Wow what a busy weekend and of course I am on the road so not as much as I would like this week. Lets start by saying Champions League continues to deliver in whatever format its in. Both the Indy 11 & NWSL kick off this weekend (I will be at the Angel City game Sun eve). I don’t have time to give them the full rundown and will try to do season premiers on both next week. Of course the US Men have Nations League Finals on Thurs on Paramount Plus- not real TV?? at 8 pm on Thursday night vs Panama. The Canada vs Mexico game will follow at 10 pm on Para+. Don’t ask me how our US team in playing in Tourney play and the game is not on TV? UNBELIEVABLE. Of course the other factor is these game were set to go head to head with the first weekend of NCAA March Madness. To say the idiots who run soccer in this country are dumb might be the UNDERSTATEMENT of a lifetime.
Champions League
I am sad that huge games between Atletico Madrid & Real Madrid and Liverpool & PSG were played in the round of 16 rather than an Elite 8 or deeper in the tourney. Both were classics and spectacular end to end play along with spectacular goalkeeping and both ended in shootouts. Sad to see Liverpool & Atletico out so soon. Big fellow Ref question – Was Atletico Robbed when this crucial 3rd kick in the shootout was ruled as a double touch by VAR? Atletico basically lost the game on that call as they can’t find a way to beat Real Madrid again in Champions League play. Rules changes are being considered because of it – see last story below.
Indy 11
The Boys in Blue open the USL Championship regular season on Saturday, March 15 at Miami FC at 6:30 p.m. on ESPN+. Saturday is the 14th all-time meeting between the two sides, with Miami holding a 6-5-2 edge. The Boys in Blue have won the past four meetings. Coach Sean McAuley enters year two leading the Boys in Blue with 15 players returning from last year’s squad that earned the franchise’s first home playoff game since 2019 after advancing to the semifinals of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. The Indy Eleven home opener is 2 weeks away. Get the exclusive Home Opener Ticket Pack starting at $29, which includes tickets to the home opener March 29 vs. Colorado Springs (with on-field access), the U.S. Open Cup match on April 15 or 16, and a flex ticket for a match of your choice. Awesome to see Maverick McCoy a former Carmel FC player on the Roster as a 17 year-old academy player. Go Maverick – I know his dad Wade McCoy a former CFC Coach is proud as are we!
- Goalkeepers (3): Reice Charles-Cook, ^Ryan Hunsucker, Hunter Sulte
- Defenders (9): Pat Hogan, ^Maverick McCoy, Finn McRobb, James Musa, Josh O’Brien, Ben Ofeimu, Bruno Rendon, Aedan Stanley, Hayden White
- Midfielders (7): Jack Blake, Oliver Brynéus, Cam Lindley, James Murphy, Logan Neidlinger, Aodhan Quinn, Brem Soumaoro
- Forwards (5): Elvis Amoh, Elliot Collier, Maalique Foster, Edward Kizza, Romario Williams
- ^USL Academy Contract
US Men Look to Win 3rd Straight Nations League Title Next Week
So the USMNT and new Manager Poch have a big task ahead as they look to secure their 3rd straight Nations League title starting Thur night vs Panama 8:30 pm on Paramount plus. The winner will face the winner of Canada vs Mexico which is played right after our game. The final is Sunday night at 10 pm on Para+. No real surprises on roster selection – waiting to see who will start in the middle defense will the Celtic duo outperform Richards & McKensie? Who starts along with Adams & Mckinney in the middle? I will have more on this including my line-up choices later in the week.
DETAILED ROSTER BY POSITION (club/country; caps/goals)
GOALKEEPERS (3): Patrick Schulte (Columbus Crew; 3/0), Zack Steffen (Colorado Rapids; 30/0), Matt Turner (Crystal Palace/ENG; 49/0)
DEFENDERS (8): Cameron Carter-Vickers (Celtic/SCO; 18/0), Marlon Fossey (Standard Liege/BEL; 1/0), Mark McKenzie (Toulouse/FRA; 17/0), Tim Ream (Charlotte FC; 67/1), Chris Richards (Crystal Palace/ENG; 23/1), Antonee Robinson (Fulham/ENG; 50/4), Joe Scally (Borussia Mönchengladbach/GER; 19/0), Auston Trusty (Celtic/SCO; 4/0)
MIDFIELDERS (6): Tyler Adams (Bournemouth/ENG; 42/2), Johnny Cardoso (Real Betis/ESP; 18/0), Diego Luna (Real Salt Lake; 3/0), Weston McKennie (Juventus/ITA; 58/11), Gio Reyna (Borussia Dortmund/GER; 31/8), Tanner Tessmann (Olympique Lyon/FRA; 6/0)
FORWARDS (6): Patrick Agyemang (Charlotte FC; 2/2), Yunus Musah (AC Milan/ITA; 45/1), Christian Pulisic (AC Milan/ITA; 76/32), Josh Sargent (Norwich City/ENG; 27/5), Timothy Weah (Juventus/ITA; 42/7), Brian White (Vancouver Whitecaps/CAN; 3/1)
NWSL Season Stars this Weekend
The NWSL kicks off this weekend after an offseason packed with player movement, coaching hires, emerging storylines, and one compelling sneak peek. Orlando enters 2025 as the reigning NWSL Shield and Championship winners while Kansas City forward Temwa Chawinga defends her MVP award — but outside contenders are bound to keep 2024’s titans on their toes. Big games to watch this weekend.
Kansas City Current vs Portland Thorns Sat 12:45 pm on ABC. The MVP and Kansas City will host a rebuilding Portland Thorns team on national TV.
Gotham FC vs. Seattle Reign, Saturday at 10 PM ET (ION): See how the tension plays out between teams on either side of one of the offseason’s biggest trades, after Gotham sent veteran forward Lynn Biyendolo and goalkeeper Cassie Miller to Seattle while receiving promising young midfielder Jaelin Howell in return.
Angel City vs. San Diego, Sunday at 6:50 PM ET (ESPN2): The SoCal rivalry heats back up between two work-in-progress teams, as Angel City begins anew under an interim manager while San Diego charts a new course with both a new coach and some big-name departures.
Champions League Chances to Win as we Enter The Quarter Finals
For Carmel Dad’s Club Refs — and want to be refs — check out the below. New Refs can learn to ref for free – at the new Ref Classes then ref rec games this spring after training with older officials. Its a great way to break into reffing without having to pay quite as much to start.
TV SCHEDULE
US PLAYERS ACROSS THE WORLD
Saturday
Werder Bremen v Borussia Mönchengladbach – 10:30a on ESPN+
Joe Scally missed Borussia Mönchengladbach’s 3-1 loss to Mainz last weekend due to yellow card accumulation, but should be available and back in the starting lineup on Saturday as they travel to take on Werder Bremen. ‘Gladbach fell to ninth place with the loss, seven points back of Mainz and five points back of fourth place Eintracht Frankfurt. Their opponent this weekend is 12th place Werder Bremen who have won two straight, including a 2-0 win over second place Bayer Leverkusen last weekend.
Augsburg v Wolfsburg – 9:30a on ESPN+
Kevin Paredes has returned to training but remains unavailable for Wolfsburg and Noahkai Banks has seen just 9 minutes in the last four matches for Augsburg (albeit all last weekend) so it seems unlikely that we’ll have an American take the field on Saturday as 11th place Augsburg host 7th place Wolfsburg.
AC Milan v Como – 1p on Paramount+
Christian Pulisic scored two goals last weekend in AC Milan’s 3-2 win over Lecce but the team remains in ninth place heading into their matchup with Como this weekend. Yunus Musah was also once again starting in the midfield for Milan and it will be interesting to see his continued usage for both club and country, USMNT manager Mauricio Pochettino has recently expressed that Musah can really be played all over the right side of the field, from rightback, in the midfield, or on the wing. However, Musah seems to have performed better for his club in the midfield though that is a crowded position for the USMNT.
RB Leipzig v Borussia Dortmund – 1:30p on ESPN+
After two straight league starts Gio Reyna did not make it off the bench last weekend in Borussia Dortmund’s 1-0 loss to Augsburg last weekend and just a handful of minutes on Wednesday as they saw out their 2-1 victory over Lille in the second leg of their Champions League matchup. With the win over Lille BVB continue on in this years Champions League competition but they remain in tenth place in Bundesliga play and seem unlikely to qualify for next year’s competition. They have a chance to gain ground this weekend as they face sixth place RB Leipzig who are four points ahead of them in the table. Leipzig have drawn three of their past four league matches.
Bournemouth v Brentford – 1:30p on USA Network
Tyler Adams and Bournemouth drew 2-2 with Tottenham on Sunday to stretch their winless streak to three matches. Bournemouth have fallen to ninth place with the recent rough stretch and are five points out of a top five finish. They host twelfth place Brentford this weekend who are coming off a 1-0 loss to Aston Villa.
Sunday
Venezia v Napoli – 7:30a on Paramount+
Gianluca Busio did not appear for Venezia last weekend, the first match since August that he has failed to see minutes in, and just the fourth match that he hasn’t started in that same time. Venezia picked up their third straight draw, against Como, and they remain well within the relegation zone, five points from safety, as they have won just three times in 28 matches this season. They face second place Napoli on Sunday who are just a point back of league leading Inter Milan.
Leganes v Real Betis – 9a on ESPN+ and ESPN Deportes
Johnny Cardoso was not included in the squad on Thursday as Real Betis defeated Vitoria Guimaraes 4-0 in UEFA Conference League action, casting some doubt on his availability for the USMNT Nations League camp just around the corner. There is no indication of a major injury but if the club is choosing to rest or be cautious with Johnny then perhaps it could impact his national team opportunities as well. Betis have won four straight league matches, all of which Cardoso started and they are in sixth place, three points back of fifth place Villarreal and eight back of Athletic Club and Champions League qualification. They face a Leagnes side that is just a point ahead of Alaves in the race to avoid relegation.
Fulham v Tottenham – 9:30a on USA Network
Antonee Robinson and Fulham fell to Brighton last weekend and look to bounce back against 13th place Tottenham who are coming off a 2-2 draw with Bournemouth. Robinson once again started and was wearing the captains armband last weekend. He did pick up his seventh yellow card of the season but the EPL rules allow for 10 in the first 32 matches before a player faces a two match suspension.
Olympique Lyon v Le Havre – 10a on beIN Sports
Tanner Tessmann has started five straight matches, continuing in the starting lineup after the suspension of his manager, and Lyon have won four of the five matches including last weekends 2-0 win over Nice to move within four points of the third place team and the Champions League qualification position. This weekend they face a Le Havre side that are in the relegation playoff position, a point back of straight safety and a point ahead of Saint-Etienne for straight relegation in a tight relegation playoff race.
Strasbourg v Toulouse – 12:15p on beIN Sports
Mark McKenzie started yet again for Toulouse last weekend and is approaching 2,000 Ligue 1 minutes for the team this season. Toulouse drew 1-1 with high flying Monaco, who had put up nineteen goals in their past six matches. Toulouse are in tenth place and will travel to take on seventh place Strasbourg on Sunday. Strasbourg have won four of their last five, and haven’t given up a goal over that span, their only blemish being a scoreless draw with Brest three weeks ago.
Fiorentina v Juventus – 1p on Paramount+
Juventus lost for just the second time last weekend, fa 4-0 stinker to Atalanta that left Juve in fourth place, six points back of their third place opponent. Tim Weah once again started at rightback but was pulled 54’ minutes in with Juve down 2-0. Weston McKennie also started the match and went the full 90’ playing as an attacking mid. Juventus will face Fiorentina this weekend, on Thursday Fiorentina reversed a 3-2 first leg deficit to Panathinaikos in UEEF Conference League action, winning 3-1 to move on 5-4 on aggregate.
INDY 11
2 Indy Eleven matches to air on CBS Sports Network & ESPN2
Indy Eleven finishes preseason with third straight victory
Indy Eleven brings back goalkeeper Hunter Sulte on loan from Portland Timbers
Indy Eleven Reveals 2025 Under Armour Kits
Indy Eleven Announces 2025 USL W League Schedule
USMNT
Mauricio Pochettino names USMNT Concacaf Nations League roster with eye on defending title
Adams, Reyna return to USMNT for CNL finals
USMNT midweek roundup: Zendejas, White score in CCC
USMNT to face Türkiye, Switzerland in June friendlies
NWSL
NWSL team-by-team preview: Can Orlando Pride repeat as champions?
As the NWSL brings in foreign talent, international players savor new opportunity
NWSL club BOS Nation FC to announce new name soon following fan backlash
NWSL 2025 cheatsheet: Big questions, schedule highlights and how to watch this season
How to watch the 2025 NWSL Season: Schedule, channels and more
Three NWSL trades that could define the 2025 season
NWSL 2025 predictions: Pride looking for repeat, top newcomers and more
2025 NWSL season preview: Stars, storylines and teams to watch after league’s biggest year
Angel City believes it finally has right chemistry to be competitive amid rebuild
GK
Great Saves Champions league 2nd Leg Rd of 16
Arsenal’s Raya receives Save of the Month nomination
New 8 Second Rule Coming GK
Kicking Side Volleys
Reffing
New 8 Second Rule Coming GK
Was Atletico Robbed when this crucial 3rd kick in the shootout was ruled as a double touch by VAR?
New Ref Abuse Prevention Policy
Become a Licensed Ref with Indiana Soccer – must be over 13
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Pochettino addresses his inclusions, snubs for USMNT’s Nations League squad
By Paul Tenorio The Atletic ar. 11, 2025Updated Mar. 13, 2025
Several times over the course of his press conference on Tuesday, U.S. men’s national team coach Mauricio Pochettino invoked the idea of “trust” to describe his selection process for the team that will compete for a fourth consecutive Concacaf Nations League trophy next week.
The trust earned by players like forward Patrick Agyemang during January camp. The trust he wanted to return to players like Diego Luna, to build the confidence and belief in a player who showed well in January and now will get his first shot with the full team. The trust and relationship he wanted to build with a player like Gio Reyna, who got his first call-up under Pochettino despite struggling for minutes and form at Borussia Dortmund; and Tyler Adams, who similarly will get his first look after returning from a back injury.
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Ultimately, it’s in the trust of communicating what Pochettino and his staff want from the team — and that the players can understand and execute those core tenets.
“It’s clear that many of the players here have won this competition,” Pochettino said. “And you always lose a little bit of hunger when you win, right? In this case we want to keep that hunger and try to instill in the players that you have to keep winning. You have to keep competing and keep winning.”
Reyna, Adams return as Pochettino crafts U.S.’s Nations League finals squad
The U.S. will have two opportunities to compete for trophies between now and next summer’s World Cup. Both are Concacaf competitions: this spring’s Nations League and the summer’s Gold Cup. It put more value on this roster and its coveted roster spots.
A few familiar names were left off the team. Alejandro Zendejas is in top form at Club America in Liga MX, with five goals and five assists in the Clausura so far. He also scored two goals and had two assists in December’s Apertura semis and finals and was probably the biggest surprise snub if only because of his form. Brenden Aaronson, who was part of the 2022 World Cup roster, was also left off. Others on the outside looking in included center back Miles Robinson and midfielder Aidan Morris.
Pochettino said it’s down to the increased competition at each spot. Asked specifically about Aaronson, he shed some light on the depth chart.
“Brenden we know very well, but we decided to bring other players in that place,” Pochettino said. “We have players in that position like Gio Reyna, Pulisic, Weston McKennie, Diego Luna. Too many players for only one position. The (idea) was to provide balance. … We (are talking) about him, but we can talk about many other players that were in the preliminary list.”
The answer reinforced the obvious. For every player who misses out on a team, there’s another player given a chance to prove they belong. Pochettino called six players who were a part of January camp and will now get a chance to validate their place among the senior squad in the biggest international windows.
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That includes Luna and Agyemang. “(Diego is) a player we followed from the day we signed with the USA national team,” Pochettino said. “We want to give another possibility. … I think it’s important for him to feel confidence from us, and I think he was good in the January camp and we want to provide the possibility to train with us again.
Patrick Agyemang, center, was a star of January camp for the U.S. (Photo by John Dorton/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images)
“Talking about Patrick he’s still a little bit raw, a player that you can feel that he can evolve and learn a lot,” Pochettino continued. “But the potential and the characteristics, if he continues his progression, we can talk about in the future a very good striker. Now it’s up to him. We were so happy about January camp, I think he showed we can trust him. He scored, but not only his scoring, his work ethic in the camp, the way that he can press, he worked for the team. All these things that I think meant we were focused on him, to give the trust and calling him now is to show that we really believe in him.”
The roster also includes a few familiar faces for U.S. fans who haven’t yet had a chance to prove themselves to Pochettino. That includes Adams, whom Pochettino praised but also said would have to “prove that he’s better than” others in a midfield that includes Tanner Tessmann, Johnny Cardoso, Yunus Musah and Weston McKennie.
USMNT Player Tracker: Pulisic finds his mojo, another Richards shut out and Dest returns
It also includes Reyna, who is still trying to find his way at the club level. He’ll get a chance to set things right in Nations League, a tournament that has been kind to him in the past. Reyna has five goal contributions across three Nations League finals. Despite not being in prime form, Pochettino said it was important to get Reyna in because he wouldn’t be able to participate in the Gold Cup. He’s instead due to be playing for Borussia Dortmund in the Club World Cup, which will be going on concurrently with the national team’s regional competition.
FIFA ruled that clubs have priority over players in this summer international window as it tries to push its new club competition, meaning Reyna and Juventus players Weston McKennie and Tim Weah are likely to e with their club teams rather than with the U.S.
“Everyone recognizes that his talent (is there),” Pochettino said of Reyna. “Of course, he’s improving, but he needs to improve. And of course he can do better. We need to push him, but we need to understand how he thinks, what he likes, (what) he (doesn’t) like. It’s important to create this relationship for the future if we are going to have the (possibility) again (for him) to join us. We want to win this competition, and I think he can help. That is why he is with us. But at the same time, I think he can do better. We are going to try to create this relationship, to try to discover and how to help.”
It makes this March window important on a number of levels — from team success, to individual performances and enhancing competition ahead of next summer’s all-important World Cup.
(Top photo: Ronald Cortes/Getty Images)
| Five Questions for Week 2 in the USL Championship |
| We’ve got another 11-game slate of action this weekend in the USL Championship, including Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC’s home opener and a regional rivalry clash in Northern California.Here are five questions we have ahead of the action.1. Can Colorado Springs get Marco Micaletto and Anthony Fontana more involved?We saw a great example of how Colorado Springs can be an effective attacking force in the opening minutes of its contest in El Paso when Marco Micaletto’s run into space behind Locomotive’s back line resulted in a penalty that Micaletto converted. The challenge? Both Micaletto and Anthony Fontana were limited in their influence overall, combining for only 28 passes overall and one chance created.Both Fontana and Micaletto can be difference-makers, but they’re going to need more opportunity on the ball to do so. At home against a strong Detroit City midfield, they’re going to need to be more active for the defending title-holders to pick up their first win of the season.2. Will Lexington SC maintain its perfect start in Orange County?Lexington SC produced one of the best performances of the opening weekend, becoming the first team to win its inaugural game in the USL Championship since 2018 with a 2-0 win at home to Hartford Athletic. Central to that was a stellar defensive display that didn’t allow a shot on target, providing the foundation for Head Coach Terry Boss’ side.Lexington should get a much sterner test this Saturday when it visits an Orange County SC side that put up a four-spot in its opening night victory against Oakland Roots SC. If the visitors can come away from Championship Soccer Stadium with a result, it’ll add to the belief this side can be an immediate contender.3. Can FC Tulsa break its duck against the Rowdies?When it comes to FC Tulsa, there are some clubs that simply have proven an obstacle too great to overcome. While the history between Tulsa and the Tampa Bay Rowdies is relatively limited – the sides have played five times in league play – the Scissortails have only emerged with one point from those encounters, losing four times.After breaking a seven-year winless streak against Phoenix Rising FC last week with a hard-fought 1-0 win in the desert, however, the hope is the tide is turning under new Head Coach Luke Spencer. It’s early for statements, but Tulsa picking up its first win at home to Tampa Bay in its home opener would be an eye-opener.4. Will Monterey Bay FC or Oakland Roots SC give us something to believe in?It’s fair to say the opening games of the season for both Monterey Bay FC – a 1-0 loss at San Antonio in which the side didn’t officially record a shot on target – and Oakland Roots SC – a 4-2 defeat at Orange County SC in which the side’s defense looked as fallible as a season ago – wasn’t what either club was looking for.The NorCal rivals meet at Cardinale Stadium on Saturday night (10 p.m. ET | CBS Sports Golazo Network) aiming to deliver their first points of the season. Hopefully we’ll be able to walk away with a bit more optimism about at least one of their directions by the end of the night.5. What does Loudoun United’s second act look like?On this week’s USL All Access, our friend Devon Kerr described Loudoun United FC’s performance at Birmingham Legion FC as “awesome,” and we’re in complete concurrence. The combination of Abdellatif Aboukoura and Zach Ryan led the way in the final third, and it was hard to find a weak link in the lineup.There was the mitigation that Birmingham Legion FC looked subpar, however, which means we’re curious as to what United’s second outing of the season looks like against a North Carolina FC side that was solid in its debut against Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC. If Loudoun comes away with another result and positive performance, we’re in for a re-evaluation of where this club might sit in the East’s hierarchy. |
Champions League projections 2024-25: Who will lift the trophy in Munich on May 31?
By The Athletic UK Staff
The Champions League has a new format for 2024-25. Forget group tables, instead we saw a 36-team league stage being contested from September through to January. But now that has been completed, who has the best chance of progressing to the final in May and lifting the trophy? Throughout the season, we will publish projections — powered by Opta data — to show how teams are expected to perform. These will update after each matchday. The competition’s expanded format might take a little time to get used to, but these projections can show you how it might all unfold.
Last updated March 13, 2025 at 8:56 AM
State of the League: Before the NWSL can take on the world, it must find its place in the U.S.
By Meg Linehan The Athletic Mar. 14, 2025Updated 10:49 am PDT
The narrative around women’s sports has changed drastically over the past few years, expedited by the current political climate in the United States.
Right now, the WNBA is out in front in a way the NWSL — on the cusp of its 2025 season — can only dream of.
The NWSL doesn’t have a Caitlin Clark-esque marquee player, but Clark has served as an amplifying factor more than a foundational one. It’s also a transitional time for the NWSL when it comes to minting new stars that can transcend the league or make the cover of Time or Vogue. The leading candidate, Trinity Rodman, discussed her desire to play in Europe at some point in the same week she graced a Times Square billboard for the league.
The NWSL has always talked a big game about being the best in the world. In 2025, it wouldn’t hurt to take a step back and figure out how to truly matter in the U.S. first — though such an undertaking isn’t guaranteed to be fully under its control.
“We’ve talked about becoming really laser focused on our key initiatives. Everything that we’re doing right now from a business perspective is focused on cultural relevance and storytelling,” NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman said in her state of the league presser ahead of the Challenge Cup.
In theory, all of this makes sense — the part that worries me is that the scaffolding is being built upon brands rather than the league itself. Berman highlighted two new deals with e.l.f. Cosmetics and Alex Cooper’s Unwell, “both of whom are exactly within the strategy that we deployed for the offseason to really get after our next generation of fans.”
She pointed to “share of mind, share of wallet and cultural relevance” as vehicles for the league’s strategic plan in a meeting with The Athletic on Tuesday, saying the league has key results they monitor to see how much they are moving the needle. The NWSL measures awareness (via brand tracker surveys both aided with leading questions and unaided), how marketable their players are, how the league resonates from a public relations perspective and sentiment on social media.
While the NWSL feels bigger and more successful than it’s ever been, it’s hard not to compare it to a league like the WNBA — and some of those tensions still come out of the NWSL working in real time how it communicates its ultimate goals beyond being the best in the world.What you should read nextNWSL 2025 cheatsheet: Big questions, schedule highlights and how to watch this seasonWhat you need to know at the start of the 2025 NWSL season
This offseason was also full of mixed vibes
Worries over player departures, especially center back Naomi Girma, dominated the conversation, but the league also launched its 16th expansion team in Denver with a whopping $110 million fee and plenty of buzz. They released a four-part series, “For the Win,” going behind the scenes of last year’s playoffs with media rights partner Prime Video. The league also settled with three attorneys general regarding past systemic failures to protect its players from abuse, even as it grapples with the present — most recently launching a formal review into Bay FC’s coaching staff.
There’s no such thing as a quiet offseason in the NWSL, but that’s a lot on top of all the usual free agency moves and trades — and the first winter where teams had to sign young players without the mechanism of the NWSL college draft.
Despite the activity, it feels like the NWSL is heading into a new season with a little less momentum than usual — not ideal for a league that wants to be a driver of culture.What you should read nextHow an influx of elite youth players to NWSL is impacting the college soccer landscapeWith more teenagers going pro, college soccer is left to soul search – and consider the risks.
Before the NWSL can achieve that cultural relevance though, they need eyeballs. Last year, they failed to crack the one million viewer threshold for a game. The championship got close, peaking at 1.1 million viewers up against college football, but averaged 967,900; 1.5 million watched the Skills Challenge, a number helped tremendously by NFL game lead-ins. For comparison, the WNBA regular season averaged 1.2 million viewers across ESPN platforms, up 170 percent from the previous year. Their most-watched game, Indiana Fever at Chicago Sky on June 23, averaged 2.3 million viewers.
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This has to be the year the NWSL reaches that 1 million view milestone, and TV numbers for regular season games need to be up, too. This year, much like last year, feels like the NWSL is getting closer to an answer to those big-picture questions.
With the addition of two teams next year, the league has a decent runway to 2026, when it will need to figure out how to insert itself into the conversation of the men’s World Cup on home soil or provide audiences with counter-programming.
How the economic outlook could affect the league
The NWSL’s growth and destiny as a professional league are also not immune from the current state of affairs in the United States, especially if a potential economic recession comes into play.
According to a recent report by The New York Times, strategists at Goldman Sachs have increased the chances of a U.S. recession to 20 percent in the next year, and any slowdown here could then raise the risks of a global recession, according to analysts at JPMorgan Chase.
Every domestic professional league is likely watching the economic outlook closely, but historically, all three professional women’s soccer leagues in the U.S. have had to contend with the impacts of a recession. The NWSL has survived a short but steep recession before, getting through the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, but this is now another time of uncertainty and volatility. While there were many contributing factors to the demise of its predecessor, the WPS, the league was constantly on unsteady footing financially, with an average salary of $25,000 in its final year.
Continued inflation or any meaningful signs of a recession could impact everything from ongoing and potential brand partnerships to fan purchasing power. During the Great Recession in 2009, the WNBA even had to retract a team, the Houston Comets.
The NWSL was one of the first leagues to return to play amid the COVID-19 pandemic. (Jeffrey Swinger / USA TODAY Sports)
Women’s sports, for better or worse, have always been viewed as a more affordable option for a fan compared to men’s sports. While that may still technically be the case, as premium options become the norm and demand rises, the NWSL will have to ask itself who’s attending their games and what the get-in price is. Will it be sustainable in the long run for younger fans — especially the Gen-Z audience the NWSL so desperately craves?
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So far, at least, there haven’t been many signs of economic activity negatively impacting the NWSL. For instance, the Washington Spirit just opened up the upper deck due to demand for new season ticket holders, despite the impact of widespread federal worker layoffs across the metro area led by the Department of Government Efficiency.
But couple that volatility with a presidential administration that has made the “protect opportunities for women and girls to compete in safe and fair sports” a focus, and the NWSL — and any other women’s professional league — could suddenly find itself in a very precarious place. One of President Donald Trump’s first executive orders was to ban transgender women and girls from competing in women’s sports.
Last year, the league was briefly tested in its response to other bad-faith attacks when author JK Rowling falsely accused Orlando Pride forward Barbra Banda of being ineligible to compete in women’s divisions. Her eligibility has never been seriously questioned nor revoked. Banda was being honored as the BBC’s women’s footballer of the year, but the NWSL failed to support her. It’s something the league has since worked to remedy.
Around the NWSL ecosystem, the conversation has already started. Last week, Canada international Vanessa Gilles, on loan to Lyon from Angel City, said she was working on extending her time in France.
Canada defender Vanessa Gilles said she’s unlikely to return to Angel City from Lyon at this time. (Maria Lysaker / USA TODAY Sports)
“I don’t see myself going back to the United States with the current geopolitical situation,” she told Le Progrès. “It’s a bit complicated to go back there as a Canadian.”
It’s an entirely reasonable position, but not one the NWSL has a decent answer to yet.
There’s a bit of a pretense of a business-as-usual approach across the league, but that sentiment could crumble at any moment with little warning.
Sports are an escape, but they cannot be completely divorced from society. The NWSL wants its spotlight in 2025, but that won’t come without the increasing creep of U.S. politics into the league and women’s sports as a whole.
(Top photo: Jaylynn Nash / USA TODAY Sports via Imagn)
NWSL players to watch: Key performers for every team in 2025
By Jeff Rueter Mar. 11, 2025Updated Mar. 14, 2025 11:57 am PDT
For a few more days, all 14 NWSL teams will refine their preseason preparations. Every team can credibly dream of reaching the title game a year after the Orlando Pride went from regularly missing the playoffs to winning it all.
The rising level of talent in the NWSL means every team has more than one player they can hitch their hopes to heading into the 2025 season.
This is not necessarily intended to be a guide to each team’s most important or impactful player — we’re not looking at Barbra Banda, Temwa Chawinga or Trinity Rodman here — nor is this a speculative guess of which unknown squad members will catch us all by surprise. Instead, the following analysis is a hodgepodge of high-end performers, players looking to bounce back from tough 2024 seasons and invaluable options who often fly under the radar. All are welcome; let’s dive in.
All data was pulled from TruMedia via StatsPerform (Opta).
Angel City: Alyssa Thompson
When a player earns a World Cup roster spot at 18, their careers get judged differently than most of their peers. Thompson struggled at the start of 2024, failing to score before the Olympic break. She broke her scoring slump in the first game back, netting a brace against San Diego Wave to kick off a burst that yielded five goals from five NWSL appearances. Thompson also chipped in with seven assists despite her team missing the postseason.
Thompson has been tricky with the ball at her feet since her debut in 2023 but her confidence grew further last year, seeing her take on more responsibility. She attempted nearly twice as many take-ons (86 in 2024 vs 46 as a rookie), had three game-winning assists and one match-winning goal. She returned to the U.S. women’s national team after the Olympics and will likely remain in head coach Emma Hayes’ plans this year.
Interim coach Sam Laity will lead Angel City until at least June, so the squad’s holdovers will be invaluable amid change and uncertainty to start the season. Although Thompson only turned 20 years old in November, she’s been a regular starter for two seasons and projects to be even more valuable in 2025. With Christen Press and Sydney Leroux continuing to offer help in the attack and veterans’ insight off the pitch, Thompson could hit even greater heights in her third season.
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Bay FC: Racheal Kundananji
There have been 10 games when a player has notched double-digit shot attempts since 2021. Nine of the 10 were active members of the USWNT. The only exception, and the sole 10-shot firer of 2024, was Kundananji, as Bay FC closed its regular season by cementing a playoff place against the Houston Dash.
Signed to a then-world-record transfer fee, the Zambia international had an up-and-down debut NWSL season. Kundananji scored in her debut (also against the Dash), then netted just once more before the Olympics. She finished the year in fine form, however, scoring twice and adding two assists in Bay’s final three regular season games to lead the team to the playoffs in their expansion season.
Getting a full preseason with the team, Kundananji has forged better relationships with her returning teammates. She can also play free from certain pressures that come with a record transfer, as Naomi Girma now bears that mantle.
Chicago Stars: Ally Schlegel
This has been another trying offseason for Chicago fans. The team made a few major moves in the middle of 2024, but it doesn’t entirely explain away a mostly dormant offseason. Question marks also surround the availability of the team’s marquee player, Mallory Swanson.
While summer signings Ludmila and Julia Grosso will begin their first full seasons at Chicago, the club put Schlegel front and center for its jersey release. This wasn’t a choice devoid of merit, either. Schlegel quietly tied Swanson with six non-penalty goals to lead Chicago, while her 13 chances created from open play only trailed Swanson on the squad.
It’s difficult to see how the Stars could contend if Swanson isn’t starting. She led the team with 49 shots (no one else took more than 28) and was again top with 31 chances created (more than double her teammates). All of that was symptomatic of a one-note attack in head coach Lorne Donaldson’s first season, but Schlegel, Ludmila and Jenna Bike will be eager to make their impacts in the final third. With her trademark pink headband, Schlegel won’t be hard to spot — especially if she keeps bagging goals.
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Gotham FC: Rose Lavelle
Lavelle is the USWNT’s chief facilitator. Her eye for a clever pass is unparalleled, and the team’s chance creation suffers whenever she’s missing. At the NWSL level, however, a different side to Lavelle’s game emerges: a volume shooter who dribbles to get herself into range.
She may need to tap into her international job description in the 2025 season. Gotham said goodbye to its two top run-of-play chance creators this offseason, as Yazmeen Ryan and Delanie Sheehan are off to revive the Dash. Left back Jenna Nighswonger also left for Arsenal in England, leaving the squad with one less capable crosser.
Gotham has had another free-wheeling offseason, with other key departures including Lynn Biyendolo and Crystal Dunn. The club replaced Biyendolo with center forward Gabi Portilho, which could leave Lavelle playing closer to midfield than the front of the attack. That would put her in a prime position to pull the strings, and it could help catalyze Gotham’s efforts to return to the NWSL championship final. She just needs to get healthy first after offseason ankle surgery.
Houston Dash: Diana Ordóñez
After the 2022 season, Ordóñez was among the most lauded young players in the league. She excelled as a 20-year-old rookie, scoring 11 goals for the North Carolina Courage and bagging a brace in her international debut with Mexico against Anguilla.
Houston pushed hard to bring her into the fold, landing her in a pre-draft trade. While she had a more obvious leading role with her new club, the drop in squad caliber hampered her scoring output.
The graphic above compares her goalscoring output to expected goals (xG) across a rolling 900-minute sample. The blue line is the one that changes scorelines, and the annual swan dives in form are an obvious concern. However, she was hardly equipped to get those kinds of shooting looks, as the Dash’s chance creation across her two seasons has never met the service she enjoyed with the Courage.
With Ryan and Sheehan joining her in Houston, Ordóñez projects to benefit greatly. After scoring just three goals in 2023 and five in 2024, the creative reinforcements could vault her back to double-digit output.
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Kansas City Current: Bia
From the first match at CPKC Stadium, the Current was arguably the league’s most watchable team for neutral viewers. The attack whirred from the opening whistle, led by Chawinga. Vanessa DiBernardo put in the best year of her career in midfield. In the season’s first quarter, however, Chawinga shared top billing with her strike partner, Bia.
The Brazilian forward was a handful in the season’s early weeks, tied with Chawinga with four goals in the Current’s first five matches. Her form returned to Earth as May and June progressed, and a stress fracture in her foot ruled her out of Brazil’s Olympics squad in early July.
In the playoffs, with Bia still recovering and Debinha looking less impactful than in past seasons, opponents were happy to pester Chawinga and persistently challenge the Malawian with foul-worthy contact. Having Bia back to her best would give defenders more to worry about in transition and on set plays, and would open up space for Chawinga to wreak more havoc.
North Carolina Courage: Tyler Lussi
Six years removed from winning a second straight NWSL title, the Courage’s path to title contention is going through the field’s central channel. After trading for Ashley Sanchez last winter, the Courage returned to the trade market to bring in USWNT playmaker Jaedyn Shaw from San Diego, offering her a role in a system that caters to the 20-year-old’s game. Even with 2023 MVP Kerolin among the departures, North Carolina should again compete in the upper third of the table.
Sanchez and Shaw want to get on the ball, willing to roam from side to side and drop into midfield to facilitate. The United States internationals are also happy to shoot from outside the box. This often requires a teammate to do more thankless work running off the ball and dribbling down the flank as the central playmakers find their pockets of space.
That job description matches Lussi’s style of play. Her expert reading of a game and dribbling help her teams advance upfield.
The 30-year-old has the kind of downhill compass that is vital to ease the pressure on Sanchez and Shaw, as it’s easier to make a defense backpedal in the less congested wide thirds of the field. Lussi has the potential to set a new career high mark with assists, but her movement should allow her to bag a handful of goals as well.
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Orlando Pride: Angelina
Orlando’s emergent 2024 had many headliners. Banda was unstoppable and a worthy MVP finalist. Marta cannon-balled into the fountain of youth to help the Pride win its first NWSL title. Seb Hines was a worthy coach of the year, while defender Emily Sams went from an unsung starter to an Olympic gold medalist.
And yet, the midfield was often overlooked when discussing this team’s greatest strengths. That’s not to criticise Angelina, who was industrious and consistent in the heart of the park. The Jersey City-born midfielder made a defensive impact across the pitch, was a consistent chance-creator and vital line-breaking passer in the team’s build-up.
The 25-year-old Brazil international has already built a winning track record and will expect a similar high standard for herself and her team alike. Banda and Marta will undoubtedly still fill the highlight reels, but much of what they can do depends on players like Angelina.
Portland Thorns: Anyone who’s available for selection
Among the league’s most consistent franchises since debuting, Portland will follow a tumultuous 2024 with even more uncertainty this spring. Christine Sinclair and Becky Sauerbrunn have retired, while the team placed three starters — Morgan Weaver, Marie Müller and Nicole Payne — on the season-ending injury list late in February. As if that wasn’t enough change for one offseason, star striker Sophia Wilson (nee Smith) announced her pregnancy in early March. 
That’s an overwhelming amount of attacking quality now missing from last year’s side.
Of the players shown above who helped Portland crash the box, only Canada international Jessie Fleming, United States international Olivia Moultrie and second-year forward Payton Linnehan return. Sam Coffey gives the Thorns arguably the league’s best defensive midfielder. Japan international Hina Sugita may also be relied upon heavily, and Deyna Castellanos has arrived after a frustrating year with Bay. Still, this figures to be another season with plenty of questions to answer for the Thorns.
Racing Louisville: Uchenna Kanu
This season will be Louisville’s fifth in the NWSL. For four years running, Louisville has finished ninth in the standings — a feat that’s increasingly impressive as the league continues to expand, but a place that has never been enough for a playoff berth.
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The squad has undeniable quality. The midfield looks especially robust, with Savannah DeMelo and Ary Borges pulling the strings. Taylor Flint is among the league’s best defensive midfielders. Emma Sears has broken through with the USWNT and is among the league’s best players in transition sequences thanks to her considerable speed and dribbling ability. All those skill sets are great for build-up and chance generation, but Louisville has often gone begging for a consistent goalscorer.
While Kanu featured in a few roles last year, most often as a left-sided attacking midfielder, her shifts up front may give head coach Bev Yanez her answer at striker. The Nigeria international converted five of the seven shots she placed on goal, while her goalscoring record with Tigres UANL (20 goals in 30 games) shows what she can do. If she can get closer to that return, Louisville may finally finish in a playoff position.
San Diego Wave: Kailen Sheridan
Not much went to plan for San Diego in its fourth season. As Alex Morgan played the final season of her illustrious career, the 2023 NWSL Shield winner plummeted to the wrong end of the table. The Wave played under three coaches while Morgan and Girma closed their tenures at the club.
The Wave is looking to rebound under former Arsenal coach Jonas Eidevall. Adriana Leon is the new projected star striker, but Sheridan represents an invaluable presence in the locker room. Not only is she Leon’s international teammate, which should help as the forward readjusts to the league, but she also has the high-level track record and leadership chops to give Eidevall someone to lean on.
She’s also still among the world’s best goalkeepers. Even as San Diego’s once-stout defense wobbled in 2024, Sheridan performed well above expectations. The 29-year-old is the undisputed most important player at the Wave.
Seattle Reign: Jordyn Huitema
Huitema broke through early, debuting internationally as a 15-year-old and making Canada’s 2019 World Cup squad just after her 18th birthday. The hype machine did its thing and projected her as Canada’s answer up top, but she hasn’t put up the goalscoring numbers that typified her predecessor, Sinclair. Huitema has scored 23 goals in her 88 caps for Canada, but she’s scored just 10 times for Seattle across her first three seasons.
Huitema has expert movement in the final third and consistently gets into good scoring areas, with her average shot distance since joining the Reign ranging from 11.2 yards to 12.8 yards. Her shot placement is the concern.
Most great strikers spray the ball to any area of the goalmouth, high and low, to keep a goalkeeper guessing. Last year, Huitema did the opposite, placing 74 percent of her shots on target low and in the middle of the goal.
With Biyendolo joining Seattle this winter, it could afford Huitema more space to set up her shots. If so, it could lead to the kind of goal return that many expected from the Canada international when she first broke out.
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Utah Royals: Mina Tanaka
tah Royals: Mina Tanaka
Tanaka could hardly have started 2025 in finer form. The Royal scored four goals in Japan’s first two games of the SheBelieves Cup to tie Swanson’s 2023 record for the three-game tournament. She started in Japan’s 2-1 victory to capture the team’s first SheBelieves trophy.
The forward made her NWSL debut midway through the 2024 season, joining Utah in July. Although she scored just once, it was the second time she had played outside of Japan. With an offseason to acclimate, she should also have a clearer role under head coach Jimmy Coenraets.
Both Tanaka and fellow SheBelieves star Ally Sentnor love a shot from deep, but Tanaka projects to be more willing to play in a more advanced role as a striker. Her deftness on the ball and quick decision-making will make her an exceptional focal point for the Royals in 2025.
Washington Spirit: Hal Hershfelt
While Croix Bethune was a no-brainer to win rookie of the year, she was far from the only first-year player to carry the Spirit to the NWSL championship final. Many were surprised to see Hershfelt among Hayes’ alternates for the 2024 Olympics, but the selection only clued more of us in on how impactful the midfielder already was for her club.
Drafted out of Clemson, Hershfelt was selected using the pick that Washington obtained when they traded Sanchez. In her first professional season, Hershfelt played with tenacity and confidence, getting stuck in across the pitch while playing with positional awareness that rarely left Washington without cover.
Hershfelt was also an aerial threat on set pieces, most memorably saving the Spirit’s season with a late equalizer in the semifinal against Gotham. The mix of high-octane defending and aerial threat in attack begs comparisons to Julie Ertz, and the 23-year-old would be a worthy regular alternative to Coffey for the USWNT.
(Top photo: Imagn Images)
Julian Alvarez penalty decision could spark law change; UEFA to discuss with FIFA, IFAB
By Colin Millar, Alex Brodie and more Mar. 13, 2025Updated Mar. 14, 2025 10:03 am PDT
The law that saw Julian Alvarez’s penalty controversially ruled out against Real Madrid could be reviewed with UEFA releasing a new video of the spot kick.
The footage of the penalty, posted on the governing body’s website, shows the ball move slightly after being touched by the Atletico Madrid forward’s standing left foot before he strikes it with his right.
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Alvarez thought he had scored from the spot during the penalty shootout in his side’s Champions League last-16 second-leg defeat before a video assistant referee (VAR) intervention saw it chalked off.
Real Madrid went on to advance through to the quarter-finals.
On Thursday, UEFA said Atletico had contacted them about the decision and that they will discuss the law with FIFA, the world governing body, and the International Football Association Board (IFAB), which determines the laws of the game.
UEFA released the video of the penalty on its website on Thursday (UEFA)
In a statement, UEFA said: “Atletico Madrid enquired with UEFA over the incident, which led to the disallowance of the kick from the penalty mark taken by Julian Alvarez at the end of yesterday’s UEFA Champions League match against Real Madrid.
“Although minimal, the player made contact with the ball using his standing foot before kicking it, as shown in the attached video clip. Under the current rule (Laws of the Game, Law 14.1), the VAR had to call the referee signalling that the goal should be disallowed.
“UEFA will enter discussions with FIFA and IFAB to determine whether the rule should be reviewed in cases where a double touch is clearly unintentional.”
Atletico head coach Diego Simeone was left angered by the decision and claimed there was insufficient evidence for VAR to overturn the on-field referee’s initial call.
“The referee said when Julian got to the penalty spot he touched the ball with his standing foot, but the ball did not move,” he told reporters after the game.
“I’ve never seen a penalty where they’ve called the VAR, but well, they would have seen that he touched it. I want to believe they saw he touched it.
“Did you see him touching the ball twice? Please, whoever was present in the stadium and saw him touching the ball twice, the ball moving, please come forward and raise your hand. I don’t see anybody with their hand raised so that’s all I have to say… next question.”
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The IFAB laws of the game prohibit the player taking the penalty kick from playing the ball twice before it has touched another player, the ball stops moving or goes out of play.
Article 14.1 reads: “The kicker must not play the ball again until it has touched another player. The penalty kick is completed when the ball stops moving, goes out of play or the referee stops play for any offence.”
Alvarez’s penalty was ruled out after a VAR intervention (Florencia Tan Jun/Getty Images)
The law was designed to stop players from dribbling towards goal from a penalty kick and was applied in January 2023 when then-Fulham striker Aleksandar Mitrovic slipped as he went to strike the penalty against Newcastle United and kicked it into his standing leg.
Mitrovic’s penalty goal was disallowed and a free-kick was awarded to Newcastle.
UEFA introduced in-ball technology for Euro 2024 last summer to help improve the accuracy and speed of decision making.
European football’s governing body have confirmed to The Athletic that no in-ball technology was used to assist in overturning the decision to award Alvarez’s penalty with the new system only in place for the men’s and women’s European Championships but not the Champions League.
The decision was made solely using cameras in the stadium. The semi-automated offside system in place also utilises cameras only.
An Atletico statement on Friday detailed the “tremendous frustration” the club feel over the decision and threw their support behind a changing of the law.
A club spokesperson said: “For us there is an error in the use of the VAR that has caused tremendous frustration and damage to our fans and the efforts of our players. We consider that there is no clear movement as indicated in rule 14 and that in 45 seconds you cannot resolve an action that more than a day later is still unclear.
“But we are aware that even if this error is demonstrated in the use of the VAR it will never change the final result of the tie. We believe that the football family must work together to prevent such an error from happening again.”
Real Madrid will now play Arsenal in the quarter-finals of the Champions League with the fixtures to be played over April 8 and April 16.
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