Season: | 2022 |
Competition: | National Women's Soccer League |
Winners: | Portland Thorns FC (3rd title) |
Shieldtitle: | NWSL Shield |
Shield: | OL Reign (3rd shield) |
Continentalcup1: | Challenge Cup |
Continentalcup1 Qualifiers: | North Carolina Courage (1st cup) |
Matches: | 132 |
Total Goals: | 367 |
League Topscorer: | Alex Morgan (15 goals) |
Best Goalkeeper: | Bella Bixby, Phallon Tullis-Joyce (9 clean sheets) |
Biggest Home Win: | POR 6–0 ORL (June 19) |
Biggest Away Win: | LOU 0–4 CHI (August 27) HOU 0–4 POR (June 12) |
Highest Scoring: | NC 3–4 HOU (June 19) NC 3–4 KC (August 13) WAS 4–3 SD (September 10) |
Longest Wins: | 3 games SD (May 1 – May 18) KC (July 1 – July 31) HOU (July 16 – August 12) |
Longest Unbeaten: | 13 games KC (May 30 – Sept 14) |
Longest Winless: | 16 games WAS (May 15 – September 10) |
Longest Losses: | 12 games NJY (July 16 – October 1) |
Highest Attendance: | 32,000 SD vs. LA (Sept 17) |
Lowest Attendance: | 1,961 WAS vs. CHI (June 1) |
Attendance: | 1,045,095 |
Average Attendance: | 7,917 |
Prevseason: | 2021 |
Nextseason: | 2023 |
The 2022 National Women's Soccer League season was the tenth season of the National Women's Soccer League, the top division of women's soccer in the United States. Including the NWSL's two professional predecessors, Women's Professional Soccer (2009–2011) and the Women's United Soccer Association (2001–2003), it was the 16th overall season of FIFA and USSF-sanctioned top division women's soccer in the United States. Twelve teams competed in the league, including two expansion teams, San Diego Wave FC and Angel City FC.
The NWSL regular season, comprising 22 games for each team, began on April 29 and ended on October 2, 2022. OL Reign topped the standing with 40 points and thus won the NWSL Shield. The championship playoffs were held from October 16–29 and were won by Portland Thorns FC, who defeated the Kansas City Current 2-0 in the final and thus became the NWSL champions. The year also included the 2022 NWSL Challenge Cup, which was played from March 18 to May 7 and overlapped with the start of the regular season. It was won by the North Carolina Courage, who defeated the Washington Spirit 2-1 in the final.
This season was the first in which the total attendance exceeded one million.[1]
On October 21, 2020, the Los Angeles expansion team announced its name as Angel City FC.[2]
On October 30, 2021, the NWSL franchise in Kansas City announced its new name as Kansas City Current.[3]
On November 9, 2021, the San Diego expansion team announced its name as San Diego Wave FC.[4]
See also: List of National Women's Soccer League stadiums.
Capacities listed here are full capacities, and do not reflect COVID-19 restrictions.
Team | Stadium | data-sort-type="number" | Capacity |
---|---|---|---|
Angel City FC | Banc of California Stadium | 22,000 | |
Titan Stadium | 10,000 | ||
Chicago Red Stars | SeatGeek Stadium | 20,000 | |
Houston Dash | PNC Stadium | 7,000 | |
Kansas City Current | Children's Mercy Park[5] | 18,467 | |
NJ/NY Gotham FC | Red Bull Arena | 25,000 | |
North Carolina Courage | Sahlen's Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park | 10,000 | |
OL Reign | Lumen Field[6] | 10,000 | |
Orlando Pride | Exploria Stadium | 25,500 | |
Portland Thorns FC | Providence Park | 25,218 | |
Racing Louisville FC | Lynn Family Stadium | 11,700 | |
San Diego Wave FC | Torero Stadium | 6,000 | |
Snapdragon Stadium | 35,000 | ||
Washington Spirit | Audi Field | 20,000 | |
Segra Field | 5,000 |
Note: All teams use Nike as their kit manufacturer as part of a league-wide sponsorship agreement renewed in November 2021.[7]
Team | Head coach | Captain | Shirt sponsor | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Angel City FC | Ali Riley[8] | DoorDash[9] | ||
Chicago Red Stars | [10] | CIBC[11] | ||
Houston Dash | (interim) | Jane Campbell Katie Naughton[12] | MD Anderson Cancer Center | |
Kansas City Current | Sam Mewis Desiree Scott[13] | Saint Luke's Health System[14] | ||
NJ/NY Gotham FC | (interim) | Algorand[15] | ||
North Carolina Courage | Continental AG | |||
OL Reign | Lauren Barnes Megan Rapinoe | Black Future Co-op Fund | ||
Orlando Pride | (interim) | Marta[16] | Orlando Health | |
Portland Thorns FC | Christine Sinclair | Providence Health & Services | ||
Racing Louisville FC | Gemma Bonner Emily Fox Jessica McDonald Nadia Nadim[17] | GE Appliances | ||
San Diego Wave FC | Alex Morgan[18] | Kaiser Permanente[19] | ||
Washington Spirit | (interim) | Tori Huster | The Kennedy Center (home)[20] CVS Health (away)[21] |
Team | Outgoing coach | Manner of departure | Date of vacancy | Position in table | Incoming coach | Date of appointment | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Washington Spirit | Re-assigned | August 10, 2021 | 7th in 2021 | December 20, 2021 | [22] | |||
San Diego Wave FC | Preseason | July 14, 2021 | [23] | |||||
Angel City FC | Preseason | August 23, 2021 | [24] | |||||
Orlando Pride | (interim) | End of interim period | October 30, 2021 | Preseason | December 7, 2021 | [25] [26] | ||
Racing Louisville FC | (interim) | End of interim period | November 1, 2021 | Preseason | December 9, 2021 | [27] [28] | ||
North Carolina Courage | (interim) | End of interim period | November 8, 2021 | Preseason | December 1, 2021 | [29] [30] | ||
Portland Thorns FC | Resigned | November 15, 2021 | Preseason | November 29, 2021 | [31] [32] | |||
Kansas City Current | Re-assigned | November 18, 2021 | Preseason | January 11, 2022 | [33] [34] | |||
Chicago Red Stars | Resigned | November 22, 2021 | Preseason | February 18, 2022 | [35] [36] | |||
Houston Dash | Suspended | April 26, 2022 | Preseason | (acting) | April 29, 2022 | [37] [38] | ||
Orlando Pride | Placed on administrative leave | June 7, 2022 | 9th | (interim) | June 7, 2022 | [39] | ||
Houston Dash | (acting) | End of acting period | July 12, 2022 | 6th | (interim) | June 15, 2022 | [40] | |
NJ/NY Gotham FC | Mutual separation | August 11, 2022 | 11th | (acting) | August 14, 2022 | [41] [42] | ||
NJ/NY Gotham FC | (acting) | End of acting period | August 15, 2022 | 11th | (interim) | August 13, 2022 | [43] | |
Washington Spirit | Fired | August 22, 2022 | 11th | (acting) | August 27, 2022 | [44] | ||
Washington Spirit | (acting) | End of acting period | August 28, 2022 | 11th | (interim) | September 2, 2022 | [45] |
The initial determining factor for a team's position in the standings is most points earned, with three points earned for a win, one point for a draw, and zero points for a loss. If two or more teams tie in total points total when determining rank, playoff qualification, and seeding, the NWSL uses the following tiebreaker criteria,[46] going down the list until all teams are ranked.
Considering each week to end when the NWSL releases their weekly standing tweet
Team \ Week | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
8 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 3 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 1 | ||
2 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 8 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 2 | ||
6 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 3 | ||
10 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 4 | ||
12 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 7 | 7 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 5 | ||
4 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 6 | ||
7 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 7 | ||
3 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 7 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 8 | ||
9 | 9 | 9 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 9 | ||
11 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 9 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 10 | ||
5 | 3 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 11 | ||
1 | 7 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 5 | 7 | 8 | 10 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 |
See also: National Women's Soccer League attendance.
Ranked from highest to lowest average attendance.
Regular season
Team | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
11 | 210,153 | 22,000 | 16,112 | 19,105 | ||
11 | 170,976 | 19,127 | 9,876 | 15,543 | ||
11 | 96,017 | 32,000 | 4,418 | 8,729 | ||
11 | 84,223 | 10,395 | 5,695 | 7,657 | ||
11 | 75,289 | 10,746 | 3,944 | 6,844 | ||
11 | 68,441 | 10,177 | 1,961 | 6,222 | ||
11 | 66,529 | 8,729 | 5,107 | 6,048 | ||
11 | 64,588 | 23,951 | 2,135 | 5,872 | ||
11 | 62,085 | 7,798 | 4,637 | 5,644 | ||
11 | 49,991 | 6,398 | 3,084 | 4,545 | ||
11 | 48,563 | 7,145 | 2,130 | 4,415 | ||
11 | 48,240 | 7,573 | 3,015 | 4,385 | ||
Total | 132 | 1,045,095 | 32,000 | 1,961 | 7,917 |
Regular season
Rank | Home team | Score | Away team | Attendance[47] | Date | Stadium |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 1–0 | 32,000 | Snapdragon Stadium | |||
2 | 0–1 | 23,951 | Soldier Field | |||
3 | 2–1 | 22,000 | Banc of California Stadium | |||
2–1 | 22,000 | Banc of California Stadium | ||||
2–3 | 22,000 | Banc of California Stadium | ||||
1–3 | 22,000 | Banc of California Stadium | ||||
7 | 0–1 | 18,784 | Banc of California Stadium | |||
8 | 0–2 | 18,624 | Providence Park | |||
9 | 1–0 | 18,514 | Banc of California Stadium | |||
10 | 0–0 | 18,000 | Snapdragon Stadium | |||
Updated through October 2, 2022.
See also: List of NWSL hat-tricks.
Alex Morgan 4 | San Diego Wave FC | NJ/NY Gotham FC | 4–0 | May 7 | |
Houston Dash | Orlando Pride | 5–0 | June 3 | ||
Houston Dash | Chicago Red Stars | 4–1 | July 16 | ||
North Carolina Courage | NJ/NY Gotham FC | 3–0 | September 24 |
The top six teams from the regular season qualified for the NWSL Championship playoffs, with the top two teams receiving a first-round bye. On August 23, 2022, the league announced that the championship match would be held on October 29, 2022, at Audi Field in Washington, D.C., with domestic broadcast on CBS and a prime-time kickoff at 8 p.m. EDT.[50] [51]
See main article: 2022 NWSL Challenge Cup.
See main article: 2022 NWSL Challenge Cup Championship.
Award | Winner | Nominees | Ref. | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Golden Boot | Alex Morgan (15 G) | San Diego Wave FC | N/A | [52] | |
Most Valuable Player | Sophia Smith | Portland Thorns FC | Debinha, NC Naomi Girma, SD Alex Morgan, SD Mallory Pugh, CHI | [53] | |
Defender of the Year | Naomi Girma | San Diego Wave FC | Alana Cook, RGN Sofia Huerta, RGN Carson Pickett, NC Becky Sauerbrunn, POR | [54] | |
Goalkeeper of the Year | Kailen Sheridan | San Diego Wave FC | Adrianna Franch, KC Phallon Tullis-Joyce, RGN | [55] | |
Rookie of the Year | Naomi Girma | San Diego Wave FC | Sam Coffey, POR Diana Ordóñez, NC | ||
Coach of the Year | Casey Stoney | San Diego Wave FC | Laura Harvey, RGN Matt Potter, KC | [56] |
Announced October 25, 2022[57]
Best XI
Position | Player | Club |
---|---|---|
Goalkeeper | San Diego Wave FC | |
Defender | OL Reign | |
San Diego Wave FC | ||
OL Reign | ||
North Carolina Courage | ||
Midfielder/Forward | Portland Thorns FC | |
Kansas City Current | ||
San Diego Wave FC | ||
North Carolina Courage | ||
Chicago Red Stars | ||
Portland Thorns FC |
Second XI
Position | Player | Club |
---|---|---|
Goalkeeper | Kansas City Current | |
Defender | Portland Thorns FC | |
Kansas City Current | ||
Chicago Red Stars | ||
Portland Thorns FC | ||
Midfielder/Forward | North Carolina Courage | |
OL Reign | ||
OL Reign | ||
North Carolina Courage | ||
OL Reign | ||
Houston Dash |
Month | Player | Club | Ref. | |
---|---|---|---|---|
May | Alex Morgan | San Diego Wave FC | [58] | |
June | Sophia Smith | Portland Thorns FC | [59] | |
July | Ebony Salmon | Houston Dash | [60] | |
August | Megan Rapinoe | OL Reign | [61] | |
September/October | Debinha | North Carolina Courage | [62] |
Month | Player | Club | Ref. | |
---|---|---|---|---|
May | Naomi Girma | San Diego Wave FC | [63] | |
June | Sam Coffey | Portland Thorns FC | [64] | |
July | Savannah DeMelo | Racing Louisville FC | [65] | |
August | Diana Ordoñez | North Carolina Courage | [66] | |
September/October | Naomi Girma (2) | San Diego Wave FC | [67] |
Month | Goalkeeper | Defenders | Midfielders | Forwards | Ref. | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
May | Phallon Tullis-Joyce, RGN | [68] | ||||
June | Bella Bixby, POR | Naomi Girma (2), SD Natalia Kuikka, POR Tatumn Milazzo, CHI Carson Pickett, NC | Alex Morgan (2), SD Mallory Pugh (2), CHI Sophia Smith, POR | [69] | ||
July | Adrianna Franch, KC | Kristen Edmonds, KC Kelli Hubly, POR Hailie Mace, KC Carson Pickett (2), NC | Jess Fishlock, RGN Lo'eau LaBonta, KC Hina Sugita, POR | Bethany Balcer, RGN Ebony Salmon, HOU Morgan Weaver, POR | [70] | |
August | Adrianna Franch (2), KC | Elizabeth Ball, KC Naomi Girma (3), SD Sofia Huerta (2), RGN Carson Pickett (3), NC | Meggie Dougherty Howard, ORL Lo'eau LaBonta (2), KC Cari Roccaro, LA | Diana Ordoñez, NC Megan Rapinoe, RGN Ebony Salmon (2), HOU | [71] | |
September/October | Katie Lund, LOU | Alana Cook (2), RGN Naomi Girma (4), SD Hailie Mace (2), KC Carson Pickett (4), NC | Sam Coffey (2), POR Vanessa DiBernardo, CHI Rose Lavelle (2), RGN | Debinha (2), NC Megan Rapinoe (2), RGN Sophia Smith (2), POR | [72] |
Week | Player of the Week | Save of the Week | Ref. | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Player | Club | Player | Club | |||
1 | [73] [74] | |||||
2 | [75] [76] | |||||
3 | Phallon Tullis-Joyce (2) | [77] [78] | ||||
4 | DiDi Haračić (2) | [79] [80] | ||||
5 | [81] [82] | |||||
6 | DiDi Haračić (3) | [83] [84] | ||||
7 | [85] [86] | |||||
8 | Alex Morgan (2) | [87] [88] | ||||
9 | Jess Fishlock | [89] [90] | ||||
10 | Adrianna Franch | Adrianna Franch | [91] [92] | |||
11 | Ebony Salmon | Adrianna Franch (2) | [93] [94] | |||
12 | Sofia Huerta (2) | San Diego Wave FC | [95] [96] | |||
13 | Racing Louisville FC | [97] [98] | ||||
14 | NJ/NY Gotham FC | [99] [100] | ||||
15 | Michelle Betos (2) | NJ/NY Gotham FC | [101] [102] | |||
16 | [103] [104] | |||||
17 | [105] [106] | |||||
18 | Kailen Sheridan | San Diego Wave FC | Kailen Sheridan (2) | [107] [108] | ||
19 | Debinha | North Carolina Courage | Bella Bixby (2) | Portland Thorns FC | [109] [110] |