From there, 16 teams will compete in a 248-match season, with eight teams qualifying for the playoffs. The entrance of Boston Legacy and Denver Summit takes the NWSL to 16 teams, with eight having joined since the Covid-19 pandemic. Seven of 2025’s All-American Starting XI have signed for professional NWSL teams. But there has been movement in the table from season to season, and rags to riches stories have felt possible. No discussion of NWSL star power would be complete without noting the international players who have made a home (and broken records) in the US.

Source: The Guardian March 12, 2026 12:57 UTC