The National Women’s Soccer League is an American women’s professional league currently in its fourteenth season. The league runs from March 13th to November 1st this year, followed by playoffs from November 6th to 21st. Each team plays 30 regular-season games, four more than in 2025 due to the addition of expansion teams Denver Summit and Boston Legacy. Unlike past years, the Challenge Cup between last year’s Shield and Championship winners - Gotham and Washington - will not kick off the year. That match was moved to June 26th, therefore Washington gets the season underway at Audi Field, hosting Portland under Friday Night lights. League play will pause for 1 month while the Men’s World Cup takes place in North America in compliance with CBA terms. 

Going all the way back to the beginning, the inaugural NWSL season took place in 2013. The individual team owners who had taken part in previous versions of pro leagues collaborated with three federations (USA, Canada, Mexico) to launch the league, which ultimately became one of the top three women’s leagues worldwide. Nearly a decade and a half in, it is seen as a successful and sustainable league that has demonstrated extraordinary growth, specifically in the last 3-4 years, in all areas from viewership and broadcasting to player rights and collective bargaining.

Those of you who remember what the early 2000s to 2010s were like for women’s soccer in America (two “failed” leagues, the WUSA and WPS), will appreciate how much that success means to the women’s soccer movement in North America and beyond. Recent headlines from the league are what women’s soccer dreams are made of, as standards continue to rise. The list of high-profile investors in the league keeps growing, now including Naomi Osaka, Kevin Durant, James Harden, Sue Bird, Eli Manning, Patrick Mahomes, Natalie Portman, Serena Williams, and many former USWNT stars. Recent changes, such as the High Impact Player (HIP), aka the “Trinity Rodman” rule, were introduced to help the league stay competitive amid rising salaries worldwide. Despite being criticized by the players’ union, the rule was implemented, as even with the new CBA and rapidly increasing salary cap, top-end players have been leaving the league, most notably Naomi Girma, Alyssa Thompson, and Sam Coffey.

Recent trends in the league include a move toward purpose-built stadiums and training facilities, while investment and expansion fees continue to skyrocket. Denver’s expansion fee was a whopping $110M - nearly double what Bay FC and Boston paid in 2023 - further illustrating the commercial growth of the NWSL over the past few years. Angel City has consistently had the highest valuation since joining the league and is now worth $335 million USD.

Last season, the divide between the top and bottom teams was wider than usual. Kansas City Current absolutely dominated the regular season, setting records left and right with 21 wins, 65 points, and a nine-match shutout streak on their way to the Shield. Unfortunately, they lost talismanic Temwa Chawinga late in the season, were never able to recover, and crashed out of the playoffs against the eventual champions, eighth-seeded Gotham FC. The Bats rode that Cinderella energy all the way to a 1-0 championship win over the Washington Spirit, with Rose Lavelle scoring the late winner and handing the Spirit their second consecutive Championship loss.

As for the Canadians, it was a somewhat underwhelming year in terms of individual performances. Janine Sonis was the standout, growing into a leadership role with Racing Louisville. Her three goals and five assists helped Louisville qualify for the playoffs for the first time in club history. We’re hoping for a stronger showing from the Canucks in the NWSL this season, and the exciting thing is that many of them are poised for a big year for clubs across the league.

25 Canadians are playing across 13 of 16 clubs this year. There has been a lot of player movement since the last edition of this crash course, including Huitema to Chicago, Ward to Seattle, Sheridan to NC, and 6 players to expansion teams.

The two expansion teams take the league from 14 to 16 teams. The much-anticipated opening games in Denver and Boston will both be hosted in NFL stadiums and are expected to draw record-breaking crowds. The Denver Summit has already announced that over 50,000 tickets have been sold, surpassing the previous attendance record set by Bay FC. Three Canadians could take part in that historic match, and we already know that Janine Sonis will likely wear the armband for her hometown club, at least until long-term frenemy Lindsay Heaps arrives in the summer. Sonis captained the team throughout pre-season as a right fullback, a role in which she thrived for the national team at the She Beliebs Cup. Emma Regan could be playing alongside her, the former AFC Toronto captain swapping maroon for evergreen this off-season in a move that could cement her starting spot on the national team. Megan Reid completes the Canadian trio, bringing plenty of NWSL experience with her from Angel City. 

The other expansion side, the Boston Legacy, is also home to three Canadians. Nichelle Prince, Amanda Allen, and Bianca St-Georges. Prince has the most to prove, as it feels like she is one mediocre season away from losing her place in the national team setup. A five-plus goal season would match her best, set back in 2022 with Houston. Her versatility, leadership, and NWSL experience will be crucial for a new team still awaiting its head coach, Filipa Patão, who arrives in July from Benfica.

Twenty-one-year-old Amanda Allen will don the number 7 for Boston. The highly touted winger is poised for a breakout campaign in her return to the NWSL after two years on loan. Last but not least, Bianca St-Georges is listed as a defender, meaning we'll likely see her deployed in a more defensive role — and truthfully, that's probably a better fit for her skillset. Both players have a lot to prove this year, and there's no better way to earn a national team call-up than performing consistently in the NWSL.

The same can be said for young defender Zara Chavoshi of the Orlando Pride. Orlando lost one of their star defenders to Angel City this off-season, meaning Chavosho has a real chance to play her way into the team. In her rookie campaign, the 23 year-old CB made 10 appearances, including 5 starts. She also received her first national team cap in June against Haiti, and scored her first goal a few weeks later against Costa Rica.

Another player hoping to work her way back into the national team picture is Carly Wickenheiser. After six seasons in Sweden, she returns to the States for the first time since graduating from Texas Tech. Wickenheiser is the only other natural six in the current player pool, putting her in direct competition with Emma Regan. This is a comfortable move for the 28-year old as she links up with her former Hacken coach Mak Lind, who deployed her at the base of the midfield to allow the players around her to play more freely. She’ll provide defensive stability alongside fellow Canadian Kailen Sheridan, Canada’s number one keeper. The Courage will look to their veteran goalkeeper to keep more balls out of the net after conceding 39 times in 2025 and narrowly missing the playoffs. Sheridan will be a key piece as the NC backline remains uncertain, with plenty of new faces and a new coach who will need time to implement his preferred style of play. 

Houston Dash veteran Sophie Schmidt is recovering from an ACL tear and won’t be back for some time, though she has been back on the pitch doing individual training. Fellow ACLer Amanda West, will not play for the Dash this year as she’s been sent on loan to Rosengard. Allysa Chapman finally played consistent minutes for the Dash starting last August, following an injury earlier in the year. She has been on the pitch regularly in pre-season friendlies, so expect her to play a role in the final year of her contract. Forward Clarissa Larisey wears the number 9 and enters her first full season with the Dash. She hopes to build chemistry with Yazmeen Ryan, Messiah Bright, and NCAA standout Kate Faasse on a Dash squad that scored only 27 goals last season, the third fewest among all teams. 

Sticking in the South, specifically California, two promising young defenders, Sydney Collins and Brooklyn Courtnall, are expected to be key pillars for an ambitious Bay FC side. Both played significant minutes for the CanWNT at the She Beliebs Cup, with Courtnall making her senior debut. The California-born dual nationals are modern defenders, strong on the ball, athletic, and capable of competing with anyone at the highest level. Bay FC made a couple of big moves this offseason, acquiring USWNT starlet Claire Hutton and Italian legend Cristiana Girelli. 

San Diego’s Adriana Leon hopes to play consistent minutes in an evolving team and stay in the national team picture after being snubbed last window. Statistically, she was actually one of the best Canadians in the NWSL last year, with 4 goals and 3 assists in 17 starts, and if she can replicate that she’ll continue to have a strong case. This season, she’ll compete with Brazilian trio Ludmila, Gabi Portilho, and Dudinha. Last but not least, Surrey, BC native Sydney Leroux announced her comeback for Angel City after taking a year off to deal with the health complications of anorexia nervosa, which she has spoken out about.

Julia Grosso will play her second full season with the Chicago Stars in 2026. Last year, the 25-year-old started all but one game, and her passing and dribbling were promising, but she’ll need to build out other attributes, such as defensive discipline, to truly thrive in one of the toughest leagues in the World. It’s hard to know what to expect from Chicago this season, as they’re still missing their star striker, Mal Swanson, and lost Ludmila this offseason. Still, players like Jameese Joseph, Michelle Alozie, and newly acquired Jordyn Huitema are ready to step up. Huitema moves on from Seattle Reign after 3.5 seasons with the club. Her 18 goals and assists across 70 games are solid, and she consistently performs well in ratings from platforms such as Sofascore and Fotmob due to her defensive work rate. That being said, you’d love to see her take a step up with her new club and score more than 4 goals in a season for the first time since 2022.

Speaking of last-minute blockbuster moves - Holly Ward joins the Reign, maintaining the Canadian transition in Seattle. Vancouver’s own, who took the NSL and CanWNT by storm in 2025, will get to showcase her enormous talent in the NWSL. It’s the fourth NSL to NWSL move this Winter. Likely, it was set in motion by the departure of Huitema as it opened an international roster spot.

Another couple of Canadians to keep an eye on in the Pacific Northwest are midfielders Jessie Fleming and Mimi Alidou. Captain Canada, Jessie Fleming, has big shoes to fill as she hopes to compensate for the loss of Sam Coffey this offseason. Fleming is likely to wear the armband for the Thorns as well, but it’s not yet clear which role she’ll play in the midfield alongside Olivia Moultrie. Five assists and two goals in 2025 are something to build upon, though. With a new head coach just arriving, Portland may need a few weeks or months to find its identity. A player who will benefit from that coaching change is Mimi Alidou, as she was not consistently relied upon by coach RobGale and had an underwhelming year. Canadian fans are aware that she has the talent to be a game-changer and that creative spark between the midfield and forward lines. 

Cloe Lacasse is another Canadian attacker to watch out for as she plays her first full season following an ACL tear in 2024. We saw glimpses of her ability to threaten in behind at the She Beliebs Cup, but we also saw her hesitation in front of goal. She had 1 goal and 1 assist in 700 minutes played after returning to the pitch in 2025. 2026 could be a big year for the 32-year-old, who will have to prove that she can still contribute at the highest level, as she did during her years with Benfica and Arsenal.

Last but certainly not least, Gabby Carle suits up for her fourth season with Washington. She has been a consistent contributor for the Spirit due to her versatility and strengths on and off the ball, including shot-creating actions, progressive carries, and successful tackles. This year, she’s joined by fellow Quebec City native Elisabeth Lou Tse, who moved from Le Havre this winter. The 23-year-old defender can play centrally or as a fullback and will likely be introduced to the team carefully; she’ll have to work hard for her chance to play.

Beyond the Canadians, the league has long been home to the World’s best players. From USWNT stars to several Brazilian Stars and increasingly players from England, Spain and Germany, keep an eye out for Guro Reiten, Sophia Wilson, Temwa Chawinga, Barbra Banda, Debinha, Marta, Rose Lavelle, Jess Carter, and Ann-Kathrin Berger, among many others. 

The million-dollar question! OneSoccer acquired rights to air NWSL games this season, meaning select games will be available on their streaming platform. TSN is still in the game and has at least one NWSL game listed on its schedule on opening weekend. As I understand it, these games will not be broadcast concurrently on NWSL+ but the ones not on either TSN or OneSoccer will be free to watch via the NWSL’s streaming platform.

We are once again collabing with Northern Lights to bring you an NWSL Fantasy League. Who knows, maybe this year, my strategy of going as Canadian as possible will finally work out. Get in!! Use code: ZDCERG

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