It’s time to mark your calendars. Here are the biggest matches to know for the upcoming women’s soccer league season.
Theo Lloyd-Hughes | Jan 22, 2025
At long last, the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) schedule is here. The 2025 regular season is set to begin on Friday, March 14, and will run until Sunday, November 2.
Overall, the '25 NWSL season will feature 190 matches. 182 in the regular season and seven playoff matches. The playoffs will take place between November 7 and November 16. The NWSL Championship Final is booked for November 22 in a yet-to-be-determined neutral venue.
Just like in '24, the top eight teams in the standings after 26 matches (13 home, and 13 away) will head to the playoffs to compete for the NWSL Championship. The team at the top of the standings at the end of the regular season will win the NWSL Shield.
Let's break down some of the major matches and takeaways from the 2025 schedule release.
Challenge Cup Returns
Friday, March 7, 2025: Orlando Pride vs. Washington Spirit
The only remaining domestic cup competition is back on the schedule in 2025, and just like last season, it will be contested as a one-off final between the two top teams.
In '24, the NWSL Shield winners, the San Diego Wave, kicked off the new in the Challenge Cup by taking on the NWSL Championship winners, NJ/NY Gotham FC. But this year, because Orlando won both trophies, we will see the Pride take on the second-placed Spirit in the Challenge Cup.
While some fans may miss the elongated Challenge Cup format, which featured group stages and a semifinal, the NWSL's expansion to 14 teams means more regular season games, and this trophy has been re-branded as a curtain raiser. It will also serve as a juicy rematch of the 2024 NWSL title match.
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Opening Weekend
Friday, March 14, 2025: Houston Dash vs. Washington Spirit
Orlando Pride vs. Chicago Stars
Saturday, March 15, 2025: Kansas City Current vs. Portland Thorns
Racing Louisville vs. NC Courage, Utah Royals vs. Bay FC, Seattle Reign vs. Gotham FC
Sunday, March 16, 2025: Angel City FC vs. San Diego Wave
The regular season proper will get underway the next week after the Challenge Cup, with the Spirit and the Pride doing the honors on a Friday night double header against the Houston Dash and Chicago Stars respectively.
Opening weekend is always raucous and can feature some of the biggest attendances and shocking results. Prioritizing the drama, the NWSL booked in a rematch of the '24 season opener between the KC Current and the Portland Thorns, which ended 5-4. CPKC Stadium is also a guaranteed sell-out.
Overall, this is a brilliant slate, with a Southern California derby sneaking in to close out the matchweek. Angel City's fans will show up in full voice and there will be plenty of intrigue from the women's soccer world in paying close attention to Jonas Edievall's NWSL debut with San Diego too.
Rivalry Weekend
Saturday, August 9, 2025: Gotham FC vs. Washington Spirit
Saturday, August 9, 2025: San Diego Wave vs. Angel City FC
Sunday, August 10, 2025: Portland Thorns vs. Seattle Reign
Speaking of rivalries, the NWSL has collated an official 'Rivalry Weekend' for the first time in its history.
Three rivalries ('The East Coast Rivalry,' 'The SoCal Rivalry' and 'The Cascadia Rivalary') will get marquee slots during the second week back after the summer break that will take place during July when EURO 2025 and Copa America 2025 take place.
Since the very beginning of the NWSL in 2013, Seattle vs. Portland has been one of the biggest matches of the year. Who can forget Megan Rapinoe shushing the Portland fans? So, it's exciting for the league to continue to build the hype for that heated rivalry.
Similarly, since entering the league as expansion teams in 2022, ACFC and the Wave have produced many feisty contests. But is it fair to throw Gotham and Spirit in with these other two rivalries?
Time will tell if 'The East Coast Rivalry' is a thing. But last season's playoff semifinal, which the Spirit edged via a penalty shootout, certainly adds some spice. Gotham defender Bruninha was infamously sent off with Trinity Rodman miming a yellow card and the Spirit home fans waving her off the pitch. A can't-miss match in 2025.
Kansas City's Revenge Game
Saturday, August 16, 2025: Kansas City Current vs. Orlando Pride
Arguably the best match of '24, Orlando became the first away team to ever win a match at CPKC Stadium when it beat Kansas City 2-1 this past July.
That contest also saw MVP candidates Temwa Chawinga and Barbra Banda both get on the scoresheet while the Current team and their fans were also not impressed with Marta's enthusiastic celebrations at the final whistle either.
The Current will be out for revenge, not only for that home defeat from '24 but because the Pride also went on to knock them out of the playoffs. Orlando will be feeling confident at their home away from home, though. After all, it was at CPKC Stadium where they lifted the 2024 NWSL Championship title. Get the popcorn ready.
Decision Day is Back!
Sunday, November 2, 2025: Kansas City Current vs. San Diego Wave, Chicago Stars vs. Angel City FC, Racing Louisville vs. Bay FC, NC Courage vs. Gotham FC, Orlando Pride vs. Seattle Reign, Portland Thorns vs. Houston Dash, Utah Royals vs. Washington Spirit
There was plenty of criticism thrown at the league and its shiny new broadcast deal when they decided to get rid of 'Decision Day' for the '24 season. Well, the NWSL heard everyone's complaints.
'Decision Day' is back for '25, which means all the matches on the final day of the regular season will kick off at the exact same time to ensure maximum chaos. Expect plenty of different permutations a slew of playoff places changing hands and even potentially the NWSL Shield being up for grabs.
Interestingly, the NWSL resisted the urge to match many of the top teams from the '24 season against each other. Courage vs. Gotham is the only match between two playoff teams from the previous season. Who knows what these matchups could look like come November 2025?