The season is determined by…
Lively, young players want to leave their mark on professional football. USWNT stars Trinity Rodman, 21, and Jaedyn Shaw, 19, will lead the front line for the Washington Spirit and San Diego Wave, respectively, while draft picks Ally Sentnor (No. 1) and Savannah King (No. 2) will lead the expansion teams Utah Royals and Bay will strengthen FC. JR
Less parity than last season, when all play-off places were in doubt in recent weeks. Some teams are taking advantage of the new roster rules to spend big. Some (cough…Utah) don’t. BD
Evolution. Two new expansion clubs (Bay FC, Utah Royals) aren’t the only signs of progress in the NWSL’s 12th year. A new broadcast deal cements the value of elite women’s soccer, presenting the league via CBS, ESPN, Prime Video and Scripps ION in a deal worth $240 million. Kansas City will christen its first purpose-built sports stadium for women. Free agency and record transfer signings are pushing the standards for talent acquisition. Rampant coaching changes can impact the style of the league. The list goes on. MRS
The most exciting addition is…
Jesse Fleming. Fleming joined Portland Thorns in January. The Canadian captain, who spent four seasons at WSL title holders Chelsea, will be looking to get minutes ahead of the Olympics after coming on as a substitute for the Blues last season. With the ball, the 26-year-old is a master at controlling the tempo of a match and will provide extra stability in midfield. JR
It’s hard to argue with someone who scored two hat-tricks at the last Olympics. That would be the star of Zambia Barbara Banda, which Orlando bought from China’s Shanghai Shengli for a reported $740,000. A short time ago that would have been the world record for transfer fee for women’s football, but now Banda is not even the most expensive Zambian in the league. That would be Racheal Kundananji, for whom Bay FC paid approximately $789,000 to Madrid CFF. BD
Asisat Oshoala. Nigeria’s player of the year signed for Bay FC in a deal sometimes overshadowed by off-season records. Kundananji and Banda moved to the United States for recording deals, but the former Barcelona forward may find that the staff and system led by Albertin Montoya are perfectly suited for her to flourish. MRS
The storyline to watch…
The expansion of the league, and how the new teams are faring. The start of the season marks the opening campaign for Bay FC and the return of Utah Royals – who will cease operations in 2020. More teams and matches are not only an exciting opportunity for the NWSL, they also demonstrate the rapid rise of women’s football. . JR
Which way to the pros will this season produce the best players? The traditional college draft is becoming less relevant now, as NWSL teams scramble to sign American teenagers before they set foot on a college campus. On the other side of the expenditure chart we have the African trio mentioned above and a few other budget signatories, such as Deyna Castellanos, whose path from Venezuela to Bay FC went via the State of Florida, Atlético Madrid and Manchester City. If either path proves productive, these tentative steps away from the college pipeline will become a trend. BD
Olympic competition. With the American player pool still competing primarily in the United States, a host of talent will use the competition to make their case for Emma Hayes’ Olympic roster. Do young players like 18-year-old Olivia Moultrie (Portland Thorns) and 19-year-old Jaedyn Shaw (San Diego Wave) reaffirm their position in a time of transition? Will Mallory Swanson (Chicago Red Stars) be in the same record form before the injury? Will Alex Morgan enter the season with Casey Stoney in a way that makes her unmistakable? MRS
The team to watch…
Reigning champions Gotham FC. Given their dramatic turnaround from worst to first last season, we’ll see if they can maintain their success. In an electric transfer window, Gotham signed Rose Lavelle, Emily Sonnett, Crystal Dunn and Tierna Davidson, all big names in the sport. Will this investment lead to pressure, or will it pay off with a new trophy? JR
How did the NWSL get by for so many years without a presence in California? Now, on any given match day, choose between the three flashy attacking teams. San Diego have the bookends of the U.S. women’s national team age group led by veteran Morgan and breakout star Shaw. Angel City has a similar spread, with American veterans Christen Press and Sydney Leroux tutoring teenager Alyssa Thompson. Bay FC has depth behind Kundananji and Oshoala. BD
Bay F.C. The league’s 14th team preaches beautiful, possession-based football under Montoya’s tutelage. They’ve signed seismic international stars to make that happen: Kundananji and Oshoala, joined by Deyna Castellanos, Jen Beattie and more. Do they realize their ambition in their first year? MRS
This year’s breakout star is…
20 years old Ally Sentnor made headlines when she became the first pick in the 2024 NWSL draft. The Royals drafted the University of North Carolina in January and will use her speed and consistency to make an immediate impact in the NWSL. JR
After hyping the non-college pathways to the NWSL, I’ll pick someone to join through the college draft, Savoy king. The defender spent just a year at North Carolina before entering the draft, where she was the second overall pick. Bay FC need someone to hold the other end of the pitch while their more expensive players chase goals up front. BD
after newsletter promotion
Croix Bethune. There are many question marks surrounding the Washington Spirit as they start the year with an interim manager before ending with Barcelona boss Jonatan Giraldez, who Join us once the Spanish season is over. But the Spirit made big moves to acquire Georgia’s Bethune at No. 3 in the NWSL Draft, and her leadership in midfield could have an impact on this side. MRS
The MVP will be…
Don’t be shocked if Jaedyn Shaw becomes the MVP with San Diego Wave. The USWNT sensation, who just earned Gold Cup tournament MVP, has finishing, sensational dribbling and quick bursts of pace to move the ball down the pitch. A competitor of the highest caliber, Shaw’s ruthless ability to find the net could also earn her the Golden Boot. JR
Jaedyn Shaw was named to the NWSL Best XI last year and was followed by winning the Golden Ball at the Gold Cup. Get used to seeing her posing with trophies. BD
Sophia Smith. It feels funny to suggest that last year’s Golden Boot winner will go into 2024 with something to prove. But the World Cup disappointment was followed by injury and then a disappointing end to the year in Portland. Smith also slipped out of the USWNT’s starting XI at this W Gold Cup. Now that she is healthy, back in her home environment and striving to feel like herself again, I expect Smith to burst into the competition. MRS
Playoff teams…
Gotham FC, San Diego Wave, Portland Thorns, North Carolina Courage, Angel City FC, Orlando Pride, Seattle Reign, Washington Spirit. JR
Angel City FC, Gotham FC, Houston Dash, Kansas City Current, North Carolina Courage, Portland Thorns, Racing Louisville, San Diego Wave. BD
San Diego Wave, Portland Thorns, Gotham FC, Bay FC, Angel City FC, Seattle Reign, North Carolina Courage, Washington Spirit. MRS
NWSL Champions…
On paper it looks like a championship match between Gotham FC and San Diego Wave. Although Casey Stoney’s side continues to improve, this may not be enough to overcome the abundance of talent Juan Carlos Amoros has to choose from. Gotham thrives on pressure and momentum – which they have no shortage of. This season, anything less than a new trophy will be a disappointment. JR
Gotham FC in the final 2-1 against San Diego. The New York/New Jersey squad has added Lavelle, Dunn, Davidson and Sonnett to a team that won last year’s championship and includes world champion Esther Gonzalez. That’s almost unfair. But general manager Yael Averbuch West, one of the more cerebral players of her generation, plays grandmaster chess while many of her peers play Wordle. BD
Portland thorns are crowned champions in a year of transition for a team under new ownership, while honoring club legends Christine Sinclair and Becky Sauerbrunn with another championship. A young midfield, with the addition of Jessie Fleming, provides the consistent attacking prowess of Morgan Weaver and Smith, in a dynamic that is proving insurmountable. MRS