It's funny how people talk about women’s soccer in America like it’s just one big, happy monolith. You hear "USWNT" and maybe think of four stars on a jersey or Megan Rapinoe’s iconic pose. But honestly? The landscape of women’s soccer teams USA is currently undergoing a massive, messy, and incredibly exciting transformation that most casual fans are completely missing.
We aren't in the 90s anymore. We aren't even in the "Alex Morgan era" anymore, especially since her retirement in late 2024 left a massive vacuum in the sport's celebrity ecosystem.
Right now, in 2026, the scene is a wild mix of established giants like NJ/NY Gotham FC trying to build a dynasty, brand-new expansion teams like the Denver Summit taking over the Rockies, and a whole new "Division I" league—the USL Super League—fighting for a seat at the table. It’s chaotic. It’s loud. And if you’re looking at it from the outside, it’s easy to get the details wrong.
The NWSL Power Shift: It’s Not Just About the Big Markets
For a long time, if you wanted to talk about the best women’s soccer teams USA had to offer, you talked about the Portland Thorns. Period. They had the fans, the history, and the atmosphere. While the Thorns are still massive—they actually led the league in average attendance in 2025 with over 18,000 fans per game—the "center of gravity" has shifted toward the East Coast and the Midwest.
Take NJ/NY Gotham FC. They used to be the league's basement-dweller (back when they were Sky Blue FC). Now? They’re the defending 2025 NWSL Champions. They just beat the Washington Spirit 1-0 in a title game where Rose Lavelle—basically a national treasure at this point—scored the winner. Gotham is the "super team" of the moment. They’ve got Lavelle, they’ve got Tierna Davidson, and they’ve got a brand that finally feels like it belongs in New York.
Then there’s the Kansas City Current.
They are doing things no one else is. They built CPKC Stadium, the first stadium specifically for a women's professional team. And it worked. They went 21-3-2 in 2025, clinching the NWSL Shield faster than any team in history. When people ask which teams are "best," the Current is usually the first name out of an expert's mouth because of their sheer consistency and the fact that they don't share a locker room with a men's MLS team.
The New Kids on the Block (2026 Expansion)
As of March 2026, the NWSL has expanded to 16 teams. This is a huge deal. The two newest entries are:
- Boston Legacy FC: Playing out of Gillette Stadium (yeah, where the Patriots play). They’ve got a massive task ahead of them trying to win over a sports-saturated Boston market.
- Denver Summit FC: They made the biggest splash of the offseason by signing USWNT captain Lindsey Heaps to a four-year "homecoming" deal.
The arrival of these two teams has pushed the regular season to 30 matches for the first time. It’s a grind. More games mean more injuries, which means the depth of these rosters is being tested like never before.
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The USWNT Identity Crisis (and Why It’s Good)
If you follow the National Team, you’ve probably noticed something weird. The roster looks... young. Like, really young.
Emma Hayes, the tactical mastermind who took over the USWNT, is currently in the middle of what she calls an "experimental phase" as the team builds toward the 2027 World Cup. In the January 2026 training camp, the average age of the roster was a staggering 24.1 years old.
We’re seeing a total changing of the guard.
Trinity Rodman is the veteran now. Think about that. She’s 23 years old and has the most caps (47) on the recent January roster. Behind her is a wave of players like Claire Hutton (Kansas City Current) and Ally Sentnor, who are basically being thrown into the deep end of international soccer.
The big "get" for 2026 is seeing how these kids handle the pressure. The USWNT isn't just a team; it's a brand that is expected to win every single time it touches the grass. But with legends like Morgan and Rapinoe gone, the new generation is having to find its own voice. They’re faster and more "transitional" (soccer-speak for "we run really fast on counter-attacks") than the teams of the past.
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The USL Super League: Friend or Foe?
Here is where it gets confusing for a lot of people. There is now a second "Division I" league in the States: the USL Super League.
Common sense says two top-tier leagues shouldn't exist in the same country. But they do. The USL Super League (USL SL) follows the European calendar (playing Fall to Spring), whereas the NWSL plays Spring to Autumn.
Is the quality the same? Honestly, no. Not yet.
The NWSL still has the massive TV deals ($60 million a year with CBS, ESPN, Prime, and ION) and the world-class stars. The USL Super League is more of a "developmental" Division I. You see a lot of players who couldn't quite break into an NWSL starting XI heading there to get minutes.
However, the USL SL is doing something cool—they don't have a draft. They operate like the rest of the world, where teams have academies and sign players directly. This forced the NWSL’s hand, and now the NWSL has also ditched its college draft in favor of a more open market. Competition, even if the talent isn't equal yet, is making the whole system better for the players.
The Attendance Myth: Is the Bubble Bursting?
You might see headlines saying NWSL attendance "dipped" in 2025. Technically, that’s true—it dropped about 5% from the record-breaking 2024 season. But "dipped" is a relative term.
In 2024, the league averaged 11,250 fans. In 2025, it was 10,669.
That sounds like bad news until you realize that 2024 was an outlier because of Alex Morgan’s retirement tour, which sold out stadiums everywhere she went. Without that "farewell" boost, the league is still averaging over 10,000 fans a match for the third year in a row.
More importantly, the "ceiling" is getting higher. In August 2025, Bay FC (based in San Jose) played the Washington Spirit at Oracle Park and pulled in 40,091 fans. That’s a record for a women’s pro game in the US. The interest isn't going away; it’s just becoming more localized and less dependent on a few superstar names.
Practical Insights for the 2026 Season
If you’re trying to keep up with women’s soccer teams USA this year, here is what actually matters on the ground:
- Watch the "High Impact" Players: The NWSL just introduced a new rule allowing teams to spend more to attract global superstars. Watch for more big-name signings from Europe (like England or Spain) joining teams like Angel City or San Diego Wave this summer.
- The June Break: Don't expect to see NWSL games in mid-June. The league is taking a break for the FIFA Men's World Cup (which is being hosted in the US, Mexico, and Canada). It's a logistical nightmare, so the league is stepping aside for a few weeks.
- Streaming is the Key: If you want to watch, you basically need a subscription to everything. ION handles the big Saturday night doubleheaders (which are free if you have an antenna!), but Prime Video and Paramount+ carry the rest.
- Keep an Eye on Atlanta: Even though they don't start playing until 2028, the new Atlanta franchise (owned by Arthur Blank) is already making waves in the front office. They're expected to set the next gold standard for what a "big market" team looks like.
The reality of women's soccer in the US right now is that it's no longer a "charity" or a niche interest. It's a cutthroat, billion-dollar industry where teams like the Kansas City Current are out-valuing some MLS teams. The gap between the "top" and "bottom" of the league is closing, and for the first time in a decade, the US National Team feels like it has to actually earn its spot back at the top of the FIFA rankings.
If you want to stay ahead of the curve, stop looking for the "next Alex Morgan." She doesn't exist. Instead, look at the tactical shifts Emma Hayes is bringing to the USWNT or the way expansion teams like Denver are building rosters from scratch. That's where the real story is.
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Next Steps for Fans and Analysts
- Download the Victory+ app: This is the newest streaming partner for the NWSL in 2026, offering a lot of "free-to-fan" content that wasn't available in previous seasons.
- Track the U-20 Standouts: Keep an eye on players like Wrianna Hudson and Nyanya Touray. They dominated the 2025 NCAA season and are the most likely candidates to be "fast-tracked" into the senior USWNT roster before the year ends.
- Monitor the Challenge Cup: The tournament has moved to a mid-season "Super Cup" format. The June 26th match between Kansas City and Gotham in Columbus is the unofficial "midterm exam" for the two best teams in the country.