National Women's Soccer LeagueAbout the League

The National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) is the top professional women's soccer league in the United States. Founded in 2012 and beginning play in 2013 with eight clubs, the league has grown to 16 teams in 2026, including new expansion clubs Boston Legacy FC and Denver Summit FC.

The 2026 regular season runs from March through November, with each team playing 30 matches — 15 at home and 15 away. The NWSL uses a single league table rather than conferences or divisions. Teams earn three points for a win, one point for a draw and zero points for a loss, and their place in the standings is determined by the points they accumulate throughout the season.

At the end of the regular season, the top eight teams advance to the NWSL Playoffs. The playoffs are single elimination, beginning with quarterfinal matchups of 1 vs. 8, 2 vs. 7, 3 vs. 6 and 4 vs. 5, followed by semifinals and the NWSL Championship. If a playoff match is tied after 90 minutes, teams play two 15-minute periods of extra time; if it is still tied, the winner is decided by a penalty shootout. The team that finishes the regular season with the best record wins the NWSL Shield, while the playoff winner is crowned NWSL Champion.