accuracy and led the league in pass attempts with 2065. On the Courage backline she had 121 clearances, 21 interceptions, and 115 possessions won. Extra bonus: She had a game-winning goal against Utah in May. 

Remaining Contract: 1 year thru 2025

Honorable Mention: Abby Dahlkemper

NWSL Defender of the Year History List

Goalkeeper of the Year: Anna Moorhouse

Moorhouse started all 26 matches for Orlando only conceding 20 goals across those matches while having an expected xG over 30. She led the league in save percentage (81%) and clean sheets (13) in goalkeepers with at least 10 starts. She also had the second most saves on the season with 87 and goals conceded (Ann-Katrin Berger conceded only 16 goals but also started in four less matches). 

Remaining Contract: 1 year thru 2025

Honorable Mention: Ann-Katrin Berger, Mandy Haught

NWSL Goalkeeper of the Year History List

Rookie of the Year: Croix Bethune 

Bethune was selected third overall in the 2024 Collegiate Draft by the Washington Spirit, and her impact on the pitch for the Spirit was felt immediately. She earned three straight Rookie of the Month awards for her performances on the pitch, which included assisting three goals in the May matchup against Chicago and then later in the month breaking the rookie assist record. After coming back from the Olympic break, Bethune earned her tenth assist, tying the league record for assists in a season set by Tobin Heath back in 2016—she also had scored five goals for the Spirit by this point. In an unfortunate turn, just a few days later she tore her meniscus and joined the league’s Season Ending Injury list. Regardless of her shortened season, Bethune’s impact was Rookie of the Year worthy. 

Remaining Contract: 2 years thru 2026, plus 2027 Club Option

Honorable mentions: Claire Hutton, Hal Hershfelt

NWSL Rookie of the Year History List

Coach of the Year: Seb Hines

Hines became the interim head coach of the pride midway through the 2022 season, and upon the season sending signed a multi-year deal keeping him with the Pride without the ‘interim’ title ahead of his Head Coach title. 2023 the Pride narrowly missed the cutoff line for the six-team playoffs, tying on points with the fifth and sixth placed teams but a two goal differential making the difference. After starting the 2024 season off with three draws, the Pride went on an eight match winning streak, and ended up keeping their undefeated run until Matchday 24 of 26. After hopping into the top three in the table after matchday 7, Orlando proceeded to stay in the top two of the table for the remainder of the year. The Pride clinched their first ever NWSL Shield after a win on Matchday 23 against the Washington Spirit. His impressive performance earned Hines a multi-year contract extension keeping him in Orlando through the 2026 NWSL season, with an option for 2027.

NWSL Table throughout the season: agale137 (x/Twitter)

RELATED:

NWSL MVP List

September 1st, the 2025 Free Agency period opened up with chaos as the new collective bargaining agreement (CBA) between the NWSL and the NWSL Players Association (NWSLPA) significantly changed the offseason framework—neither the updated competition calendar for the rest of 2024 with window openings/closing nor the new CBA in full have been released. 

Years of service no longer matter when it comes to free agency and with that, there is no more unrestricted free agents versus restricted free agents. If a player’s contract expired in 2024, they were on the 2025 free agency list. With the new CBA, the deadline for clubs to exercise their part in options was pulled in from mid-October to the end of August, and when players could begin talks, negotiations, and even signing with other teams was also pulled in to September. 

Now the NWSL is in Week 9 of 2025 Free Agency being open, and unsurprisingly with the regular season not yet completed, of the 25 signings there has yet to be a player who signed for a new club.

2025 FA Tracker: view here

Of the 25 players now re-signed with their current clubs, contract length has been fairly varied, with a two year contract through 2026 being the most common:

Positionally, the spread of signings is pretty evenly spread across the 25 players, with eight forwards, five midfielders, six defenders, and six goalkeepers.

Where the 25 re-signed 2025 Free Agents have signed 

If you are worried your team might not be very active in the space, it’s also important to keep in mind teams’ 2025 roster status, read more here. 

Alongside the players signed, several players whose 2025 options were exercised ahead of the deadline in order to avoid them entering fray were announced. Additionally, four players have announced their retirement from professional soccer including Alex Morgan, Christine Sinclair, Desiree Scott, and Merritt Mathias.

Starting at the beginning of the 2024 regular season but ahead of the Free Agency deadline, 15 players who were slated to become Free Agents were signed to extensions in order for teams to avoid any potential bidding wars that come with Free Agency. Nine teams were involved in extending contracts of these players with Seattle and Bay leading the charge with three signings, while Houston and Orlando had two, and Portland, North Carolina, Kansas City, Chicago, and Louisville had one. 

As is visible from the chart below, the biggest part of extensions fall in the three year contract bucket:

The original published schedule footprint—which was removed following the announcement of the new CBA—included a December 10th entry for the end of season roster decisions. With 112 players remaining on the 2025 Free Agency list, it’s likely that following whenever that deadline ends up being, at that point there will start to be an uptick in free agents potentially choosing to sign with new teams.

To look back at how 2024 Free Agency went, read more here.

If every team has the maximum active roster spots in use, there would be 364 active players in the NWSL. Looking at the roster and contract situation for 2025, there are currently 236 players signed for 2025 including 21 of the 2025 Free Agents. Additionally, there are four players who haven’t had extensions/options exercised announced but don’t appear on the 2025 Free Agency list as well as 104 unsigned free agents (not including players who have announced their retirements). 

Current 2025 NWSL states. *Indicates the number counts a player loaned out until June 2025

The North Carolina Courage lead the way with 27 players signed at least through the 2027 season, with current NWSL roster rules limiting teams to 26 active players this does mean that one player will need to be released or loaned out in order to meet compliance requirements unless the league expands roster rules moving forward. The Orlando Pride and Racing Louisville are the other two teams who have enough players for 2025 to potentially already be in roster compliance. 

The San Diego Wave have had quite the tumultuous season and right now have the greatest potential to see a high roster turnover ahead of the 2025 season. Six teams currently have less than the required 18 person minimum gameday roster signed for 2025: Kansas City, Angel City, Chicago, Houston, and Portland. 

Looking at the 2025 signings following the midway point in the season, it is clear to see how active some teams were in the secondary window versus in the new free agency period

2025 Roster spots occupied at different times in the year

Houston and Kansas City have been the most active since the new CBA changed free agency, while Houston and Seattle saw their biggest uptick in the Olympic break and through the Secondary Window closure.

Today the Levine Leichtman Family Office completed the acquisition of the San Diego Wave from its original owner Ron Burkle. As originally reported in March, the family bought their first 35% stake in the spring, and the remaining 65% of the deal closed today with the approval of the NWSL Board of Governors. 

The Wave were recently valued at $132 million in a report by Sportico. The sale carried a weighted average of $113 million, with the second portion at $120 million. The Wave joined the league in 2022 under the ownership of Ron Burkle, on just a $2 million expansion fee. 

“We are incredibly proud to take ownership of the San Diego Wave FC,” said Lauren Leichtman said in a team release. “This team has made a significant impact on women's soccer and has become an integral part of the San Diego community.”

Leichtman also spoke of the importance of creating an unparalleled experience for fans, players, and staff,” [o]ur commitment to the club will extend beyond the field as we pursue the construction of a new state-of-the-art training facility while also supporting local youth development and community programs.”

Lauren Leichtman will serve as the team’s representative on the NWSL Board of Governors, and Zachary Leichtman-Levin will be the alternate. 

Additionally, the Levine Leichtman Family Office added additional partners to the ownership group, “these new partners, many of whom are established business and philanthropic leaders in San Diego, bring a wealth of experience, passion, and diverse perspectives that will only strengthen the club and enhance our ability to achieve even greater success. Together, we are committed to not only winning on the field but also fostering meaningful connections within the San Diego community.”

. 
Courtesy of San Diego Wave FC

RELATED:

NWSL Ownership Timeline

Back in April Spotrac highlighted both unrestricted and restricted free agents who were candidates for extensions and re-signing with their current clubs through the regular season. Here’s where things have settled with just three matches left in the regular season. 

Of the nine unrestricted free agents, there was one retirement (Alex Morgan), four extensions (Janine Beckie, Abby Dahlkemper, Denise O’Sullivan, Morgan Weaver), two were re-signed following the opening of free agency in September (Debinha, Alyssa Naeher), and two are currently 2025 free agents (Marta, Christen Press).

For the six restricted free agents, due to the new CBA that was agreed upon, restricted free agency is no longer a thing and they are all considered unrestricted free agents. Ahead of the 2025 Free Agency opening, two re-signed with their current clubs (Alana Cook and Jordyn Huitema), one re-signed following the Free Agency opening (Michelle Alozie), and three remain free agents (Elyse Bennett, Kerolin, Delanie Sheehan).

9 Unrestricted Free Agents to Watch

1. Janine Beckie (Portland Thorns → Racing Louisville)

Original Contract: Through 2024
Current Status: Through 2026

August 21st, Beckie was traded from Portland to Louisville, and upon signing immediately signed a two year extension keeping her in Louisville through 2026. 

2. Abby Dahlkemper (San Diego Wave → Bay FC)

Original Contract: Through 2024
Current Status: Through 2026 with a 2027 Mutual Option

August 26th, Dahlkemper was traded from San Diego to Bay FC, and upon signing immediately signed a two year extension with a third year option to keep her in the Bay. 

3. Debinha (Kansas City Current)

Original Contract: Through 2024 with a 2025 Mutual Option
Current Status: Though 2026 with a 2027 Mutual Option

Following the opening of 2025 Free Agency on September 1st, on September 6th Debinha agreed to a new contract through the 2026 season with a mutual option for 2027. 

4. Marta (Orlando Pride)

Original Contract: Through 2024
Current Status: 2025 Free Agent

Marta has continued her illustrious career through 2024 with an impressive eight goals and one assist thus far in the regular season, on top of earning a place in the NWSL’s Best XI for the month of September, and last weekend clinching the NWSL Shield for Orlando with her well placed penalty kick. 

5. Alex Morgan (San Diego Wave)

Original Contract: Through 2024 with a 2025 Club Option
Current Status: Retired + Maternity Leave

September 5th, Alex Morgan announced her retirement from professional soccer, that her final professional match would be September 8th, and that she was pregnant with her second child. 

6. Alyssa Naeher (Chicago Red Stars)

Original Contract: Through 2024
Current Status: Through 2025

Following the opening of 2025 Free Agency on September 1st, on September 25th Naeher signed a one year contract with the Red Stars through 2025. 

7. Denise O’Sullivan (North Carolina Courage)

Original Contract: Through 2024
Current Status: Through 2026

July 29th, O’Sullivan agreed to terms on a two-year contract extraction through the 2026 season. 

8. Christen Press (Angel City FC)

Original Contract: Through 2024
Current Status: 2025 Free Agent

July 31st, 781 days after tearing her ACL in June 2022, Press was removed from the SEI list and returned to the active roster. She made her playing debut in the Summer Cup, coming in as a substitute late in a match and then nailing her penalty kick after the final whistle. She’s played in six matches for Angel City, tallying up 84 minutes but still looking for her first goal in the run-of-play. 

9. Morgan Weaver (Portland Thorns)

Original Contract: Through 2024 with a 2025 Club Option
Current Status: Through 2028

September 12th, Weaver agreed to a five-year extension keeping the forward in the Rose City through the 2028 season 

6 Restricted Free Agents to Watch

1. Michelle Alozie (Houston Dash)

Original Contract: Through 2024
Current Status: Through 2026

September 9th, Alozie agreed to a new two-year contract that will commence on January 1st, 2025, keeping the forward in Houston through the 2026 season. 

2. Elyse Bennett (San Diego Wave)

Original Contract: Through 2024 with a 2025 Club Option
Current Status: 2025 Free Agent

San Diego has struggled with their identity throughout this season, now on their third coach of the season. Bennett has played in 13 matches for the Wave, earning one assist, and her 2025 option was not exercised prior to 2025 Free Agency opening up. 

3. Alana Cook (Seattle Reign → Kansas City Current)

Original Contract: Through 2024
Current Status: Through 2027

July 22nd, Cook was traded to Kansas City from Seattle, on August 29th she agreed to a three-year contract with the Current to keep her in Kansas City through 2027

4. Jordyn Huitema (Seattle Reign)

Original Contract: Through 2024
Current Status: Through 2026 with a 2027 Mutual Option

September 5th, Huitema signed a two-year extension to keep her in Seattle through 2026 with the mutual option for 2027. 

5. Kerolin (North Carolina Courage)

Original Contract: Through 2024
Current Status: 2025 Free Agent

Although Kerolin played for Brazil in the 2024 Paris Olympics, she didn’t make her post-ACL tear NWSL debut until September 21st. She’s had three games played, spanning 128 minutes, and has scored a goal for the Courage. 

6. Delanie Sheehan (NJNY Gotham)

Original Contract: Through 2024 with a 2025 Club Option
Current Status: 2025 Free Agent

Sheehan has played in all 23 of Gotham’s regular season matches thus far this season, with 1870 minutes, two goals, and a 78% passing accuracy. Recently, Gotham-expert Jenna Tonelli wrote an article titled, “Why Delanie Sheehan might just be Gotham FC’s Most Valuable Player” talking about how the midfielder is the driving force behind Gotham’s success last year and continued success this year

The NWSL currently sits at 14 active teams. Boston has secured its place as the 15th team—expected to begin playing in 2026—and NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman is expected to announce the 16th team soon based on a previous statement that it would be awarded at "the beginning of Q4".

Previous Expansions - A tumultuous past

When the NWSL had its inaugural season in 2013, it comprised of eight teams: Chicago, Portland, Seattle, Washington, Boston, Washington, FC Kansas City, and Western New York Flash.

Houston joined the league in year two, and then Orlando was added in 2016 to even up the numbers to ten. In 2017, the Western New York Flash moved to North Carolina. Before the 2018 season was able to kick off, both FC Kansas City and Boston were no longer operating. Utah joined the league in 2018, absorbing all of the FC Kansas City player contracts, draft picks, and player related rights. The Boston players were then placed in a Dispersal Draft to be picked by the remaining nine teams and said players would not count against the teams’ salary cap. 

In December of 2020—just under two years after joining the league—the Utah Royals were disbanded and sold back to Kansas City, along with the player contracts. Under the agreement, Utah left the door open for the franchise to re-enter the league after 2023 at a lower expansion fee. Also entering the NWSL for the 2021 season was Racing Louisville—entering on a reported $1-2 million expansion fee—getting the league back up to ten teams. 

2022 saw the first dual expansion year, with Angel City and San Diego making their entry into the league for a reported $2 million expansion fee. Just two years later, the league would make another dual expansion, with the Utah Royals making their re-entry into the league on a reported $2-5 million fee, and Bay FC — the San Francisco Bay Area based team — paying a $53 million fee, over 25x what was paid just two years prior. 

In September of 2023, the NWSL announced that Boston had won the bid to be the 15th team in the league come 2026, at the expansion fee of $53 million. 

Where is the league going with expansion?

In late 2022, NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman said, “we are gonna be very intentional about expansion and someone actually asked me the question yesterday about whether we intend to add more teams after these two for 2024. We haven't yet made a decision about that.”

In contrast, last week Berman said in a press conference, “beyond team 16, we’re still determining the pace of how quickly we want to expand. We think that we can be as big as any of the men’s leagues in this country, 30+ teams, how and when we get there are still open questions that we are analyzing.”

Previous years with expansion drafts have caused lots of thrash and chaos for existing teams as the main part of team building for the new teams was the expansion draft—where teams had to protect a subset of the team and the expansion teams would then get to pick players from the unprotected pool of players. With the new CBA, the expansion draft has been eliminated. 

One other thing to note is that the new CBA also has been retooled to potentially align with the traditional European system, running from September to June. This could also have a high impact on expansion as playing soccer in January in places like Boston or Chicago where winter gets to sub-zero temperatures would likely require teams to make additional investments for heated pitches and switches to artificial turf which comes with its own risks for player safety. 

Team 16

In June there was a deadline for groups to submit their preliminary bids to the league for consideration. Some of the groups have confirmed publicly that they submitted a bit, including Cleveland and Minneapolis/St. Paul. Cleveland Soccer Group has since purchased 13.6 acres of land to build a stadium which could hold 12,500 fans with the ability to expand to 20,000 in the future. Unfortunately, Minneapolis/St. Paul, who hosts a very successful community-owned USL W League did announce that they had withdrawn their bid back in August. 

Some of the other rumored groups include bringing a NWSL team to Denver, Atlanta, Cincinnati, Nashville, and Miami. During the last expansion process, Berman did announce the final three finalists ahead of the decision being announced, but it’s up in the air how Team 16’s announcement will come out. The other thing that’s yet to be announced is whether Team 16 will be joining the league under the previous $53 million expansion fee or whether the league will increase it considering the increased valuations being seen via Sportico or the numerous sales which have occurred in the last year. 

RELATED

NWSL Ownership

With an expansion draft and collegiate draft this past offseason, the oh-so-coveted international spots played a big part, participating in four trades in December and January. As a reminder, any player who is not a domestic player, counts as an international player—meaning any player not holding U.S. citizenship or green card. Any international player will occupy an international spot with the exception of the eight grandfathered in Canadian Allocated players.

One of the then five maximum spots started in Utah and was then included in trades to Orlando, to Kansas City, and then to Houston where it remains unused this season. Utah was able to quickly get back to the then limit of five via a trade with Angel City for expansion draft protection. Most recently during the 2024 Secondary Trade Window, Gotham was able to get $100,000 for sending a 2024 and 2025 international spot to Utah. 

On March 14th, the NWSL announced that they were increasing the number of baseline international spots that teams have from five to seven. Spotrac spoke to a number of club leaders—from general managers and a coach—about how the change impacts their take on roster building and its impact on the overall competitiveness of the NWSL. 

Washington Spirit President of Soccer Operations and General Manager Mark Krikorian

“The increase of the number of international roster slots to seven will only improve the NWSL’s player pool, making this league even more competitive on a global scale. The expansion provides opportunities for clubs to bring in players with experience in a variety of play styles and for the league to continue its growth internationally.” 

Following a 2023 season which saw them finish the regular season in eighth, one point and a four goal differential off from the playoff line, the Spirit currently sit second in the NWSL table. Of their six international spots currently on the roster, three were added to their roster this year, including Colombian midfielder Leicy Santos, English defender Esme Morgan, and Ivorian forward Rosemonde Kouassi.

Orlando Pride Vice President of Soccer Operations and General Manager Haley Carter

“We all want the NWSL to be a world-leading league and a destination for the best athletes.” Increasing the number of international roster spots available creates additional opportunities for players from overseas to compete and entertain. International players can make an immediate and game changing impact to a roster and offer our domestic players, especially members of the U.S. Women’s National Team, the chance to test themselves against some of the best players in the world week in and week out.” 

“Competition among clubs to sign and recruit players is always high - both domestically and internationally - but it’s important we all do our part in making the NWSL a stronger league and a competitive environment for U.S. players to develop in and increasing the number of international spots available is aligned with that vision.”

Orlando missed the 2023 NWSL playoffs even narrower than the Spirit, having the same 31 points as fifth place Angel City and sixth place Gotham, but missing the postseason on goal differential alone. Ahead of the March 14th announcement, Orlando was right at the five international spot limit, after adding Zambian forward Barba Banda and Brazilian  midfielder Luana in the offseason. During the season they added Zambian midfielder Grace Chanda, unfortunately, Chanda was injured at the Olympics and placed on the SEI list before making her Pride debut. That being said, Orlando’s impressive depth has allowed them to go on a quite impressive run this season, as they currently sit atop the NWSL table, and after matchday 21 the team has still not lost a game.  

Kansas City Current Interim General Manager Caitlin Carducci

“The added spots have allowed us to pull in talent from known hotbeds like Brazil and Europe but also have the luxury of finding a Temwa from Malawi. The two extra spots give us the luxury of seeking out talent from lesser known areas and not just focusing on the big names.”

After finishing the 2023 season in eleventh of twelve teams, Kansas City went into 2024 under the direction of recently hired head coach Vlatko Andonovski. In the offseason, they acquired Malawi forward Temwa Chawinga—who currently is leading the league’s Golden Boot race with 16 goals, while the closest competitor, Barbra Banda, has 13, as well as Brazilian forward Bia Zaneratto. Although three internationals would depart the team by the time the secondary window closed, the team also added South African forward Hildah Magaia and now-starting German goalkeeper Almuth Schult. At the moment, Kansas City sits in fourth in the NWSL table and last weekend clinched their spot in the playoffs with an impressive win over the Spirit.  

Seattle Reign General Manager Lesle Gallimore

“Expanding international roster spots in the NWSL allows the league to attract top global talent, enhancing the overall quality and competitiveness. As the women’s game grows worldwide, a broader talent pool is crucial to maintaining the NWSL’s reputation as a leading league. Throughout Seattle Reign’s history, international stars like Kim Little, Jess Fishlock and Nahomi Kawasumi have become cornerstones of our success.” 

“By integrating diverse playing styles, we not only strengthen our team but also provide invaluable learning opportunities for domestic players. This shift helps the NWSL evolve into a truly global platform, expanding its fanbase while showcasing top-tier competition. With 2024 already highlighting the impact of international players, we are excited to see how this move continues to shape the future of the league.”

After getting to the 2023 NWSL Championship match, but falling to Gotham FC, the Reign added three international players to the roster ahead of the season, Welsh midfielder Angharad James, South Korean midfielder Ji So-Yun, and Welsh defender Lily Woodham. The team definitely struggled in the first half of the season, but in the Secondary Window added Swiss forward Ana-Maria Crnogorčević and Haitian forward Nérilia Mondésir. Since the NWSL restarted post-Olympics the Reign won their first three games, and has lifted themselves up from thirteenth to eleventh in the table. 

North Carolina Courage Head Coach Sean Nahas

Sean Nahas spoke about how after the seven international spots, there are still 19 other roster spots and the importance of making sure to build a foundation which supports the Courage’s style of play. “For us, it’s easy to go find the players we want because we know our style of play,” stated Nahas. “When you start to have these expansions and you start to do these things, having that in place is really important otherwise you are just making decisions to make decisions and they don’t always work out. You have to be strategic with it. It’ll definitely have a positive impact but again you have to want to lure those players over just like they’re probably trying to lure players from our league over.”

The Courage finished 2023 after losing in the NWSL quarterfinals, and currently sit in fifth place, seven points above the playoff line and the team has yet to lose a game at home. In the offseason, internationally the Courage added German defender Feli Rauch, and in the secondary window there were the additions of Brazilian forward Aline Gomes as well as Australian forward Cortnee Vine and defender Charlotte McLean. At the moment, the Courage have six players occupying international spots. 

Verdict

Increasing the international roster spots up to seven makes the NWSL more competitive. It will be interesting to see how utilization of those spots increases even further once teams have the entire offseason to work with when working on acquisitions toward 2025. 

The NWSL currently only has five end of season individual awards that a player can win: Most Valuable Player, Defender of the Year, Rookie of the Year, Goalkeeper of the Year, and non-voting based Golden Boot. Under the old CBA, each of these awards were treated differently, coming with a $5,000 bonus to the player. With the new CBA most of these awards will double to $10,000 — plus the addition of Midfielder of the Year — while the MVP bonus increases to $20,000. 

There has been an increase in young players joining the league, but it puts players at a disadvantage to win rookie of the year when they are competing against 22 year old players who have just finished their four years of collegiate play. The MLS has a Best Young Player award for players under the age of 22, here’s my list on who would be up for the award in the 2024 regular season if it existed. 

1. Claire Hutton, 18, KC Current 

Contract Remaining: 2 years thru 2026
Position: Midfielder
Minutes Played: 1406
Games Started/Played: 16/17

Signed with Kansas City as a U18 Entry player in the 2023-24 offseason. Has played in 78% of the Current’s regular season minutes. She has one regular season assist and one Summer Cup goal to her name. Boasts an impressive 76% passing accuracy for 2024, alongside a 74% tackle success rate, and 30 interceptions. She’s one of the eight NWSL players who are missing a chunk of regular season games to join the USA’s U-20 team at the FIFA U-20 WWC. 

2. Ally Sentnor, 20, Utah Royals

Contract Remaining: 2 years thru 2026
Position: Forward
Minutes Played: 1508
Games Started/Played: 17/17

Acquired by the Royals as the first overall draft pick of the 2024 Collegiate Draft. Sentnor has played full 90’s in all but one of her regular season matches, only missed matches are due to representing the USA’s U-20 team at the U-20 FIFA Women’s World Cup. Has three goals and three assists in the regular season with an additional two goals and an assist in the Summer Cup.Sentnor truly had been carrying the Utah attack ahead of the summer window, with the recent new additions, it’ll be interesting to see how defenses adjust to having more threats up top to cover. 

3. Tarciane, 21, Houston Dash

Contract Remaining: 2 years thru 2026, plus 2027 Mutual Option
Position: Defender
Minutes Played: 718
Games Started/Played: 8/8

Acquired by the Houston Dash late April via a transfer from Corinthians, made her NWSL debut late May. Tarciane is one of 30 women’s soccer players across the globe nominated for a Ballon D’or. Has a 77% passing accuracy, 76% tackle success rate, and 11 interceptions across her eight matches. 

4. Alyssa Thompson, 19, Angel City

Contract Remaining: 1 year thru 2025
Position: Forward
Minutes Played: 1685
Games Started/Played: 19/20

After being the first overall draft pick in 2023, in her second year in the NWSL Thompson has played in 93% of Angel City’s regular season matches. She’s had five assists over the course of the season and has scored four goals over the last four games after not scoring in the first 16 matches of the regular season. During the Summer Cup she notched an additional three goals. 

5. Savy King, 19, Bay FC

Contract Remaining: 2 years thru 2026
Position: Defender
Minutes Played: 1051
Games Started/Played: 12/16

King joined Bay’s inaugural season as the second overall pick from the 2024 NWSL Collegiate Draft. King had played in all but one of Bay’s regular season matches before joining the USA’s contingency at the U-20 FIFA WWC. Thus far this season she has a 59% tackle rate, one assist, 12 blocks, 22 interceptions, and a 73% passing rate. She’s one of the eight NWSL players who are missing a chunk of regular season games to join the USA’s U-20 team at the FIFA U-20 WWC. 

6. Olivia Moultrie, 19, Portland Thorns

Contract Remaining: 2 years thru 2026
Position: Midfielder
Minutes Played: 1103
Games Started/Played: 13/16

In her fourth season in the NWSL, Moultrie has already surpassed her regular season minutes from 2023, notching three goals and one assist. She had an additional goal in the Summer Cup. Moultrie has also seen her number of crosses and corner kicks almost triple year-over-year. 

7. Kennedy Fuller, 17, Angel City FC

Contract Remaining: 2 years thru 2026, plus 2027 Club Option
Position: Midfielder
Minutes Played: 862
Games Started/Played: 9/16

In March, Fuller joined Angel City via the U18 Entry Mechanism. She scored a goal against Racing Louisville, in their 3–2 win back in June. Across the regular season, defensively she’s had a  55% tackle success, 10 clearances, and 9 blocks. 

8. Manaka Matsukubo, 20, NC Courage

Contract Remaining: 1 year thru 2025
Position: Midfielder
Minutes Played: 759
Games Started/Played: 8/13

Joined the Courage last summer on loan from Mynavi Sendai of the Japanese WE league, transfer became permanent in June. Thus far this season, the midfielder has scored one goal, and has an assist for the Courage. Across 13 matches she’s had an 81% passing accuracy and 82% tackle success. Most recently Matsukubo is with the Japanese team  at the FIFA U-20 WWC, and will face off against North Korea in the Gold Medal Match. Matsukubo scored a brace in Japan’s 2–0 win in the semifinal.

9. Jaedyn Shaw, 19, San Diego Wave

Contract Remaining: 1 year thru 2025, plus 2026 Club Option
Position: Forward
Minutes Played: 963
Games Started/Played: 11/16

After joining the Wave in summer of 2022 through Discovery (no U18 Entry existed yet) the teenager has battled injury issues before and after the 2024 Paris Olympics. The forward has scored three goals and tallied one assist this regular season, in the process broke the NWSL record for most goals scored as a teenager—previously owned by Trinity Rodman. 

10. Emeri Adames, 18, Seattle Reign

Contract Remaining: 3 years thru 2027
Position: Forward
Minutes Played: 291
Games Started/Played: 3/16

Joined the Reign in March via the U18 Entry Mechanism. Thus far this season the forward has scored one regular season goal and an additional Summer Cup goal. Adames has been utilized a lot as a second half sub bringing a boost of energy to the Reign attack. Thus far this season she has had a 67% tackle success rate and a 62.5% aerial duel success rate. She’s one of the eight NWSL players who are missing a chunk of regular season games to join the USA’s U-20 team at the FIFA U-20 WWC. 

11. Gisele Thompson, 18, Angel City

Contract Remaining: 1 year thru 2025, plus 2026
Position: Defender
Minutes Played: 617
Games Started/Played: 8/11

The younger Thompson joined Angel City last winter just ahead of her 18th birthday via the U18 Entry Mechanism. With an impressive 88% passing accuracy, the defender has had a 59% tackle success rate, 14 interceptions, and 12 blocks. She’s one of the eight NWSL players who are missing a chunk of regular season games to join the USA’s U-20 team at the FIFA U-20 WWC. 

12. Michelle Cooper, 21, KC Current

Contract Remaining: 1 year thru 2025
Position: Forward
Minutes Played: 908
Games Started/Played: 9 /15

Cooper was drafted by the Current as the second overall draft pick in 2023. In her second year in the league, Cooper has scored one goal and one assist in both the regular season and the Summer Cup.  She also has a 54% tackle success rate and 15 blocks. 

13. Isabella Obaze, 21, Portland Thorns

Contract Remaining: 2 years thru 2026, plus 2027 Mutual Option
Position: Defender
Minutes Played: 568
Games Started/Played: 7/8

The Danish defender joined the Thorns from FC Rosengard back in January. Battling a knee injury in May/June, Obaze was unavailable for selection for five regular season matches over that period. In her eight matches, she had a 92% passing accuracy, 7 interceptions, and two assists. 

14. Princess Marfo, 20, Bay FC

Contract Remaining: 1 year thru 2025, plus 2026 Club Option
Position: Forward
Minutes Played: 238
Games Started/Played: 2/8

Back in January, the Ghanaian striker joined Bay FC from Danish club FC Nordsjælland on a transfer. She’s seen playing time in eight matches for the expansion side with a 78% passing accuracy, two goal creating actions, and is 6/6 tackle success.

15. Riley Jackson, 18, NC Courage

Contract Remaining: 1 year thru 2025, plus 2026 Club Option
Position: Midfielder
Minutes Played: 180
Games Started/Played: 1/14

Although she signed with the Courage in July of 2023 via the U18 Entry Mechanism, she didn’t make her professional debut until the 2024 season after sustaining an ankle injury just days after her signing was announced and spending the remainder of the season on the D45 list. The midfielder has a 82% passing accuracy and a 64% tackle success across her 14 matches. She’s one of the eight NWSL players who are missing a chunk of regular season games to join the USA’s U-20 team at the FIFA U-20 WWC. 

16. Ally Lemos, 20, Orlando Pride

Contract Remaining: 1 year thru 2025
Position: Midfielder
Minutes Played: 286
Games Started/Played: 2/11

Lemos joined the Pride this season after being drafted by the Pride as the ninth overall pick in the 2024 NWSL Collegiate Draft. Over her eleven matches she’s had a 75% passing accuracy and a 58% tackle success. She’s one of the eight NWSL players who are missing a chunk of regular season games to join the USA’s U-20 team at the FIFA U-20 WWC. 

17. Melanie Barcenas, 16, San Diego Wave

Contract Remaining: 1 year thru 2025
Position: Forward
Minutes Played: 279
Games Started/Played: 3/7

In March of 2023, Barcenas signed with the Wave via the U18 Entry Mechanism and at the time was the youngest-ever contracted NWSL player. In her second year in the league she’s had a 77% passing accuracy, 71% tackle success, and has already doubled her minutes from her rookie season with six games left in the regular season. 

18. Alex Pfeiffer, 16, KC Current

Contract Remaining: 2 year thru 2026
Position: Forward
Minutes Played: 131
Games Started/Played: 0/10

Last October Pfeiffer signed with the Current via the U18 Entry Mechanism. She scored one regular season goal — in her first professional match — before matchday 15 where she suffered a torn ACL and torn meniscus in the second half of the match. 

19. Kimmi Ascanio, 16, San Diego Wave

Contract Remaining: 2 year thru 2026
Position: Midfielder
Minutes Played: 145
Games Started/Played: 2/6

This past march she joined the Wave via the U18 Entry Mechanism and made her professional debut in the team’s third regular season match this year. In her six matches, she’s had an 83% passing accuracy, while earning an assist.

20. Amanda Allen, 19, Orlando Pride

Contract Remaining: 1 year thru 2025
Position: Forward
Minutes Played: 82
Games Started/Played: 0/8

The Canadian forward joined the Pride in April of 2023 via the Discovery mechanism. In her eight matches with the Pride she notched one assist and a 67% tackle success. Following joining Canada’s team at the FIFA U-20 WWC—who got knocked out in the Round of 16 against Spain—Allen was loaned to USL Super League side Lexington SC for the duration of the USL Super League season in order to get her more minutes. 

21. Chloe Ricketts, 17, Washington Spirit

Contract Remaining: 1 year thru 2025, plus 2026 Club Option
Position: Midfielder
Minutes Played: 18
Games Started/Played: 0/4 

Ricketts joined the Spirit in March of 2023 via the U18 Entry Mechanism. In her second year in the NWSL, she has actually seen reduced minutes compared to last season likely due to a lot of the additions the Spirit has brought in. In her four regular season matches, she had a 71% passing accuracy and a 67% tackle success. Although she got significant minutes in the Summer Cup, lately she has been dealing with a knee injury and has been unavailable since the regular season restarted. 

22. Aline Gomes, 19, NC Courage

Contract Remaining: 2 years thru 2026, plus 2027 Mutual Option
Position: Midfielder
Minutes Played: 27
Games Started/Played: 0/2

The Brazilian midfielder was acquired by the Courage ahead of the NWSL Secondary window opening, so she’s had a much smaller window than the other players on this list to make an impact. She’s come off the bench twice for the Courage with a 100% passing accuracy, 100% tackle success thus far.