Teams across the league released updated preseason rosters, cutting down from their 30+ player lists to just 25. Just an FYI if, like us, you find yourself counting names, a few teams will have more than 25 players listed, due to listing selected players as “Out of Market” or NYR […]
Around the World of WoSo: The Book of Ellis, Lloyd Makes City Debut
Panico to make history: Patrizia Panico is set to make history in the realm of Italian soccer. The 42-year-old former striker for the Italian Women’s National Team is the assistant coach to the U-16 level and will coach two games this week. Head coach Daniele Zoratto will be out due […]
Breaking: NWSL Releases Full 2017 Schedule
The NWSL dropped the full 24-match schedule for each of the 10 teams this morning, to the great relief of fans across the world. #NWSL announces complete 2017 regular-season schedule for its historic fifth campaign. Details: https://t.co/pSjtR0kGRi pic.twitter.com/QQTnCPxedp — NWSL (@NWSL) March 1, 2017 Each team will play 24 matches–12 […]
NWSL Releases Home Opener Schedule
This afternoon the NWSL released information about the league’s 2017 season home openers. #NWSL announces the schedule of home openers for the 2017 regular season. Details: https://t.co/zVBWyPUzjy pic.twitter.com/eZUeJIFzh6 — NWSL (@NWSL) February 21, 2017 The release was chock full of important information. Most notable, perhaps, was the fact that 2017’s Opening […]
A Look at Season Tickets Around the NWSL
With the NWSL season quickly approaching (no schedule available at the time of posting), it’s time to take a look at the different season ticket options around the league. This year’s NWSL season features 12 games at the home field of each club (24 in total)—up from the 10 home game, […]
Around the World of WoSo: HAO to Arsenal; Pride Trade Hat-Trick
HAO Commits to Being a Gunner: Long-time United States Women’s National Team midfielder Heather O’Reilly has announced she will be playing in the Women’s Super League (FA WSL 1), England’s top league for women’s soccer. Simply known as HAO, she recently retired from international play, but at just 32 she […]
Join the Pride: The 2017 NWSL Draft
Going into the NWSL draft this year, the Orlando Pride no longer have the luxury of having a draft pick in the first or second round. The first-round pick was used in the trade to bring in now-retired player Becky Edwards and breakout player Kristen Edmonds to the squad. Additionally, […]
Breaking: Alex Morgan heads to France for Champions League
Alex Morgan, of the Orlando Pride, is heading to France for the end of the Olympic Lyons 2016-2017 season. Morgan has played in the NWSL for each of the first four seasons. First with the Portland Thorns, and then in the 2016 season for the Orlando Pride. Morgan explains her […]
Predicting the Pride: Pre-NWSL Draft
Head Coach Tom Sermanni’s first season in the NWSL fell short of the team’s pre-season expectations with a ninth place finish. The less-than-stellar result can be attributed mostly to the team failing to win a match after the long Olympic break. Looking for a quick turnaround in the 2017 season, […]
Ali Krieger traded to the Orlando Pride
Ali Krieger, former captain for the Washington Spirit, has been traded to the Orlando Pride. In exchange for her rights, the Orlando Pride have swapped places with the Washington Spirit in the Distribution Ranking Order (DRO). The DRO is how newly allocated players are paired with teams. Bill Lynch, owner […]
A Brief Look at Attendance Trends in the NWSL and MLS
In their fourth season, the NWSL has managed to do something that the MLS was not able to do in their first four years: find growth in attendance. I thought it would be interesting to take a look at attendance between NWSL teams that share cities with MLS teams and […]
What Could Have Been: The 2016 NWSL All-Star Game That Wasn’t
All-Star games are a part of most major sports. A way to see the best of the best in that league square off against each other on two super teams. Some leagues, like Major League Baseball, put some importance on the game by using it to award home field advantage […]
The Future of the USWNT is in the NWSL: Offense
With the USWNT beginning a new cycle and the team in transition, it’s time for new blood. In this two-part series, I take a look at whose NWSL play has earned a call-up to National Team camp and the chance to make an impression on Jill Ellis. Part One examined […]
The Future of the USWNT is in the NWSL: Defense
With the USWNT beginning a new cycle and the team in transition, it’s time for new blood. In this two-part series, I take a look at whose NWSL play has earned a call-up to National Team camp and the chance to make an impression on Jill Ellis. Part One examines […]
The Downsizing of Fat Fans
I haven’t always been a sports fan. I grew up in southeast Wisconsin, a place where Sunday Catholic masses in the fall usually included a reference to the Packers during the homily. And sometimes a joke about the Bears or the Vikings, to the delight of almost all. But I […]
Making the Case: NWSL All-Star Match
In many ways, the National Women’s Soccer League has never looked better. With last season’s post-World Cup surge in attendance, the addition of a tenth team in the Orlando Pride, and player acquisitions like Lindsey Horan and Raquel Rodriguez (not to mention the return of fan favorite and big personality […]
Just Pick an NWSL Team Already, I’m Begging You.
Hey all you new NWSL fans out there. Yeah you. I have a message for you. Pick a team. Pick an NWSL team and stick with them. For one whole season; just pick a team and stick with them. Even if they break your heart. Maybe especially if they break […]
Introducing Backline Soccer
RJ Allen: I am RJ Allen. I am the Editor in Chief of Backline Soccer. I’m joined by Chelsey Bush, who is the Managing Editor of Backline Soccer. So Chelsey, why is Backline Soccer a thing now? Chelsey Bush: We felt like it was time to devote all our attention […]
How to Pay the Amateurs
A lot has been written lately about if the amateur NWSL players should be paid, why they aren’t paid, and if the league or their clubs can afford to pay them. Very little has been written about how these players should be paid and about what might be a reasonable […]
Terms of the Deal Were Not disclosed. Wait, why?
“Per league and club policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.” That sentence shows up in every story on NWSLSoccer.com about a player signing. Officially, no club can create a page on their website that lists what each of their players make. The only things we do know are that non-allocated […]