101-708: The National Women's Soccer League ( NWSL ) is a professional women's soccer league at the top of the United States league system (alongside the USL Super League ). Headquartered in New York City , it is owned by the teams and, until 2020, was under a management contract with the United States Soccer Federation . The NWSL was established in 2012 as the successor to Women's Professional Soccer (WPS; 2007–2012), which
202-776: A Paralympic event. The CONCACAF W Championship is a women's football competition organized by CONCACAF that often serves as the qualifying competition to the Women's World Cup and the Olympics. The CONCACAF W Gold Cup had its inaugural edition in 2024 . It featured 12 national teams (8 from the CONCACAF region, and 4 invited from the CONMEBOL region) and was won by the United States . European women's tournaments featuring national teams were held in Italy in 1969 and in 1979 as
303-631: A new team run by the Dynamo organization for expansion in 2014, despite their earlier statement that there would be no expansion for the league's second season. During the second offseason, expansion talk grew rapidly, with three established men's teams ( Real Salt Lake of MLS, the Indy Eleven of NASL, and the Pittsburgh Riverhounds of USL Pro) expressing interest in joining NWSL, as well as an unattached group from Atlanta. There
404-548: A salary cap that limits their total spending on players. Before the 2022 season, salaries of federation players were paid for completely or mostly by their respective national federations, and they counted against the salary cap at a pre-determined amount—$ 33,000 for U.S. players, and $ 27,500 or the actual salary for Canadian players, whichever is lower. Non-federation players are subject to minimum and maximum salary limits. Each team provides fully paid healthcare for its players, and also provides housing, either directly or through
505-559: A 1–1 draw in front of a crowd of 6,784 fans at Shawnee Mission District Stadium . Renae Cuellar scored the first goal in league history. The 2013 season saw regular-season attendance average of 4,270, with a high of 17,619 on August 4 for Kansas City at Portland. The NWSL became the first U.S. professional women's soccer league to reach nine teams with the addition of Houston Dash , backed by Major League Soccer (MLS) team Houston Dynamo , in 2014 ; expansion interest, particularly from MLS and USL teams, has continued. The third season saw
606-754: A 5–1 scoreline. The 1939 competition was a more organised affair and the Edinburgh City Girls beat Dick, Kerr 5–2 in Edinburgh , following this up with a 7–1 demolition of Glasgow Ladies in Falkirk to take the title. The English Women's FA was formed in 1969 as a result of the increased interest generated by the 1966 World Cup . The ban in England was maintained by the FA for nearly fifty years, until January 1970. The next year, UEFA recommended that
707-712: A final total attendance of 312,199. The first known World Cup tournaments for women's teams are the 1970 Women's World Cup in Italy and the 1971 Women's World Cup in Mexico, both of which hold attendance records and were organised by the international women's association FIEFF . Some other major tournaments were the Women's World Invitational Tournament in Taiwan (1978–1987) and the Women's Mundialito in Japan and Italy (1981–1988). FIFA effectively ignored women's football prior to
808-612: A month. Commissioner Jeff Plush said that over a dozen interested groups had contacted the league in the post-World-Cup weeks; MLS team Orlando City SC was one of the first newly interested groups made public. On October 20, 2015, it was announced that Orlando would be hosting the 10th NWSL team, the Orlando Pride , due to start the 2016 season. At that announcement, the Pride announced that they had hired former U.S. National Women's Team coach Tom Sermanni . On November 16, 2017, it
909-416: A penalty shoot-out and winning its fourth title in the competition. While a number of features continue to improve, this is not the case for female coaches. They continue to be under-represented in a number of European women's leagues. However, the popularity and participation in women's football continues to grow. In 2022, FC Barcelona had the two largest reported attendances for women's football since
1010-512: A quarterfinal round for all qualified teams. The current playoff format began in 2024 . From 2021 to 2023, the playoffs included six teams, with the top two teams receiving byes to the semi-finals. Prior to 2021, the playoffs included only four teams. The number of regular-season matches had also fluctuated between 20 and 24 in past seasons. In 2021 and 2022 the Challenge Cup was a preseason tournament, while in 2023 it ran concurrently with
1111-665: A roundtable for discussion of the future of women's professional soccer in the United States. The meeting, which included representatives from US Soccer, WPS teams, the W-League (ceased operation in 2015), and the Women's Premier Soccer League (WPSL), was held in June. By November, after much discussion, owners from the Chicago Red Stars, Boston Breakers and US Soccer recruited an additional six teams. Compared to WPS,
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#17327655517641212-624: A shortened schedule and some early-season roster instability due to the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada, but the World Cup also provided exposure to the NWSL, which was credited with boosting attendance numbers across the league. The league also became the first professional women's league in the US to play more than three seasons when the league kicked off its fourth season in 2016. The 2020 season
1313-409: A star to the crest on its jersey. The playoffs, a single-elimination knockout tournament, are organized by the league in a format similar to other North American professional sports leagues. At the conclusion of the regular season, the top eight teams in the standings earn a berth to the tournament; prior to 2024 six teams qualified for the playoffs and prior to 2021, only the top four teams qualified for
1414-405: A stipend of no more than $ 3,000 per month. In addition, teams are allowed to provide their players with the use of a car valued at no more than $ 50,000. These expenses are specifically excluded from cap calculations. In 2019, the maximum senior roster size was expanded to 22 and the minimum to 20, with an additional four supplemental spots for players earning minimum salary that do not count against
1515-523: A union. The NWSL recognized the NWSLPA as the players' union on November 15, 2018. As of February 2022, the NWSLPA is led by civil rights attorney and former WPS players' union organizer Meghann Burke . Prior to the 2022 season, the NWSLPA membership did not include United States federation players because those players were contracted to the US Soccer Federation for their NWSL play. With
1616-497: Is a competition for women's national football teams governed by the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF). India won the first 5 editions, beating Nepal four times and Bangladesh once in the final. Bangladesh is the current champion having defeated Nepal by 3–1 goals on 19 September 2022 in the final. The OFC Women's Nations Cup is a women's football tournament for national teams who belong to
1717-491: Is an international women's football competition held every two years and sanctioned by the Confederation of African Football (CAF). It was first contested in 1991, but was not held biennially until 1998. Nigeria is the most successful nation in the tournament's history with 11 titles. The CAF Women's Champions League is an international competition that involves the top women's club teams from countries affiliated with
1818-563: Is with Paris Saint-Germain , with matches between the two teams sometimes referred as the "Classique féminin". Paris is OL's main contender for national titles, as they finished in second place of D1 Féminine seven times. Lyon had never lost the D1 title to PSG until 2021 when PSG finished ahead of Lyon, and won five Coupe de France finals against Paris. In 2017 both teams reached the Champions League final, with Lyon beating Paris after
1919-532: The 1970 Women's World Cup in Italy, supported by the Martini & Rossi strong wine manufacturers, and entirely without the involvement of FIFA . This event was at least partly played by clubs and won by Denmark. A second edition, the 1971 Women's World Cup , was hosted by Mexico the following year. The final, also won by Denmark, was played at Estadio Azteca , the largest stadium in North America at
2020-590: The 1971 Women's World Cup final between Mexico and Denmark (110,000) at the Azteca Stadium , when they played Real Madrid (91,553) and Wolfsburg (91,648) at Camp Nou for the 2021–22 UEFA Women's Champions League . In April 2024, the 2023–24 A-League Women season set the record for the most attended season of any women's sport in Australian history, with the season recording a total attendance of 284,551 on 15 April 2024, and finishing with
2121-467: The 1999 final on penalties against China (with a competition-record crowd of over 90,000 in Pasadena ). Germany won consecutive world titles in 2003 and 2007, winning finals against Sweden and Brazil respectively. Japan became champions in 2011 , the country's first senior football world championship. The United States won the tournament again in 2015 and 2019 . Spain won the tournament for
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#17327655517642222-518: The 2008 Summer Olympics . During her tenure with the women's national team, she was in charge of all areas of administration including interfacing with clubs, team travel, payroll, and working with FIFA, CONCACAF, and other federations. Nike, Inc. was selected as league sponsor, providing apparel to all teams as well as the game ball. The first NWSL game was held on April 13, 2013, as the Portland Thorns visited FC Kansas City , playing to
2323-733: The LA Strikers and Pali Blues ) and from Hartford, Connecticut , were confirmed failed bids, as was one from the Seattle Sounders Women . There was speculation that the Vancouver Whitecaps Women could be logical candidates especially given the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada; however, the Whitecaps shuttered their women's program (except for one U-18 academy team) in December 2012. During
2424-655: The Laws of the Game , are used for both women's and men's football. After the "first golden age" of women's football occurred in the United Kingdom in the 1920s, with one match attracting over 50,000 spectators, The Football Association instituted a ban from 1921 to 1970 in England that disallowed women's football on the grounds used by its member clubs. In many other nations, female footballers faced similarly hostile treatment and bans by male-dominated organisations. In
2525-478: The NWSL Player Allocation and subsequent trades. In addition, each team had four spots each season available for international players; these spots could be traded to other teams. The remaining roster spots were required to be filled by domestic players from the United States. Teams filled their rosters via a number of drafts and 4–6 discovery player signings. Mexico stopped allocating players to
2626-714: The National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) was launched with initial support from the soccer federations of the United States, Canada, and Mexico. In 2017, Liga MX Femenil was launched in Mexico and broke several attendance records. The league is composed of women's teams of the men's counterpart teams in Liga MX . On 20 March 2024, the league in collaboration with the NWSL , announced a new international competition named Summer Cup . This competition will feature six teams from Liga MX Femenil that will compete against teams from
2727-692: The Oceania Football Confederation (OFC). The competition has served as a qualifying tournament for the FIFA Women's World Cup since 1991. After the lifting of the FA ban, the Women's Football Association held its first national knockout tournament , the 1970–71 WFA Cup . Southampton Women's F.C. was the inaugural winner and became the Cup-winner eight times. From 1983 to 1994, Doncaster Belles reached ten out of eleven finals, winning six of them. As of 2023, Chelsea are
2828-520: The UEFA Women's Championship was then dominated by Germany , who won eight titles, including six in a row from 1995 to 2013. The only other teams to win, as of 2022, are Norway in 1993 , the Netherlands at home in 2017 , and England at home in 2022 . The UEFA Women's Champions League is an international competition that involves the top women's club teams from countries affiliated with
2929-489: The USSF , announced that Bailey was named as the executive director of the National Women's Soccer League . She oversaw the first two seasons of the league She stepped down after the 2014 season. Bailey has a bachelor's degree from Slippery Rock State College in health and physical education and received her master's degree in physical education from Ohio State in 1983. Bailey's son, Kenneth James Marra, currently serves as
3030-545: The United Soccer League , one is part of a global portfolio of women's soccer clubs owned by Michele Kang , and seven are independent. Current team Defunct team Former team Future team Soon after launch, the league reportedly planned to expand to ten teams for 2014. Potential candidates included groups not accepted as part of the original eight; groups from the Los Angeles area (joint effort from
3131-466: The 16th franchise, which is set to join the league in 2026 alongside Boston. A final decision is likely by the end of 2024. In the 2024 season , every NWSL team will use one stadium as its primary home venue. The highest single-game attendance in the league's history was on June 8, 2024, for a game between the Chicago Red Stars and Bay FC at Wrigley Field which drew 35,038. This broke
National Women's Soccer League - Misplaced Pages Continue
3232-608: The 1970s, international women's football tournaments were extremely popular, and the oldest surviving continental championship was founded, the AFC Women's Asian Cup . However, a woman did not speak at the FIFA Congress until 1986 ( Ellen Wille ). The FIFA Women's World Cup was first held in China in 1991 and has since become a major television event in many countries. Women may have been playing football for as long as
3333-535: The 1988 FIFA Women's Invitation Tournament in China. FIFA's first officially-recognised women's international match is France–Netherlands (1971), albeit a retroactive recognition decided in 2003 . The first FIFA Women's World Cup was held in China in November 1991 and won by the United States . The runners-up, Norway , became the 1995 champions, beating Germany in that final, in Sweden. The United States won
3434-435: The 2020 season to allow players to refuse federation status, but this change did not become public knowledge until after the end of the abbreviated season. In the 2021 season, clubs were explicitly allowed to use allocation money to sign federation players. In 2021, salary for unallocated players and the team salary cap both increased between 5 and 10 percent. On December 13, 2021, as part of negotiations between U.S. Soccer and
3535-502: The 2021 season, announcing its permanent identity of Kansas City Current immediately before its final home game of that season on October 30. On January 12, 2021, then-NWSL commissioner Lisa Baird shared in a press conference that an expansion team in Sacramento would join the league in 2022, but that the team ownership would make the official announcement in due course. A team announcement never materialized, however. In May 2021, it
3636-706: The African governing body CAF . The AFC Women's Asian Cup is a quadrennial competition in women's football for national teams which belong to the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). It is the oldest women's international football competition and premier women's football competition in the AFC region for national teams. The SAFF Women's Championship , also called the South Asian Football Federation Women's Cup ,
3737-626: The Athletic Administration at the University of Wisconsin . In 1990 Bailey was hired at the university as an associate athletic director for women's athletics. In the mid-1990s after the men's and women's athletic departments were combined at the university, Bailey was named the associate athletic director for sports administration. In 2001, as the lead administrator, Bailey was key in helping the university athletic department achieve gender equity compliance. Bailey served 3 years as
3838-605: The Badgers senior associate athletic director before resigning in 2005. During her 15 years at UW Bailey was the sports administrator for 22 different teams, including men's and women's soccer. Bailey served as chair of the NCAA Division 1 Basketball Committee from 2001 to 2004 and also served on the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics Executive Committee. In 2007 Bailey was appointed as
3939-549: The European Competition for Women's Football . They were not recognized as "official" by UEFA, which opposed women's football until the 1970s. The UEFA championship began in 1984 under the name European Competition For Representative Women's Teams . Now, it is also commonly referred to as the UEFA Women's Euro. The 1984 tournament was won by Sweden . Norway won the 1987 edition. Between 1987 and 2013,
4040-611: The European governing body UEFA . The Copa América Femenina is the main competition in women's football between national teams that are affiliated with CONMEBOL . The Copa Libertadores Femenina , formally the CONMEBOL Libertadores Femenina , is the international club competition for women's teams that play in the CONMEBOL region. The competition started in 2009 in response to the increased interest in women's football. The Women's Africa Cup of Nations
4141-422: The FA stating that "the game of football is quite unsuitable for females and ought not to be encouraged." Players and football writers have argued that this ban was due to envy of the large crowds that women's matches attracted, and because the FA had no control over the money made from the women's game. Dick, Kerr Ladies player Alice Barlow said, "we could only put it down to jealousy. We were more popular than
National Women's Soccer League - Misplaced Pages Continue
4242-479: The Los Angeles NWSL team became the first American professional sports team founded by a majority-woman ownership group to begin play, and co-founders Portman, Nortman, and Uhrman have publicly discussed their ownership stakes extensively as one way to address gender inequity in sports and to encourage additional investment by women into women's sports. On October 21, 2020, the ownership group announced that
4343-546: The NWSL Challenge Cup to a super cup between the current NWSL Shield holder and current NWSL Champions. Each team is scheduled for 26 regular-season games, with 13 homes games and 13 away games. At the end of the regular season, the team with the highest point total is awarded the NWSL Shield . Beginning in 2024 the eight teams with the most points from the regular season qualify for the playoffs , introducing
4444-623: The NWSL Shield: North Carolina Courage (3), Seattle Reign FC (3), Portland Thorns FC (2), Orlando Pride (1), San Diego Wave FC (1), and Western New York Flash (1). The Reign was the first team to repeat as Shield winners in 2014 and 2015, and FC Kansas City was the first team to win consecutive championships in the same years, both times defeating the Reign. In 2018, the North Carolina Courage became
4545-525: The NWSL announced that an expansion team in Kansas City would join the league in 2021 and take over player-related assets from Utah Royals FC . The Royals ceased operations at the same time, but the new owners of Utah Soccer LLC (after Dell Loy Hansen completes the sale) would have the option of re-establishing the Royals franchise in 2023. The team played under the placeholder name of Kansas City NWSL in
4646-404: The NWSL, having established its own women's league in 2017, and the numbers of allocated players and international players on each team varied each year due to trades. Effective with the 2022 season, the player allocation system has been fully abolished. Of the 14 teams contesting the 2024 season , four are affiliated with men's Major League Soccer teams, two are affiliated with men's teams of
4747-579: The NWSL, jointly announced on January 31, 2022, that they had entered into the league's first official collective bargaining agreement, which will run through the 2026 season. Under this agreement, the minimum player salary increased to $ 35,000 in the 2022 season. Free agency will formally be added; players with six seasons of NWSL service will become unrestricted free agents in 2023, with the required service time reduced to five seasons from 2024. Additionally, starting in 2024, players with three seasons of NWSL service will receive restricted free agency. Also, should
4848-532: The NWSL. The inaugural edition is scheduled to kick-off in July 2024. A 2014 FIFA report stated that at the beginning of the 21st century, women's football was growing in both popularity and participation, and more professional leagues were being launched worldwide. From the inaugural FIFA Women's World Cup tournament held in 1991 to the 1,194,221 tickets sold for the 1999 Women's World Cup , visibility and support of women's professional football had increased around
4949-605: The Red Bulls and Sky Blue FC confirmed that they were in discussions for cooperation. During the first offseason, the Houston Dynamo added their name to the list of MLS teams interested in fielding a women's side, stating that they were "exploring the opportunity" of starting an NWSL side in 2014 or '15, and in 2013 they announced the Houston Dash with 2014 as their inaugural season. By early December, NWSL approved
5050-483: The Women's National Football League. The Indian Women's League was launched in 2016. The country has held the top-tier tournament, Indian Women's Football Championship , since 1991. In 1985, the United States women's national soccer team was formed. Following the 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup , the first professional women's soccer league in the United States, the WUSA , was launched and lasted three years. The league
5151-491: The abolition of the federation player system for 2022 and beyond, the NWSLPA now represents all players in the NWSL. The league and the NWSLPA entered into their first collective bargaining agreement in advance of that season. The winner of the NWSL Championship, the final match of the NWSL playoffs , determines that season's NWSL champion. In addition to receiving the championship trophy, the champion gets to add
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#17327655517645252-534: The athletic director of Denison University a position she held until 1990. During her time at Denison, Bailey oversaw 12 women's sports where she most notably served as head coach of the track and field team from 1981 to 1988 and was head coach of the women's soccer team during her entire tenure with the school. She was also an assistant professor at the university where she taught Psychology/Sociology of Sports, History of Sports, Ethics of Sports, Lifetime skills & Activity Classes. From 1990 to 2005 Bailey served in
5353-681: The competition was able to begin. Later that year the league also played the NWSL Fall Series , a set of 18 games between teams within geographically restricted regions. The NWSL teams are spread across the United States. Each club is allowed a minimum of 20 players on their roster, with a maximum of 22 players (26 when including supplemental players) allowed at any time during the season. Originally, each team's roster included up to three allocated American national team players, up to two allocated Mexico women's national team players, and up to two allocated Canadian national team players via
5454-412: The contracts of the 22 omitted players included one or more option years that each player's club must first decline to exercise by the deadline of November 15 before the player would be eligible for free agency. The players association contended that the contracts expired on their expiration date, and not the option exercise deadline. The players association expected the league to deny the grievance, and for
5555-490: The dispute to enter arbitration. In 2024 Sophia Smith was signed by the Portland Thorns to a two-year contract extension that made her the highest paid player in the NWSL, but her salary was not disclosed. Active non-United States federation players , including unpaid amateur players, announced their formation of the NWSL Players Association (NWSLPA) on May 15, 2017, as the first step toward forming
5656-430: The expansion club would be called Angel City FC and announced more group members, among them tennis great Billie Jean King , WNBA star Candace Parker , alpine skiing great Lindsey Vonn and her fiancé at the time, NHL star P. K. Subban , actress and activist Sophia Bush , Latin music pop star Becky G , actor and TV host James Corden , and former US men's soccer international Cobi Jones . On December 7, 2020,
5757-407: The first competition in the spring of 1922. The winners were Stoke Ladies who beat Doncaster and Bentley Ladies 3–1 on 24 June 1922. In 1937, the Dick, Kerr Ladies F.C. , who had lost to Scotland's Rutherglen Ladies in 1923 but continued to be proclaimed as "world champions", played the Edinburgh City Girls in the "Championship of Great Britain and the World". Dick, Kerr won the competition with
5858-523: The first professional team sport in the U.S. to restart during the pandemic. The Houston Dash won the inaugural Challenge Cup, topping the Chicago Red Stars in the final. Women%27s association football Women's association football , more commonly known as women's football or women's soccer , is the team sport of association football played by women . It is played at the professional level in multiple countries , and 187 national teams participate internationally . The same rules, known as
5959-427: The first recorded "national" women's football event, known as the "Kartini Cup", took place in 1981. The competition was held on an amateur level. Later competitions were also held in an amateur and semi-professional level, including the 1982 appearance of the first women's league, Galanita. The Pertiwi Cup , which drew contestants from throughout all of Indonesia, was first played in 2006. The first professional league
6060-404: The first round proper getting more than the women's winners. Cheryl Bailey Cheryl Bailey (née Marra ; born 1954 or 1955) is the former executive director of the National Women's Soccer League . She formerly served as general manager of the United States women's national soccer team from 2007 to 2011. Bailey is from Jamestown, New York . In 1979, Bailey was appointed as
6161-477: The first team to win both the NWSL Shield and the NWSL Championship in the same season, a feat they repeated in 2019. The trophies won by FC Kansas City and Western New York officially remain with those teams and were not transferred to the expansion or successor teams in Utah and North Carolina that were assigned their player-related assets. This was a non-issue for Utah Royals FC, which won no trophies before folding and having its player-related assets transferred to
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#17327655517646262-404: The first time in 2023 . Since Football at the 1996 Summer Olympics – Women's tournament , a Women's Football Tournament has been staged at the Olympic Games . Unlike in the men's Olympic Football tournament (based on teams of mostly under-23 players), the Olympic women's teams do not have restrictions on professionalism or age. The participation of Great Britain at the 2012 Olympic tournament
6363-436: The first women's international matches against a French XI team in 1920, and also made up most of the England team against a Scottish Ladies XI in the same year, winning 22–0. Despite being more popular than some men's football events (one match saw a 53,000 strong crowd), women's football in England was halted in December 1921 when The Football Association outlawed the playing of the game on association members' pitches,
6464-404: The franchise now known as the Kansas City Current. Italics indicates a defunct team. Italics indicates a defunct team. In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic prevented the regular season from starting. Instead the league played the newly announced Challenge Cup , a tournament-style competition, starting in late June, with all teams in a protective bubble in Salt Lake City . This made the NWSL
6565-410: The game has existed. Evidence shows that a similar game ( cuju , also known as tsu chu ) was played by women during the Han dynasty (25–220 CE), as female figures are depicted in frescoes of the period playing tsu chu . Annual matches being played in Midlothian , Scotland, are reported as early as the 1790s. In 1863, football governing bodies introduced standardized rules to prohibit violence on
6666-480: The general manager of the United States Women's National Soccer Team . She led the support staff for the US team during the 2007 and the 2011 FIFA Women's World cups and the 2008 Olympics . During her time with US Soccer, Bailey was in charge of all administrative areas pertaining to the Women's National Team including travel, payroll, liaising with clubs, and working with FIFA, CONCACAF and various other federations. On November 29, 2012 Sunil Gulati , President of
6767-509: The globe. However, as in some other sports, women's pay and opportunities are lower in comparison with professional male football players. Both national and international women's football have far less television and media coverage than the men's equivalent, but also generally have far lower average attendances. This discrepancy is on-going, while research indicates some viewers are not even able to distinguish between professional women's and men's football. Olympique Lyonnais main rivalry
6868-429: The inaugural season, there were rumors of expansion interest from MLS teams Toronto FC , Vancouver Whitecaps FC , and the New York Red Bulls , as well as confirmed interest from WPSL side the Houston Aces . NWSL team owners hinted that expansion for 2014 was not a question of "if" but "how many". Despite this, it was announced during the playoffs that there would be no expansion for the league's second season, though
6969-405: The league become profitable in any season from 2024 to 2026, the players will receive 10 percent of the league's broadcast revenues in the applicable season. On August 25, 2022, the NWSLPA filed a grievance against the NWSL after the league announced the omission of 22 players from a list of 26 who would become eligible to negotiate free-agent contracts for the 2023 season. The league contended that
7070-408: The league in 2021. The team was originally to be named Proof Louisville FC, but after significant disapproval from fans it was announced that the Proof Louisville FC branding would not necessarily be the final selection, and that the process to determine the team's identity would be restarted. On July 8, 2020, the Louisville team was rebranded as Racing Louisville FC , and its associated visual identity
7171-460: The league previous single-game attendance record of 34,130 from an October 6, 2023 game between Seattle Reign FC and the Washington Spirit , which was Megan Rapinoe 's final regular season appearance. On June 3, 2023, a double-header featuring Seattle Reign FC and Portland Thorns FC alongside a Major League Soccer matchup between the Seattle Sounders and Portland Timbers drew an announced attendance of 42,054. In each season, teams receive
7272-419: The league terminated its management contract with US Soccer. On November 29, 2012, it was announced that Cheryl Bailey had been named executive director in the new league. Bailey had previously served as general manager of the United States women's national soccer team from 2007 to 2011, which included leading the support staff for the U.S. team during the 2007 and 2011 FIFA Women's World Cups , as well as
7373-566: The men and our bigger gates were for charity". Despite the ban, some women's teams continued to play. The Northern Rugby Union did not follow the FA ban, so the short-lived English Ladies Football Association (1921–1922) played some of its matches at rugby grounds. In other countries, women's football was further debilitated by nationwide bans which often resembled the English FA's measures. The German Football Association banned women's football from 1955 until 1970. Women's football
7474-637: The national associations in each country should manage the women's game. In 2002, Lily Parr of Dick Kerr's Ladies was the first woman to be inducted into the National Football Museum Hall of Fame. She was later honoured with a statue in front of the museum. It was not until 2008 (87 years later), that the FA issued an apology for banning women from the game of football. In 1970, the Torino-based Federation of Independent European Female Football (FIEFF) ran
7575-614: The new Real Salt Lake ownership had the rights to an approximately $ 2 million expansion franchise fee to bring back the Utah Royals to the Salt Lake City area. In addition the three finalists for the 14th expansion club were a group from the San Francisco Bay Area, Tampa, and Boston. It is thought these teams would join for the 2024 season. The highest bid was reported to be $ 40 million. On January 27, 2023, it
7676-424: The pitch, making it more socially acceptable for women to play. The first match of an international character took place in 1881 at Hibernian Park in Edinburgh , part of a tour by Scotland and England teams. The Scottish Football Association recorded a women's match in 1892. The British Ladies' Football Club was founded by activist Nettie Honeyball in England in 1894. Honeyball and those like her paved
7777-419: The playoff winner, and six teams (one defunct) have claimed the NWSL Shield , awarded to the team in first place at the end of the regular season. The current (2024) NWSL champions and shield winners are the Orlando Pride . As of 2024, the NWSL season runs from March to November and a playoff tournament occurs after the season culminating in the NWSL championship game in late November. The NWSL has transitioned
7878-520: The playoffs. The league also awards the NWSL Shield to the team with the best record (most points) at the end of the regular season. Like the playoff championship, it is recognized as a major trophy by the league. The first NWSL Championship was played on September 1, 2013. As of November 2024, six teams have been crowned NWSL Champions: Portland Thorns FC (3), FC Kansas City (2), North Carolina Courage (2), NJ/NY Gotham FC (1), Washington Spirit (1), and Western New York Flash (1). Six teams have claimed
7979-415: The salaries of their national team players (24 from the US, 16 from Canada, and 12 to 16 from Mexico) to aid the teams in creating world-class rosters while staying under the salary cap. The players would be distributed evenly (as possible) among the eight teams in an allocation process . The teams would own the league, and the league would contract US Soccer to manage league operations. After the 2020 season,
8080-535: The salary cap to invest in qualified current or future players; allocation money can be traded. Multi-year contracts (up to three years plus one option year) are now permitted, year-round housing becomes mandatory, and the cap for permitted team assistance has been removed. When originally announced, allocation money could not be used to supplement the salaries of U.S. or Canadian federation players, and players could not refuse federation status to access allocation money. The allocation rules were quietly changed in advance of
8181-430: The salary cap. As of 2021, the minimum senior roster size is 22 and the maximum 24, so each team could carry a maximum total of 28 players on its active roster. The NWSL introduced significant changes to its compensation guidelines before the 2020 season. In addition to a sizable increase in the salary cap and the salary limits for unallocated players, teams now can purchase up to $ 300,000 in "allocation money" in excess of
8282-512: The season. For the 2024–25 CONCACAF W Champions Cup three clubs qualified based on performance in the 2023 season. These clubs were NJ/NY Gotham FC , the playoff champions, San Diego Wave FC , the Shield winners, and Portland Thorns FC , the Shield runners-up. After Women's Professional Soccer (WPS) officially folded in April 2012, the United States Soccer Federation (US Soccer) announced
8383-609: The teams would intentionally operate at a lower cost structure and manage growth in a sustainable way. In November 2012, it was announced that there would be eight teams in a new women's professional soccer league that was yet to be named at the time of the announcement, with national team players subsidized by US Soccer , the Canadian Soccer Association (CSA) and the Mexican Football Federation (FMF). The three federations would pay for
8484-470: The time of the First World War , female employment in heavy industry spurred the growth of the game, much as it had done for men fifty years earlier. A team from England played a team from Ireland on Boxing Day 1917 in front of a crowd of 20,000 spectators. The Irish side of this match was dramatised in the play Rough Girls in 2021. Dick, Kerr Ladies F.C. of Preston, England played in one of
8585-510: The time, in front of crowds estimated at 110,000 or 112,500 attendees. During the 1970s, Italy became the first country to have professional women's football players on a part-time basis. Italy was also the first country to import foreign footballers from other European countries, which raised the profile of the league. Players during that era included Susanne Augustesen (Denmark), Rose Reilly and Edna Neillis (Scotland), Anne O'Brien (Ireland) and Concepcion Sánchez Freire (Spain). Sweden
8686-482: The title holders and Arsenal are the club with a record 14 wins. Despite tournament sponsorship by some companies, entering the cup actually costs clubs more than they get in prize money. In 2015, it was reported that even if Notts County were to win the tournament, the £8,600 winnings would leave them out of pocket. The winners of the Men's FA Cup in the same year received £1.8 million, with teams that did not even reach
8787-408: The union representing USWNT players, both agreed to end the allocation system for USWNT members, effective with the 2022 season. Starting in that season, the club salaries of all USWNT players will be paid directly by their NWSL clubs, and these players will be represented in their club employment by the NWSL Players Association (NWSLPA). The NWSL and the NWSLPA, the union representing all players in
8888-490: The way for women's football. However, the women's game was frowned upon by the British football associations, and continued without their support. It has been suggested that this was motivated by a perceived threat to the "masculinity" of the game. In August 1917, a tournament was launched for female munition workers' teams in north-east England. Officially titled the "Tyne Wear & Tees Alfred Wood Munition Girls Cup", it
8989-420: Was a bone of contention because England and other British Home Nations are not eligible to compete as separate entities. Eventually, both the women's and men's Great Britain teams fielded some players from the other home nations, but without their associations' active support. Although there are women's teams of blind football (5-a-side) and cerebral palsy football (7-a-side), women's football has never been
9090-607: Was also banned in France from 1941 to 1970. In Brazil, the Vargas regime and the military dictatorship legally prohibited women and girls from playing football from 1941 to 1979. Following the FA ban on women's teams on 5 December 1921, the English Ladies' Football Association was formed, with 58 affiliated clubs. A silver cup was donated by the first president of the association, Len Bridgett. A total of 23 teams entered
9191-563: Was also known as "The Munitionettes' Cup". The first winners of the trophy were Blyth Spartans , who defeated Bolckow Vaughan 5–0 in a replayed final tie at Middlesbrough on 18 May 1918 in front of a crowd of 22,000. The tournament ran for a second year in season 1918–19, the winners being the ladies of Palmer's shipyard in Jarrow , who defeated Christopher Brown's of Hartlepool 1–0 at St James' Park in Newcastle on 22 March 1919. At
9292-621: Was also rumored or suggested interest from three men's teams in California, though none of those groups made official statements. Despite this interest, it was announced in late April 2015 that there would be no expansion for the 2016 season. However, after the well-publicized success of the US Women's National soccer team, renewed interest in NWSL expansion caused reports from the owners' meeting that "a new team in 2016 has not been ruled out", with potential expansion news to be revealed within
9393-891: Was announced on the same day. Racing plays in Lynn Family Stadium , which opened in 2020 as the new home of Louisville City. On July 21, 2020, the NWSL announced that a Los Angeles -based team will begin play in 2022. The team's ownership group, who call themselves "Angel City", is led by president and founder Julie Uhrman, a media and gaming entrepreneur; co-founders Natalie Portman , an Oscar -winning actress, and venture capitalist Kara Nortman ; venture capitalist Alexis Ohanian as lead founding investor; and additional investors including fourteen former USWNT members, most with ties to Southern California; actresses Uzo Aduba , Jessica Chastain , America Ferrera , Jennifer Garner , and Eva Longoria ; talk show host Lilly Singh ; and Ohanian's wife, tennis great Serena Williams . In 2022,
9494-460: Was announced that Real Salt Lake would expand into the NWSL beginning in the 2018 season. The Salt Lake City team, shortly thereafter unveiled as Utah Royals FC , is officially considered a new franchise that replaced FC Kansas City. The NWSL announced on October 22, 2019, that a team in Louisville, Kentucky , affiliated with the city's USL Championship side Louisville City FC , would join
9595-524: Was held in 2019 under the name Liga 1 Putri . In Australia, the W-League, now known as A-League Women , was formed in 2008. In 2015, the Chinese Women's Super League (CWSL) was launched with an affiliated second division, CWFL. Previously, The Chinese Women's Premier Football League was initiated in 1997 and evolved to the Women's Super League in 2004. From 2011 to 2014, the league was named
9696-645: Was initially postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and later canceled. Instead the league played the 2020 NWSL Challenge Cup , a special competition hosted in the Salt Lake City region with no spectators. The cup began in late June, making the NWSL the first major U.S. team sports league to return to play. The league was the recipient of a federal loan through the Paycheck Protection Program , which it used to compensate players before
9797-403: Was itself the successor to Women's United Soccer Association (2001–2003). The league began play in 2013 with eight teams, four of which were former members of WPS (Boston Breakers, Chicago Red Stars, Sky Blue FC, and Western New York Flash). As of 2024, there are 14 teams across the United States. Through the 2024 season, seven teams (one now defunct) have been crowned NWSL Champions, awarded to
9898-700: Was reported that the NWSL would expand to Utah, San Francisco and Boston. The owners in Utah would pay $ 2–5 million, while the groups in San Francisco and Boston would pay $ 50 million. Utah and San Francisco would join the NWSL in 2024 and Boston would join the NWSL later. On March 11, 2023, it was confirmed that the Utah team would join in 2024, inheriting the Utah Royals FC name and history. League Commissioner Jessica Berman announced on Nov. 22, 2024, that Cincinnati, Cleveland, and Denver were finalists for
9999-443: Was reported that the ownership group behind the Sacramento expansion would be seeking NWSL approval to move its expansion rights to San Diego instead. On June 8, 2021, the NWSL officially announced a San Diego expansion team, ultimately named San Diego Wave FC , with former United States women's national soccer team head coach Jill Ellis as president. In late 2022, it was reported the likely 13th expansion club would be in Utah, as
10100-485: Was spearheaded by members of the World Cup-winning American team and featured players like Mia Hamm , Julie Foudy and Brandi Chastain , as well as top-tier international players like Germany's Birgit Prinz and China's Sun Wen . A second attempt towards a sustainable professional league, the Women's Professional Soccer (WPS), was launched in 2009 and folded in late 2011. The following year,
10201-653: Was the first to introduce a professional women's domestic league in 1988, the Damallsvenskan . In 1989, Japan became the first country to have a semi-professional women's football league, the L. League – still in existence today as Division 1 of the Nadeshiko League . In 2020, Japan established the first-ever women's professional league in Asia, the WE League , which started on fall 2021. In Indonesia,
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