NEW YORK (January 6, 2025) - The National Women’s Soccer League today announced the competition framework for the 2025 season, featuring a 190-match schedule, inclusive of an eight-team playoff, and a revised competition format for the summer window. Additionally, the league has announced the competition calendar and other updates for the 2025 season.
Per CBA rules clubs may hold preseason camps beginning as early as January 15 but no later than February 5 prior to the start of league competition.
The 2025 campaign begins Friday, March 7, with the 2025 NWSL Challenge Cup at Inter&Co Stadium in Orlando, Florida on Prime Video. Reformatted in 2024 as a single-match competition to open each season, the NWSL Challenge Cup features a meeting between the previous campaign’s winner of the NWSL Shield and the reigning NWSL Champion.
Due to the Orlando Pride claiming both the regular season and playoff titles in 2024, the 2025 NWSL Challenge Cup will serve as a rematch of the 2024 NWSL Championship, presented by Google Pixel, between the Pride and the Washington Spirit.
The regular season kicks off on Friday, March 14. Comprised of a balanced 26-match schedule, the campaign will be played over 25 weeks and has been formatted to avoid staging NWSL matches during FIFA windows to allow the league’s top players to compete for both club and country.
The league will pause play for a CBA-mandated break from June 23-29 and during the month of July while confederation competitions (UEFA Women’s EURO, Copa America Femenina, etc.) are staged.
During this break from the regular season, NWSL clubs will have flexibility to compete in matches against other professional women’s teams, including international opponents, ensuring continued competition for all NWSL players. More details will be released by each NWSL club at a later date.
The regular season concludes the weekend of October 31-November 2.
The opening round of the 2025 NWSL Playoffs, presented by Google Pixel will take place November 7-9 before the semifinals on November 14-16. The league will conclude its 2025 campaign with the 2025 NWSL Championship, presented by Google Pixel, on November 22.
The scheduling process for the 2025 campaign is underway. The full league schedule and accompanying broadcast details will be released at a later date.
In the second year of the league’s landmark, four-year domestic media rights agreements, more than 120 matches will be distributed across the following partner platforms:
· The NWSL will begin each regular season weekend with Friday night matches on Prime Video.
· Each Saturday night that follows will include a double-header on Scripps’-owned ION network, available over-the-air in 123 million homes.
· A package of regular season matches will air on the CBS Television Network and stream live on Paramount+, with additional matches airing across CBS Sports Network, Paramount+ and CBS Sports Golazo Network.
· ESPN will air a package of matches across ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, and ESPN Deportes (Spanish). All NWSL matches on ESPN platforms and on ABC will stream live on ESPN+ in English and Spanish. The package also includes English, Spanish and Portuguese-language rights in Latin America. The remaining regular season matches will be available on NWSL+, the league’s domestic direct-to-consumer streaming platform.
ESPN/ABC will air two quarterfinal matches, while CBS/Paramount+ and Prime Video will each distribute one of the remaining two quarterfinal contests. The semifinals will air across CBS/Paramount+ and ESPN/ABC, with each partner carrying one contest.
The 2025 NWSL Championship, presented by Google Pixel, will air in primetime on the CBS Television Network and stream on Paramount+ for the fourth consecutive year.
The NWSL is in ongoing negotiations with distributors outside of the U.S. regarding international packages for the 2025 season. More details will be available ahead of the start of the season.
In addition to the schedule footprint, the league has released the 2025 competition calendar which is available here.
Key highlights of the competition calendar include:
· Per the league’s collective bargaining agreement with the NWSL Players Association, the waiver wire has been eliminated. All player contracts are now guaranteed.
· Beginning January 15, trade windows will be eliminated. Trades may occur at any time prior to roster freeze. All trades involving players require consent.
· Preseason camps may begin no earlier than Wednesday, January 15 and no later than Wednesday, February 5.
· The primary transfer window opens on Tuesday, January 28 and closes Monday, March 24.
· The 2026 Free Agency period begins on Tuesday, July 1.
· The secondary transfer window opens on Tuesday, July 1 and closes Monday, August 25.
· Roster freeze is Thursday, October 9.
PORTLAND, Ore. (Saturday, August 15, 2026) – The Portland Thorns continued their impressive home form with a 2-1 win over Orlando Pride on Saturday when forward Caiya Hanks — who was making her return to the pitch after missing action for over a year with an ACL injury — scored a stoppage time winner to secure three points for the home side.
Both sides battled back and forth as they tried to search for the opening goal, with Thorns goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold making three saves to ensure the match remained level going into the halftime break.
The Thorns came out into the second half much more threatening in Orlando’s half and finally broke the deadlock in the 58th minute when forward Pietra Tordin laid the ball off to forward Deyna Castellanos, who from the top right corner of Orlando’s box placed the ball perfectly into the top left corner of the goal over the hands of Orlando goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse.
The lead was short lived however when Arnold’s diving save to punch out a crossed ball in the 63rd minute ricocheted off the knees of Orlando forward Jacqueline Ovalle and rolled into the net to level things back up.
From there, Portland and Orlando continued in their fight to search for a second and despite several good looks at goal, the match remained level.
That would all change after Hanks — who subbed on in the 88th minute — curled the ball into the goal from outside the box in the 96th to send Providence Park into a frenzy as the Thorns secured three points and extended its home unbeaten streak to 12 matches, nine on the season.
UP NEXT: The Portland Thorns host Denver Summit FC for the first time at Providence Park on Saturday, August 22. Kickoff is scheduled for 5:45 pm PT on ION and 910 ESPN Portland. Purchase tickets for the match HERE.
TEAM NOTES
GOAL BREAKDOWN
First Half
N/A
Second Half
POR – Deyna Castellanos (Pietra Tordin) 58’
ORL – Jacqueline Ovalle 63’
POR – Caiya Hanks (M.A. Vignola) 90+6’
LINEUPS
Portland Thorns (4-2-3-1): Mackenzie Arnold (GK), M.A. Vignola, Jayden Perry, Isabella Obaze (Sam Hiatt 78’), Carolyn Calzada, Jessie Fleming-C, Nina Nijstad (Cassandra Bogere 85’), Pietra Tordin (Caiya Hanks 88’), Deyna Castellanos (Renee Lyles 78’), Marie Müller (Morgan Weaver 67’), Sophia Wilson
Subs not used: Morgan Messner (GK), Reyna Reyes, Shae Harvey, Mallie McKenzie
Orlando Pride (4-4-2): Anna Moorhouse (GK), Hailie Mace (Gabi Nunes 90+8’), Rafaelle (Zoe Matthews 89’), Cori Dyke, Oihane Hernández (Zara Chavoshi 76’), Solai Washington, Ally Lemos, Haley McCutcheon-C, Julie Doyle (Summer Yates 65’), Jacqueline Ovalle, Barbra Banda (Angelina 65’)
Subs not used: Cara Martin (GK), Cossette Morche, Luana, Nicole Payne
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY
POR: N/A
ORL: Jacqueline Ovalle (Yellow) 40’, Julie Doyle (Yellow) 52’, Rafaelle (Yellow) 85’
MATCH STATS
POR | ORL
Goals: 2|1
Assists: 2|0
Possession: 51|49
Shots: 10|12
Shots on Target: 4|6
Saves: 5|2
Tackles: 16|16
Tackles Won: 9|11
Interceptions: 14|26
Fouls: 7|6
Offsides: 0|1
Corner Kicks: 0|6
ATTENDANCE: 19,106
Referee: Brad Jensen
Assistant Referee 1: Katarzyna Wasiak
Assistant Referee 2: Sarah Gaddes
4th Official: Justin St. Pierre
VAR: Danielle Chesky
Assistant VAR: Seun Yinka-Kehinde
NEW YORK (January 6, 2025) - The National Women’s Soccer League today announced the competition framework for the 2025 season, featuring a 190-match schedule, inclusive of an eight-team playoff, and a revised competition format for the summer window. Additionally, the league has announced the competition calendar and other updates for the 2025 season.
Per CBA rules clubs may hold preseason camps beginning as early as January 15 but no later than February 5 prior to the start of league competition.
The 2025 campaign begins Friday, March 7, with the 2025 NWSL Challenge Cup at Inter&Co Stadium in Orlando, Florida on Prime Video. Reformatted in 2024 as a single-match competition to open each season, the NWSL Challenge Cup features a meeting between the previous campaign’s winner of the NWSL Shield and the reigning NWSL Champion.
Due to the Orlando Pride claiming both the regular season and playoff titles in 2024, the 2025 NWSL Challenge Cup will serve as a rematch of the 2024 NWSL Championship, presented by Google Pixel, between the Pride and the Washington Spirit.
The regular season kicks off on Friday, March 14. Comprised of a balanced 26-match schedule, the campaign will be played over 25 weeks and has been formatted to avoid staging NWSL matches during FIFA windows to allow the league’s top players to compete for both club and country.
The league will pause play for a CBA-mandated break from June 23-29 and during the month of July while confederation competitions (UEFA Women’s EURO, Copa America Femenina, etc.) are staged.
During this break from the regular season, NWSL clubs will have flexibility to compete in matches against other professional women’s teams, including international opponents, ensuring continued competition for all NWSL players. More details will be released by each NWSL club at a later date.
The regular season concludes the weekend of October 31-November 2.
The opening round of the 2025 NWSL Playoffs, presented by Google Pixel will take place November 7-9 before the semifinals on November 14-16. The league will conclude its 2025 campaign with the 2025 NWSL Championship, presented by Google Pixel, on November 22.
The scheduling process for the 2025 campaign is underway. The full league schedule and accompanying broadcast details will be released at a later date.
In the second year of the league’s landmark, four-year domestic media rights agreements, more than 120 matches will be distributed across the following partner platforms:
· The NWSL will begin each regular season weekend with Friday night matches on Prime Video.
· Each Saturday night that follows will include a double-header on Scripps’-owned ION network, available over-the-air in 123 million homes.
· A package of regular season matches will air on the CBS Television Network and stream live on Paramount+, with additional matches airing across CBS Sports Network, Paramount+ and CBS Sports Golazo Network.
· ESPN will air a package of matches across ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, and ESPN Deportes (Spanish). All NWSL matches on ESPN platforms and on ABC will stream live on ESPN+ in English and Spanish. The package also includes English, Spanish and Portuguese-language rights in Latin America. The remaining regular season matches will be available on NWSL+, the league’s domestic direct-to-consumer streaming platform.
ESPN/ABC will air two quarterfinal matches, while CBS/Paramount+ and Prime Video will each distribute one of the remaining two quarterfinal contests. The semifinals will air across CBS/Paramount+ and ESPN/ABC, with each partner carrying one contest.
The 2025 NWSL Championship, presented by Google Pixel, will air in primetime on the CBS Television Network and stream on Paramount+ for the fourth consecutive year.
The NWSL is in ongoing negotiations with distributors outside of the U.S. regarding international packages for the 2025 season. More details will be available ahead of the start of the season.
In addition to the schedule footprint, the league has released the 2025 competition calendar which is available here.
Key highlights of the competition calendar include:
· Per the league’s collective bargaining agreement with the NWSL Players Association, the waiver wire has been eliminated. All player contracts are now guaranteed.
· Beginning January 15, trade windows will be eliminated. Trades may occur at any time prior to roster freeze. All trades involving players require consent.
· Preseason camps may begin no earlier than Wednesday, January 15 and no later than Wednesday, February 5.
· The primary transfer window opens on Tuesday, January 28 and closes Monday, March 24.
· The 2026 Free Agency period begins on Tuesday, July 1.
· The secondary transfer window opens on Tuesday, July 1 and closes Monday, August 25.
· Roster freeze is Thursday, October 9.
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