103-650: The NWSL Golden Boot is awarded annually to the highest goal scorer in the regular season of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). Lauren Holiday (2013) won the first Golden Boot in the NWSL's inaugural season. Temwa Chawinga holds the record for most goals scored in a season with 20 in 2024. Sam Kerr is the only player to win Golden Boot more than once (2017–2019). National Women%27s Soccer League The National Women's Soccer League ( NWSL )
206-574: A 1–0 win over heavily favored England , who were amongst the world's best sides at the time. The United States did not reach another World Cup until an upstart team qualified for the 1990 World Cup with the "goal heard around the world" scored by Paul Caligiuri against Trinidad and Tobago , which started the modern era of soccer in the United States. The United States hosted the 1994 FIFA World Cup , setting total and average attendance records that still stand, including drawing 94,194 fans to
309-632: 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
412-550: 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
515-466: A World Cup record. Klinsmann was retained as head coach for the 2018 World Cup qualifying cycle, but was fired in November 2016 after the team had lost the opening two matches of the final qualifying round . Bruce Arena was hired to replace Klinsmann, but the United States finished fifth and were unable to qualify for the 2018 FIFA World Cup . It was the first time the U.S. had failed to qualify for
618-580: A broadcast agreement with ESPN that sees 20 regular season games televised nationally on ESPN2, ESPNews and ESPN Deportes in addition to national broadcast of the USL Championship Final, which in 2019 was aired on both ESPN2 and ESPN Deportes. The league's remaining regular season games are broadcast nationally on ESPN+, with 22 of the Championship's clubs also holding local broadcast agreements. The USL Championship's broadcast agreement
721-422: 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 a shortened schedule and some early-season roster instability due to
824-617: 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
927-653: 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 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
1030-483: A quarterfinal appearance in the 2002 World Cup , defeating rivals Mexico in the Round of 16 before losing to eventual runners-up Germany . At the 2006 edition of the tournament, the U.S. failed to qualify for a knockout round with two losses and a draw in the group stage. Arena's contract was not renewed following the tournament; former assistant Bob Bradley was hired as head coach in 2007. The U.S. qualified for
1133-406: 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
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#17327839598701236-529: 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
1339-532: A women's sports event, to a sold-out Rose Bowl . After neither team scored in regulation or extra time, the final went to a penalty shootout , which the United States won 5–4. The celebration by Brandi Chastain after she converted the winning penalty, in which she took off her shirt, is one of the more famous images in U.S. women's sports. U.S. Soccer Federation oversees and promotes the development of 14 youth national teams: U.S. Soccer Federation had ceased operations on its youth national team programming with
1442-613: Is a member of the worldwide soccer body FIFA and the North American soccer body CONCACAF , and also has a relationship with the U.S. Olympic Committee and the International Olympic Committee . The federation convenes an annual meeting, usually held in February. Every four years, the annual meeting's attendees hold an election for the federation's president and vice president. USSF recognizes
1545-676: 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 was itself
1648-644: Is composed of 14 teams based in the U.S. Two professional, top-division leagues preceded the NWSL: the Women's United Soccer Association (WUSA), which featured many players from the 1999 FIFA Women's Cup-winning team (as well as other national teams), ran from 2001 to 2003 and Women's Professional Soccer (WPS) ran from 2009 to 2011. Two second-division leagues currently exist: United Women's Soccer began play in May 2016 and as of 2020 features 30 teams in five conferences and
1751-614: Is considered the most successful in international women's soccer. The team finished second in 2011 and third in 1995 , 2003 , and 2007 . It has won Olympic gold medals at the 1996, 2004, 2008, and 2012 Summer Olympics. In addition, it has won ten titles at the Algarve Cup and nine at the CONCACAF Women's Championship , the qualifying tournament for the FIFA Women's World Cup. The inaugural FIFA Women's World Cup
1854-669: The 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa by winning the CONCACAF qualifying tournament . At the World Cup, the Americans were undefeated in the group stage but were eliminated in the round of 16 by a loss to Ghana . Bradley was dismissed following the 2011 Gold Cup , which the United States lost 4–2 to Mexico in the final. The U.S. entered the 2014 FIFA World Cup under Jürgen Klinsmann , who had led Germany to third place in
1957-539: 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 was initially postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and later canceled. Instead
2060-447: The 2022 FIFA World Cup , the United States had rosters with an average age of under 24 years old; the team finished 7–3–4 during the final round and qualified for the World Cup. Berhalter used the second-youngest roster at the World Cup with only DeAndre Yedlin retained from a previous World Cup team. The United States finished second in their group with a win against Iran and ties with England and Wales . The team were eliminated in
2163-576: 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 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,
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#17327839598702266-726: The Kansas City , Portland , Seattle , and Washington, D.C. markets with the Portland team run by the Portland Timbers of MLS. The NWSL expanded to nine teams for 2014 by adding the Houston Dash , run by the Houston Dynamo of MLS. In 2016, it expanded to 10 with the addition of another MLS-backed team, the Orlando Pride . Ahead of the 2017 season, A&E Networks announced it had taken an equity stake in
2369-735: 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
2472-481: 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
2575-536: 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 the NWSL Challenge Cup to a super cup between
2678-552: The U.S. Open Cup , the oldest continuous national soccer competition in the United States. Since 1914, the competition has been open to all U.S. Soccer affiliated clubs, and currently pits teams from all five levels of the American soccer pyramid against each other each year, similarly to England's FA Cup . The National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) is the professional, top-division league in North America and as of 2024,
2781-547: 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
2884-613: 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, 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
2987-546: The Women's Premier Soccer League (WPSL), started in 1997, features over 115 teams across the United States and Canada (the largest women's soccer league in the world as of 2020). Previously, the USL W-League was a semi-professional league that ran from 1995 to 2015 and featured a mix of college students and international players. On November 21, 2012, U.S. Soccer, in conjunction with the Canadian Soccer Association (CSA) and Mexican Football Federation (FMF), announced
3090-404: The final . The United States made a surprising run to the second round in 1994, but finished last among the 32 teams in the 1998 World Cup . The tournament was marred by poor team chemistry and leadership, which led head coach Steve Sampson to resign. Sampson was replaced by Bruce Arena , a two-time MLS Cup winner with D.C. United , in 1998. Arena led a mix of veterans and youth players to
3193-468: 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
NWSL Golden Boot - Misplaced Pages Continue
3296-495: The 2006 World Cup and had lived in the United States for several years. Klinsmann recruited dual national players, particularly Germans with American heritage, and favored youth in his rosters; this included his exclusion of Landon Donovan from the World Cup roster. The U.S. finished second in the " Group of Death " (eventual champion Germany, Ghana , and Portugal ) and advanced to the round of 16, where they lost to Belgium in extra time after goalkeeper Tim Howard 's 16 saves set
3399-437: 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
3502-425: The 2020 season, with the league divided into two conferences, Eastern and Western. The USLC is the world's largest Division II professional league by number of teams. Since 2014, valuation of USL Championship clubs have increased five-fold. In revenue, 2018 Championship clubs saw a 28% increase over 2017 numbers on an average of ticketing, sponsorship, merchandise, and ancillary revenue generation. The USLC also holds
3605-505: 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
3708-653: The CSA committing to paying 16 players and FMF pledging support for at least 12 and possibly as many as 16. In addition, U.S. Soccer housed the league's front office for the first four years, and scheduled matches to avoid any possible conflict with international tournaments. Four of the league's charter teams had WPS ties—the Boston Breakers , Chicago Red Stars , Sky Blue FC , and the Western New York Flash . The other four initial teams were located in
3811-490: The Development Center received final approval from the local governments. U.S. Soccer agreed to a 20-year lease, with the project set to break ground in 2016 and finishing some time in 2017. In September 2023, U.S. Soccer announced they were moving from Chicago to a new headquarters and training center south of Atlanta , which will be partially funded by Arthur Blank , cofounder of The Home Depot and owner of
3914-483: 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
4017-560: The MLS team Los Angeles Galaxy . Additionally, four grass soccer fields, a FieldTurf soccer field and a general training area are specifically dedicated to U.S. Soccer. Both the senior and youth men's and women's U.S. national teams hold regular camps at Dignity Health Sports Park. U.S. Soccer was also exploring a possibility of building the National Training and Coaching Development Center in Kansas City, Kansas . On April 9, 2015,
4120-632: The NFL’s Atlanta Falcons and MLS’s Atlanta United . In December 2023, U.S. Soccer announced they had chosen a site for the new national training center in Fayette County, Georgia . The 200-acre (81 ha) site is scheduled to be developed and opened prior to the 2026 FIFA World Cup ; it is in the same metropolitan area as the headquarters of Coca-Cola , one of the founding partners for the training center. The new training center will be named after Arthur Blank to honor his involvement in
4223-624: 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
NWSL Golden Boot - Misplaced Pages Continue
4326-527: 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
4429-405: 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
4532-579: 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
4635-657: The U.S. It dropped the word football from its name in 1974 to become known as the United States Soccer Federation. U.S. Soccer has hosted several global soccer tournaments, including the 1994 FIFA World Cup , the 1999 and 2003 FIFA Women's World Cup , and the Summer Olympic football tournaments in 1984 and 1996 . Originally based in Colorado Springs, Colorado, U.S. Soccer headquarters were moved to Chicago in 1991 under
4738-548: The USL Championship as a Division II league it would start a new tier in its professional structure , which became USL League One , and seek Division III certification for the 2019 season. The league received sanctioning in December 2018 and conducted a successful first season in 2019 that saw 10 teams compete in a single-table format and North Texas SC claim its inaugural league title. The seven independent clubs averaged 2,496 fans per match in 2019, placing League One in
4841-508: The United States . Headquartered in Chicago , the federation is a full member of FIFA and governs American soccer at the international, professional, and amateur levels, including: the men's and women's national teams, Major League Soccer , National Women's Soccer League , youth organizations, beach soccer , futsal , Paralympic , and deaf national teams. U.S. Soccer sanctions referees and soccer tournaments for most soccer leagues in
4944-635: The United States are the United Premier Soccer League , National Premier Soccer League and Ligas Unidas . In addition to MLS and the USL, the United States Adult Soccer Association governs amateur soccer competition for adults throughout the United States, which is effectively the amateur fifth-division of soccer in the United States. The USASA sanctions regional tournaments that allow entry into
5047-524: The United States is the USL League Two, which as of 2015 is expected to have 58 U.S. teams, and six Canadian teams. Though League Two does have some paid players, it also has many teams that are made up entirely or almost entirely of college soccer players who use the league as an opportunity to play competitive soccer in front of professional scouts during the summer, while retaining amateur status and NCAA eligibility. Other fourth-division leagues in
5150-722: The United States. The U.S. Soccer Federation also administers and operates the U.S. Open Cup and the SheBelieves Cup . U.S. Soccer was originally known as the United States Football Association . It formed on April 5, 1913, at the Astor House Hotel in Lower Manhattan , and on August 15 of that year was accepted as one of the earliest member organizations of FIFA and the first from North and Central America. The affiliation
5253-630: The World Cup since 1986 . Arena resigned following the qualification campaign and was replaced by Dave Sarachan , who was interim coach during the search for a permanent head coach. Sarachan's year-long tenure included the introduction of several young players to replace veterans who had resigned following the 2018 qualification cycle. Columbus Crew coach Gregg Berhalter was selected and hired as head coach in December 2018; his rosters rely mostly on younger players who had played in MLS academies or were developed by teams in Europe. During qualification for
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#17327839598705356-517: 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,
5459-422: The ages of five and 19, while American Youth Soccer Organization has more than 300,000 players between the ages of four and 19. This makes soccer one of the most played sports by children in the United States. The professional first-division league in North America is Major League Soccer , which as of the 2023 season has 26 teams in the U.S. and 3 in Canada. The league began an aggressive expansion in 2017, with
5562-403: The champion gets to add 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
5665-412: 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
5768-511: The creation of the NASL which applied for and was awarded by USSF second division status. The 2010 season was played as a combined USL/NASL league format before NASL officially separated in 2011. USL League One is sanctioned at the Men's Division III level. In March 2017, United Soccer League , administrator of the USL Championship and USL League Two , announced following the successful sanctioning of
5871-484: 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 a quarterfinal round for all qualified teams. The current playoff format began in 2024 . From 2021 to 2023,
5974-557: 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
6077-626: The exception of the U-23, U-20, and U-17 teams on the men's side and the U-20 and U-17 teams on the women's side due to the COVID-19 pandemic in April 2020. As of March 2023, U.S. Soccer Federation supervises nine extended national teams across the disciplines of beach soccer , CP soccer , deaf soccer , futsal , and power soccer . Men's coaches Women's coaches Extended teams' coaches Technical staff Referee programs staff Referee development staff Despite
6180-431: 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,
6283-601: The final of the 2023 CONCACAF Gold Cup . Berhalter was fired in July 2024 following the team's group-stage exit at the 2024 Copa América and replaced in September 2024 by Mauricio Pochettino , an Argentinian manager with experience in European leagues. The United States will co-host the 2026 FIFA World Cup alongside Canada and Mexico after their joint bid was selected over Morocco by FIFA in 2018. The tournament will be
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#17327839598706386-514: The first World Cup to feature 48 teams. The United States will also host the 2024 Copa América , the championship of South American teams; it will be the second Copa América to be played in the United States following the Copa América Centenario in 2016. The United States did not automatically qualify as hosts, but earned a spot through their performance in the 2023–24 CONCACAF Nations League . Having won four FIFA Women's World Cup tournaments— 1991 , 1999 , 2015 , and 2019 —the United States
6489-411: 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. United States Soccer Federation The United States Soccer Federation ( USSF ), commonly referred to as U.S. Soccer , is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and the official governing body of the sport of soccer in
6592-478: 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
6695-426: The following members: The United States men's national team was assembled in 1885 to play Canada in the first international match held outside the United Kingdom. The team was invited to the inaugural FIFA World Cup in 1930 and qualified for the World Cup in 1934 , finishing third place (semifinals) in 1930 out of 13 teams participating. In 1950 the United States scored one of its most surprising victories with
6798-512: The formation of a new professional league for the 2013 season. The league, unnamed at the time of the initial announcement but later unveiled as the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL), launched in April 2013 with eight teams. Like WUSA and WPS, NWSL teams are privately owned with some owned by existing MLS teams. The American and Canadian federations pay the salaries for many of their respective national team members. U.S. Soccer initially committed to funding up to 24 national team members, with
6901-406: 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
7004-412: The goal of adding at least eight clubs. That effort has resulted in the addition of the following nine clubs: Atlanta United FC (2017), Minnesota United FC (2017), Los Angeles FC (2018), FC Cincinnati (2019), Inter Miami CF (2020), Nashville SC (2020), Austin FC (2021), Charlotte FC (2022), and St. Louis City SC (2023). The league operates as a single-entity league, which means MLS, and not
7107-472: The growth of men's and women's professional soccer in the United States in the last few decades, by far the largest category of soccer in the United States, at least in terms of participation, is youth soccer. Though organized locally by organizations all over the United States, there are two main youth soccer organizations working nationwide through affiliated local associations. The United States Youth Soccer Association boasts over three million players between
7210-400: 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
7313-443: The individual teams, holds the contracts on players. The one sanctioned second-division men's outdoor soccer league is the USL Championship (USLC). Previously, the second North American Soccer League had second-division status, sharing it with the USL in the 2017 season, but the NASL was denied second-division sanctioning for 2018 due to considerable instability in the league; the league effectively folded at that time. The USLC
7416-518: The leadership of former Secretary General, Hank Steinbrecher Called U.S. Soccer House, it is currently located in two refurbished mansions at 1801 South Prairie Avenue in Chicago. In 2003, U.S. Soccer opened their National Training Center at Dignity Health Sports Park (then named Home Depot Center) in Carson, California . The $ 130 million facility includes a soccer-specific stadium , home to
7519-631: 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
7622-579: The league and Lifetime would begin broadcasting games to a national television audience. As of 2017 , additional expansion teams were being discussed by Los Angeles FC , Vancouver Whitecaps FC , and FC Barcelona , but none of these have yet materialized. Several league changes occurred in advance of the 2017 season. First, FMF and U.S. Soccer amicably ended their partnership following FMF's establishment of its own women's professional league, Liga MX Femenil . The Western New York Flash ceased fully professional operations (though retaining its youth and, for
7725-407: 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
7828-541: 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
7931-560: 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 the competition was able to begin. Later that year
8034-595: 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
8137-582: The league's second season, though 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
8240-541: The move. There are currently temporary offices for U.S. Soccer in Fayette County at Town Trilith where Trilith Studios is located. U.S. Soccer is governed by a board of directors that administers the affairs of U.S. Soccer. Cindy Parlow Cone , former 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup champion and long-time U.S. Soccer administrator, became president in March 2020 following the resignation of Carlos Cordeiro . JT Batson
8343-615: 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
8446-512: 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 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.
8549-568: The old NASL, had no salary cap and players were contracted by the individual teams. The season was a split format (similar to that of many leagues in Latin America ) that features seven teams, including one Puerto Rican team. Previous to the reorganization of the NASL in 2009, the USL First Division operated as the professional second-division league in the United States. However, a dispute among its teams and ownership led to
8652-508: 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 the season. For the 2024–25 CONCACAF W Champions Cup three clubs qualified based on performance in
8755-459: The round of 16 by the Netherlands . Berhalter's contract was renewed in June 2023 following an investigation by U.S. Soccer into allegations of domestic abuse from a 1991 incident. During his absence from the team, two assistant coaches served as interim coaches. B.J. Callaghan , the second interim coach, led the United States to a second CONCACAF Nations League title but failed to reach
8858-536: 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
8961-434: 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
9064-406: 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, 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
9167-459: 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 the playoff winner, and six teams (one defunct) have claimed
9270-555: The top four teams qualified for 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
9373-422: The top three of Division III leagues globally, and the league has expanded to include 12 teams for its second season in 2020, with further expansion expected prior to the 2021 season. National Independent Soccer Association (NISA) led by former Chicago Fire general manager Peter Wilt plans on fielding 8–10 teams in 2018 and has stated that it will seek third-division certification. A fourth-division league in
9476-409: 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
9579-621: 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
9682-896: 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,
9785-460: 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
9888-539: Was held in 1991 in China. The U.S. women's national team was the first team to win the prize after beating Norway in the final. In 1999, the United States hosted the FIFA Women's World Cup for the first time. During their tournament run, the women's national team established a new level of popularity for the women's game, culminating in a final against China that drew 90,185 fans, an all-time attendance record for
9991-408: Was made possible in large part by a major investment by USL with league technology partner Vista Worldlink to establish a USL Broadcast Center out of Fort Lauderdale, Fla. The second NASL had no official tie to the former NASL that operated from 1968 to 1984, although some of the teams shared names with their historic counterparts. Unlike MLS that is a single-entity operation, the second NASL, like
10094-462: Was named chief executive officer and secretary general in September 2022. U.S. Soccer members are individuals and affiliate organizations. The national council is the representative membership body of the federation. It elects the president and vice president, amends the bylaws, approves the budgets, decides on policies adopted by the board, and affirms actions of the Board. The non-profit organization
10197-628: Was originally provisional but during FIFA Congress in Oslo, Norway on June 24, 1914, the USFA, as it was abbreviated at the time, was accepted as a full FIFA member. The governing body of the sport in the United States added the word soccer to its name in 1945, when it became the United States Soccer Football Association ; by this point, football as a standalone word had come to define a totally different sport in
10300-702: 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
10403-446: 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
10506-507: Was sanctioned as the United States' lone Division II men's outdoor soccer league in 2018. Formed in 2010 as a result of the merger of the former USL First Division and USL Second Division , the USL Championship was sanctioned as Division III league from 2011 to 2016 before becoming provisionally sanctioned as a Division II league for 2017, and receiving full Division II sanctioning in 2018. The USL Championship has expanded almost three-fold since its first season in 2011 to include 35 teams in
10609-413: 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 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
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