🔜 #NWSL on ESPN Sundays

Me, your resident NWSL history preservationist, trying to write about Kansas City's #NWSL Shield for the average person: Well yes it is the club's first major trophy BUT there's two-time NWSL champs FC Kansas City, Utah Royals 1.0, then KCC and NWSL SAYS they didn't "relocate" BUT... alright fine. 🤷

And that's that: The Kansas City Current win the 2025 #NWSL Shield. 2-0 over Reign. They clinched after 21 games of a 26-game season, the quickest by % played in NWSL history. They are 16 points clear of 2nd place and they've earned nine straight shutouts in the regular season. Complete dominance.

I rolled my ankle so many times playing in college and these slow replays of those ankles turning flat to the outside and into the grass make me so squeamish.

Incredibly sad news today about the death of Matt Beard. He coached in Boston in the NWSL and in the formative years of England's WSL, especially at Liverpool. My thoughts are with his family.

Royals dropping three goals on Louisville in the first half, a couple of them incredible strikes 😲 #NWSL

🤯 Audacious from Tanaka!

Orlando 0-1 North Carolina Defending #NWSL champs Pride now winless in 9 straight league games and hanging on just above the playoff line. Palpable disappointment. Shinomi scored in the 89th minute for the Courage, who are in the hunt. Pride denied an equalizer by newcomer Natalie Jacobs.

Weekend #NWSL slate on tap, and ESPN has a bunch of big Sunday games coming up — including all of Decision Day. Kudos to our marketing team for some cool HYPE boxes. Watch for the ad 👀

Manchester City is putting on a clinic against Tottenham. One-way traffic.

Also, we'll see what else happens this weekend, but Louisville vs. Angel City next Saturday sure looks like it could be an early #NWSL Decision Day game.

A 2-2 draw between the Washington Spirit + Angel City on Thursday means the Kansas City Current can clinch the 2025 #NWSL Shield with a win Saturday v Seattle. It would be the fastest Shield clinch by % played ever (21 of 26 games; Seattle 2014 + NCC 2018 both did it in 20th of 24 games).

Updates from #NWSL headquarters in NYC: Berman's contract renewal, player safety decisions, a shift in expansion processes, and waiting on the launch of a second division.

The #NWSL's proposed second division will NOT launch in 2026, commissioner Jessica Berman confirms. The focus for that league's potential launch is now 2027.

#NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman, on her four-year contract ending soon + future: “What I can say is that I intend to be here. I joined this league because I believe in the future of women’s sports and professional women’s soccer, and that’s all I can say.”

The #NWSL, in its post-draft world, will host player combines in December for the first time: one for 18-23-year-olds and one for 13-17. They will be invite-only and won't in themselves violate NCAA eligibility. www.espn.com/soccer/story...

📺 Fun segment alert: I handed Alex Morgan a tablet with some of her big career moments (hard to narrow down!) for a trip down memory lane. Clip below of her first #USWNT goal: www.espn.com/video/clip/_... Past Futbol W episodes, including this full one: www.espn.com/watch/catalo...

Different and difficult circumstances in this one but the dropped points late for Louisville this season have been way too frequent. They are just hanging on to that last playoff spot. Meanwhile, Seattle joins three other teams on 30 points, and Jess Fishlock is timeless. #NWSL

This one's for Sav 💜

Futbol W is back tonight on ESPN+ at 8:30 pm covering the #NWSL, WSL, #USWNT connections, and everything in between. Bookmark the show page here 👇 www.espn.com/watch/catalo...

"In 2025 to date, the NWSL audience across ABC, ESPN, and ESPN2 grew by 72 percent compared to 2024, the first year of agreement. (Source: Nielsen Big Data + Panel)" 👇

From the #NWSL: The Seattle-Louisville game, which was abandoned at halftime following a medical emergency involving Racing midfielder Savannah DeMelo, will resume at the start of the second half on Tuesday, at 8 pm ET at Lumen Field with the score tied at 0-0. Closed doors but will be streamed.

We’re all with you, Savannah 💜

The @nwslplayers.bsky.social Association has released a statement regarding last night's medical emergency in the match between the Seattle Reign and Racing Louisville FC. All the support for Savannah DeMelo.

Italy v #USWNT history lesson: US was #1 in world in 2010 + nearly missed the World Cup after losing a qualifying semi to Mexico. This 90+4' Alex Morgan goal in Italy in Leg 1 is one of the most important in #USWNT history. Last team to qualify for 2011 WC, which was the foundation for 2015/2019.

The #USWNT will finish the calendar year with a pair of games against 2025 EURO semifinalists Italy: Nov. 28 at Inter & Co Stadium in Orlando (Black Friday) Dec. 1 at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale These teams last played in the too-often-forgotten 2011 World Cup playoff that the U.S. won

Tonight’s match between Seattle Reign FC and Racing Louisville FC has been abandoned following a medical emergency involving Racing Louisville midfielder Savannah DeMelo. Savannah is stable and alert and getting the medical attention she needs.

Kansas City 0, Washington 0 The #NWSL's top two teams play to a scoreless draw and KC keeps a 14-point gap atop the table. Kansas City has now registered EIGHT straight shutouts. (They were without Temwa Chawing tonight...and Spirit played 20+ mins with 10 players.)

Second yellow card for Hershfelt, and the Spirit will play 20+ minutes down a player in Kansas City. They had, to this point, done well enough to contain the (Chawinga-less) Current, but that changes the context of however this ends in a potential #NWSL Championship preview.

Defending champs Orlando are now winless in eight games and only three points above 8th place after a 1-1 draw with Bay FC (which was the last team the pride beat, on June 13). #NWSL

North Carolina made that far more difficult than needed, but the 2-1 victory over Angel City puts the Courage right in the playoff hunt. Tough day for Angel City, who mathematically isn't far off the playoffs but still hasn't shown any consistency. #NWSL

Manaka Magic, dream start for Courage, awful hole to dig early on the road for Angel City. #NWSL

And Jaedyn Shaw scores in her Gotham debut — against her old team. Add it to Esther scoring her #NWSL leading 13th goal (and denied a brace by VAR and a questionable offside call). The Gotham surge is on.

New arrival Jaedyn Shaw is available off the bench tonight for Gotham FC in San Diego... against the Wave, her first team as a pro. Shaw arrived at Gotham this week in a $1.25M transfer that more than doubled the recent #NWSL record.

#NWSL TRADE: Centerback swap. NC Courage GET: Defender Natalie Jacobs Houston Dash GET: Defender Malia Berkely, $75K intraleague transfer funds

🔜 We are going LIVE tonight on ESPN+ at 8:30 pm ET with a jam-packed show. Sam Staab and Jaedyn Shaw both join the show, plus we discuss #NWSL / #USWNT transfers and I sit down with Alex Morgan for a trip down memory lane and some of her big moments. LINK: www.espn.com/watch/catalo...

Alex Morgan just talked to Ali Krieger on ESPN's Futbol W about her #NWSL championship ring from 2013, the league's first year. It was just the band! Twelve years later, Orlando has a band that slides out of another big ol' ring.

Jaedyn Shaw to Gotham for $1.25M now confirmed by both teams. #NWSL #USWNT

Congrats to Bay FC defender and 2019 World Cup champion Abby Dahlkemper, who announced that she is pregnant. www.instagram.com/p/DObd5cFj8SE/

What does Alyssa Thompson's move to Chelsea mean for her, the club, Angel City, the #NWSL, the #USWNT? @emilyskeogh.bsky.social and I look at the various angles. www.espn.com/soccer/story...

BREAKING NEWS: The North Carolina Courage have agreed to trade #USWNT playmaker Jaedyn Shaw to Gotham FC for $1.25 million, multiple sources confirm to ESPN. That doubles the intra-league #NWSL record set a month ago and ranks among some of the top global transfers to date.

Bay FC has announced that head coach Albertin Montoya will step down at the end of the 2025 #NWSL season. Kay Cossington and Sporting Director Matt Potter will lead the search for the club's next head coach. Bay FC is currently in 12th place. ➡️: equalizersoccer.com/2025/09/08/a...

There were No. 13 jerseys of all kinds throughout Snapdragon Stadium on Sunday, but the most important one wasn't being worn by anyone — and it will never be worn again at the Wave. From San Diego, for Alex Morgan's jersey retirement.

There were No. 13 jerseys of all kinds throughout Snapdragon Stadium on Sunday, but the most important one wasn't being worn by anyone — and it will never be worn again at the Wave. From San Diego, for Alex Morgan's jersey retirement.

Alex Morgan's No. 13 goes up into the rafters at Snapdragon Stadium.

FULL TIME: San Diego Wave 0, Houston Dash 3 The Dash spoil the party on Alex Morgan's jersey retirement night, and Houston has entered the chat for the #NWSL playoff push. Between this and Orlando's loss to Chicago today, Washington is firmly alone in 2nd.

Yazmeen Ryan is absolutely everywhere. 2-0 Dash. #NWSL

Almost all of the Dash's success thus far has been up that left side as Ryan tucks in, Sheehan rotates wide, and they add a late runner to combine. And that was how this sequence started...and ended after a bad giveaway. Costly goal for the Wave. #NWSL

As expected, No. 13 is everywhere here at Snapdragon Stadium. Alex Morgan jerseys of all eras on backs (shout out to the girl with the Tottenham edition as one of the rarest), Morgan swag for sale, lots of pink prewrap. Her jersey goes into the rafters post-game on ESPN. #NWSL

Big win for Gotham, and a tough way for Angel City to end ~that~ week. Piece and Lavelle changed the game instantly off the bench. Gotham is hanging right around in the #NWSL playoff race.