Presenting the third annual ESPN NWSL Aspiration Index, a quasi-scientific method for identifying which clubs are innovating and which are merely struggling to stay current.
The worth of NWSL franchises persists in climbing to unprecedented peaks, with the composition of ownership collectives throughout the league increasingly favoring those possessing greater capital and grander objectives. Nevertheless, certain teams consistently demonstrate more initiative than others.
A couple of fresh teams, Boston Legacy FC and Denver Summit FC, are slated to compete in their inaugural matches shortly, and their inclusion in the index introduces several shifts. Atlanta, scheduled to commence play in 2028, is expected to contend for the leading position even prior to their first fixture.
To ensure the utility of this assessment within an continuously expanding league (16 squads and increasing), our methodology has been streamlined. The benchmarks persist without alteration, with crucial elements encompassing the readiness of club proprietors to allocate resources to their teams both on and off the pitch.
Our inquiry is: Does the squad challenge the boundaries of the wage ceiling (and the novel, adaptable High Impact Player guideline) to construct a formidable competitor? Have the team’s proprietors allocated funds for a practice complex or arena enhancements? Put plainly, are their declared objectives lofty (securing a title, becoming the globe’s premier team) or do they possess limited potential?
A crucial caveat: Aspiration does not equate to fulfillment. Some teams harbor grand designs yet have not managed to bring them to fruition. Conversely, certain teams with more humble objectives exceed expectations. While we have certainly subtracted marks for subpar implementation, the resolve to set high targets — even if it entails missing them — is more significant than abstaining from any attempt.
The initial concept draws inspiration from the departed Grant Wahl, who yearly conducted a comparable assessment for MLS. Gauging aspiration, particularly for a league as nascent as the 14-year-old NWSL, represents a valuable undertaking. Let us proceed!
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Although the Stars’ standing declined this year, advancement is at last evident in Chicagoland.
The squad’s relocation to Martin Stadium constitutes a provisional, yet vital, measure to depart from the desolation of Bridgeview. The Stars were compelled to undertake some action, and they did. Furthermore, they recently unveiled proposals to construct a specialized practice complex, which, though comparatively modest, once more addressed a significant deficiency for this organization.
Their playing venue post-2026 remains undetermined, a situation far from optimal.
In terms of on-field performance, they concluded in the final position for the second instance in three seasons. Nevertheless, their most significant offseason maneuver involved transferring forward Ludmila to San Diego. Mallory Swanson’s comeback from parental leave is eagerly anticipated.
The Dash continues to be available for purchase subsequent to one of the most unusual narratives among a fairly extensive collection, which did not result in a new proprietor. Until a fresh, driven owner emerges with an explicitly defined course for the team, discerning the Dash’s aspirations completely is unfeasible.
The positive development: advancements are occurring in the soccer domain. Houston displayed erratic performance last year as a further restructuring commenced, but the Dash possess skill and enhanced guidance compared to previously. Houston has also developed a comprehensive technical personnel — encompassing the recent inclusion of Twila Kilgore as technical director — which exceeds the size of most of its counterparts in this segment of the standings, necessitating fiscal commitment.
Louisville’s infrastructure is superb, and numerous teams would desire access to it. Naturally, constructing such amenities proves costlier in larger markets, and the challenge with possessing an appealing arena is the necessity for spectators to fill the seats. Louisville ranked lowest in average spectator turnout in 2025 and registered its poorest attendance in its five-year existence. This bodes ill.
These difficulties are sharply contrasted by their on-field achievements. Bev Yanez secured the NWSL Coach of the Year award for inspiring a resilient squad and attaining Racing’s initial postseason qualification. Louisville posed a formidable challenge for all adversaries last season and possesses the potential to expand upon that triumph this year — despite being outmatched financially by other organizations.
A reported $40 million capital injection from team proprietor and magnate Marc Lasry, according to Sportico, might signal this team’s progression and its undertaking of sustained, greatly required financial commitments.
Spectator turnout increased to beyond 7,600 supporters per match in 2025, representing the squad’s highest since its establishment in the locality in 2017. First Horizon Stadium necessitates substantial refurbishment, yet enhanced attendance indicates a favorable trend for a team that faced difficulties in establishing a community presence even during its prosperous periods. In the long run, the Courage must either extensively renovate their current venue or ultimately erect a new one within Raleigh’s boundaries.
Regarding on-field performance, the squad declined and failed to qualify for the postseason in a turbulent campaign, which involved the ambiguously communicated dismissal of head coach Sean Nahas and the sudden re-transfer of USWNT luminary Jaedyn Shaw (who concluded the year by clinching a championship with Gotham FC) merely eight months post-acquisition.
We have consistently implored Utah to allocate additional capital for on-field competitiveness, thus the $800,000 transfer payment to secure Kiana Palacios from Club América is a positive indication. The question now is: what identity does this team aspire to? For two consecutive seasons, the Royals have experienced dismal beginnings to their campaigns, only to rescue outcomes and assume the spoiler role in the latter stages.
The Royals possess their exclusive practice pitch and compete at the (frequently under-occupied) America First Field, originating from an earlier series of MLS arena initiatives. The infrastructure exists, and there are new proprietors since our last aspiration assessment. This current year will be indicative of their objectives.
At this juncture in the standings, no intrinsic flaw exists in a team’s operations; our mandate is to benchmark them against the remainder of the NWSL.
The Reign’s shared proprietorship with the Sounders facilitates more expansive strategizing and superior personnel deployment, encompassing a greater number of support staff than ever surrounding head coach Laura Harvey. In terms of play, the Reign achieved significant advancements in 2025, concluding in fifth place and allowing the third-lowest number of goals (a vulnerability in 2024).
However, no one has yet unraveled the enigma in Seattle: Why does the Reign persistently find it challenging to penetrate the local market as successfully as the Sounders? Reign spectator figures decreased last year, and 8,000 attendees invariably present an aesthetic challenge within a vast NFL arena. It is opportune to undertake bolder initiatives.
The mean spectator count in Orlando rose for the third successive year subsequent to the team’s 2024 NWSL Shield and Championship dual triumph, even though the Pride continue to strive for larger audiences and community prominence within a competitive media environment.
Orlando already possesses the dedicated soccer arena it shares with its male counterpart, and they are poised to enhance their practice complex shortly. What lies ahead? Their subsequent performance on the pitch in 2025 was commendable — barely.
away from making it back to the final. Haley Carter has moved on from her VP/sporting director role, and Caitlin Carducci is tasked with pushing the team forward.
Elimination in the group stage of Concacaf play was a failure, though a healthy Barbra Banda should help them return to championship contention again. And to the Pride’s credit, the $1.5 million transfer fee to acquire Jacquie Ovalle last summer was a world record at the time.
Here we have a perfect example of the dichotomy between ambition and execution. It would be a disservice to sugarcoat the early years (!) of Boston’s launch. The club wasted that historic lead time on a name, BosNation, that was almost immediately ridiculed and scrapped, anchored by a disastrous “Too Many Balls” campaign.
A much-hyped stadium renovation is going to clock in a year behind schedule, leaving the team splitting time between Foxborough and Rhode Island this inaugural season. The stadium issue was nearly an existential crisis at one point, but that angst is the product of a club trying to innovate, and in a historically difficult city politically, to boot.
• Watch Gotham vs. Boston this Saturday, live on ABC
I, among others, still have reservations about the White Stadium setup — Boston Public Schools will use the field about 90% of the time — but the end product should hopefully leave Boston with one of the most unique venues in the country. Done right, it could be a modern relic of the old days. Add that to the performance center being built, and they are still taking bigger swings than many.
In the on-field department, Boston has adopted a unique, international approach to roster construction, including with its technical staff. Are they ahead of the curve of shifting NWSL trends?
The Thorns returned to their historical position as league leaders in attendance in 2025 — thanks in part to Angel City’s steep decline — and they are still a focal point of Portland soccer culture. That is a testament to the fans, who have endured some trying times, with the previous ownership accused of enabling abuse of players, which prompted the Thorns’ sale to the part-owners of the Sacramento Kings.
A new training center, which will be shared with WNBA expansion team Portland Fire in a first such crossover for the leagues, will open later this year. The Thorns are long overdue for a daily home for that isn’t the turf at Providence Park.
While Portland finished third in 2025 and lost in the semifinals, the past year has felt incongruous with the team that set global standards when it launched in 2013. The head-coaching search dragged on far too long and will affect them this season. The recent departures of midfield stars Hina Sugita and Sam Coffey were huge losses that have not been filled — not to mention, Sophia Wilson’s contract option only keeps her in Portland through December.
The Wave bounced back from a miserable low in 2024 to return to the playoffs in 2025. The offseason departures of Kailen Sheridan and Delphine Cascarino, each under odd circumstances, raised eyebrows.
But the Wave remain ambitious and aggressive on the transfer market. They spent $800,000 to acquire Brazilian forward Ludmila from Chicago, and they might be the new home of USWNT forward Catarina Macario come summer.
On the flip side, San Diego’s attendance dropped by 26% year over year, the sharpest decline in the NWSL. Alex Morgan’s retirement only explains some of that. Has the novelty worn off in San Diego? Or did the year of controversies finally catch up with the Wave?
This year is another fork in the road. A more permanent training ground also remains elusive.
6. Bay FC (Last year: 6)
6. Bay FC (Last year: 6)On the field, some of the expansion shine has worn off at Bay FC. New head coach Emma Coates is tasked with revitalizing a team that finished tied for the fewest points in the league last season. Too often, Bay just wasn’t competitive.
Away from the field, Bay is due to open a training facility on Treasure Island in the next year, a tangible indication of how the team clearly sees San Francisco as its pathway to bigger and better things. Despite its wretched record, Bay FC set an NWSL attendance record at Oracle Park last year with 40,091 fans at the baseball park.
Bay FC owners Sixth Street also continue to add to the wider technical staff of what will become a multi-club organization, although Bay is still the only club in it.
How does a team yet to kick a ball land fifth in the ambition rankings?
For starters, Denver’s first home game on March 28 has already sold enough tickets to smash the NWSL attendance record, a sign that this booming sports market is thirsty for its first women’s professional team.
Now, let’s talk about infrastructure: Majority owner Rob Cohen & Co. plan to open a new, 14,500-seat stadium inside Denver city limits in 2028. That will be just the second stadium in league history built specifically for an NWSL team. In the meantime, they are also constructing a 12,000-seat temporary stadium — delayed by tariffs and shipping from China, bizarrely, which is a minor setback.
So, out of the gate, Denver is set to have the second-best facilities in the entire league once all that is completed. On the field, they’ve already followed through on bringing Colorado players home, including a statement signing of U.S. women’s national team captain Lindsey Heaps.
This is a new standard in NWSL expansion that is untethered to an existing men’s team.
4. Gotham FC (Last year: T-7)
4. Gotham FC (Last year: T-7)Gotham has now won two NWSL Championships in three years, won the first Concacaf title, and represented the NWSL at FIFA’s first global women’s club competition. They’ve splashed cash on players, paying an intraleague record $1.25 million for Jaedyn Shaw in September. They have not shied away from other spending to improve their team, like preseason trips to Spain.
2:29
Marcotti: Gotham’s Champions Cup failure a big missed opportunity for the NWSL
Gab & Juls discuss Gotham FC’s shock defeat to Corinthians in the FIFA Women’s Champions Cup semifinals.
Cracking the greater New York City market is tough, but average attendance nearly reached 9,000 in 2025, the best in the team’s long history (which includes sub-2,000 averages in its early NWSL years). They even got a tickertape parade to City Hall in November after their latest title. They are also expected to imminently have a solution
far from securing a return to the final match. Haley Carter has departed her vice president/athletic director capacity, and Caitlin Carducci is now tasked with advancing the squad.
Their early exit in the Concacaf group stage was indeed a setback, though the presence of a healthy Barbra Banda should assist their comeback into championship contention. Furthermore, to the Pride’s credit, the $1.5 million transfer sum paid for Jacquie Ovalle last summer established a global benchmark at the time.
This perfectly illustrates the contrast between aspiration and accomplishment. It would be dishonest to gloss over Boston’s initial years post-launch. The organization squandered its significant preparatory period on a name, BosNation, which was promptly derided and discarded, further hampered by a disastrous “Too Many Balls” marketing effort.
A highly anticipated stadium revamp is projected to be completed a year behind schedule, compelling the team to divide its time between Foxborough and Rhode Island during this inaugural season. The venue problem nearly became an existential crisis at one juncture, but such apprehension stems from a club striving for innovation, particularly in a politically challenging metropolis.
• Witness Gotham vs. Boston this Saturday, broadcast live on ABC
I, alongside others, still harbor reservations regarding the White Stadium arrangement – Boston Public Schools will utilize the pitch approximately 90% of the time – yet the finished product should ideally provide Boston with one of the nation’s most distinctive sports grounds. Executed correctly, it could become a contemporary relic of bygone eras. Coupled with the ongoing construction of a performance center, they continue to undertake bolder initiatives than many rivals.
In terms of on-field matters, Boston has embraced a singular, international methodology for constructing its roster, extending to its technical personnel. Are they spearheading the evolving trends within the NWSL?
The Thorns reclaimed their historic position as league leaders in attendance in 2025 – partly due to Angel City’s significant downturn – and they remain a central feature of Portland’s soccer culture. This speaks volumes about their supporters, who have endured trying periods, with the former ownership accused of tolerating player mistreatment, which subsequently led to the Thorns’ acquisition by co-owners of the Sacramento Kings.
A novel training facility, intended for shared use with the WNBA expansion team Portland Fire – marking a pioneering cross-league collaboration – is slated to open later this year. The Thorns are long overdue for a permanent daily home that isn’t solely the artificial turf at Providence Park.
While Portland secured third place in 2025 and suffered a loss in the semifinals, the preceding year seemed inconsistent with the team that established global benchmarks upon its inception in 2013. The quest for a head coach was unduly prolonged and will impact them this season. The recent departures of midfield talents Hina Sugita and Sam Coffey represented substantial losses that have not been adequately addressed – moreover, Sophia Wilson’s contract option only retains her in Portland until December.
The Wave recovered from a dismal trough in 2024 to participate in the playoffs again in 2025. The offseason exits of Kailen Sheridan and Delphine Cascarino, each under unusual circumstances, provoked scrutiny.
Nevertheless, the Wave maintains an ambitious and assertive posture in the transfer market. They disbursed $800,000 to procure Brazilian forward Ludmila from Chicago, and they might become the new home for USWNT forward Catarina Macario by summer.
Conversely, San Diego’s attendance saw a 26% decrease year-over-year, marking the most pronounced decline in the NWSL. Alex Morgan’s retirement accounts for only a fraction of this. Has the novelty faded in San Diego? Or did the year filled with controversies finally catch up with the Wave?
This year presents another crucial juncture. A more enduring training venue also continues to elude them.
6. Bay FC (Previous year: 6)
On the pitch, some of the expansion luster has diminished for Bay FC. New head coach Emma Coates is tasked with invigorating a team that concluded last season tied for the fewest points in the league. All too often, Bay simply lacked competitiveness.
Off the field, Bay is scheduled to unveil a training complex on Treasure Island within the coming year, a tangible sign of how the team clearly views San Francisco as its path to greater achievements. Despite its poor performance, Bay FC established an NWSL attendance record at Oracle Park last year with 40,091 spectators at the baseball venue.
Bay FC owners Sixth Street also persist in augmenting the broader technical staff of what is poised to become a multi-club entity, although Bay currently remains its sole club.
How can a team yet to play a match secure fifth place in the ambition rankings?
Initially, Denver’s inaugural home game on March 28 has already sold sufficient tickets to shatter the NWSL attendance record, indicating that this thriving sports market yearns for its first professional women’s team.
Now, let us discuss the infrastructure: Majority owner Rob Cohen & Company intend to inaugurate a new, 14,500-seat stadium within Denver city limits in 2028. This will be only the second stadium in league history constructed specifically for an NWSL team. In the interim, they are also building a 12,000-seat temporary arena – strangely delayed by tariffs and shipping from China, which constitutes a minor impediment.
Thus, from the outset, Denver is set to possess the second-finest facilities in the entire league once all construction is complete. On the playing field, they have already fulfilled their commitment to bringing Colorado players home, including a significant signing of U.S. women’s national team captain Lindsey Heaps.
This represents a novel benchmark in NWSL expansion, entirely independent of an existing men’s team.
4. Gotham FC (Previous year: T-7)
Gotham has now secured two NWSL Championships in three years, clinched the inaugural Concacaf title, and represented the NWSL at FIFA’s first global women’s club tournament. They have invested heavily in players, spending an intraleague record of $1.25 million for Jaedyn Shaw in September. They have not refrained from other expenditures to bolster their team, such as preseason excursions to Spain.
2:29
Marcotti: Gotham’s Champions Cup failure a big missed opportunity for the NWSL
Gab & Juls discuss Gotham FC’s shock defeat to Corinthians in the FIFA Women’s Champions Cup semifinals.
Penetrating the broader New York City market proves challenging, but average attendance nearly reached 9,000 in 2025, marking the highest in the team’s extensive history (which includes averages below 2,000 in its nascent NWSL seasons). They even received a ticker-tape parade to City Hall in November following their most recent title. They are also anticipated to imminently have a resolution
for a more enduring practice venue.
Gotham stands as a NWSL club that has articulated its ambition to be the globe’s foremost, and they are actively substantiating this claim.
The NWSL’s squad with the highest valuation continues to conduct its operations on a dimension significantly exceeding that of numerous rivals. No fresh insights are present. Angel City persists as the NWSL’s pioneering force and catalyst for change, harboring ambitions to establish novel benchmarks for female athletic organizations.
However, contests are contested on the pitch, and frequent setbacks there bring repercussions — particularly within Los Angeles. Spectator turnout decreased by approximately 16% during the prior year, and while numerous elements played a role, consistent underperformance represents a key contributor.
The sudden exit of local star attacker Alyssa Thompson in September compelled Angel City to once more revise its revitalization blueprint. Los Angeles cherishes victors, and Angel City has experienced defeat excessively. It is crucial for their strategy to materialize successfully this current year.
Washington advanced to the NWSL Championship for the consecutive second season in 2025 (once more suffering defeat in the decisive match) following a rather comfortable second-place finish (also for the second consecutive year). Subsequently, the Spirit enticed Haley Carter, the mastermind behind the Orlando Pride’s 2024 double-championship campaign, to assume the role of their new president of football operations.
Shortly thereafter, the extended Trinity Rodman contract dispute concluded with Rodman committing to remain with the Spirit in an agreement that sources affirmed to ESPN is valued at more than $2 million per year inclusive of incentives, making it the most profitable globally. The Spirit spearheaded the effort to quite literally re-envision the regulations by advocating for the NWSL to institute the High Impact Player provision, which enabled the Spirit to repel rival proposals for Rodman.
2:16
Trinity Rodman: My aim is to assist in expanding football in the U.S.
Trinity Rodman clarifies her rationale for sealing a contract prolongation with the Washington Spirit.
Audi Field has concurrently transformed into one of the league’s leading environments. The Spirit’s mean viewership surged to exceed 15,000 supporters per match, ranking third in the NWSL and marking an additional robust, four-figure augmentation annually. The Spirit holds national significance and is progressively integrating into the essence of Washington, D.C. athletics.
Equality? Not within our aspirations hierarchy, where Kansas City secures the pinnacle position for the third consecutive year.
The Current had previously constructed their dedicated arena (intended to serve as the core of a complete urban area revitalization) and practice centers, and over the past twelve months, they have inaugurated a second set of each, ensuring their reserve squad possesses its own base. Their primary training complex will additionally be utilized by the Netherlands during the current year’s Men’s World Cup.
Principal co-proprietors Angie and Chris Long have furthermore initiated a multi-team division through the acquisition of the Danish squad HB Køge. The Longs have unequivocally stated their desire for the Current to triumph in the impending Club World Cup (preliminary qualification is, however, requisite).
On the pitch, the Current assembled the most commanding NWSL Shield-claiming campaign in recorded history, clinching the league by 21 points in 2025 courtesy of a squad that progressively fortified during the summer. Nonetheless, they once more faltered in the postseason, and the recruitment of Chris Armas during the off-season generates significant uncertainties and demands on the playing surface. Even so, they are engaging in strategic mastery while the majority of the league operates on a more rudimentary level.