2022 National Women's Soccer League season

The 2022 National Women's Soccer League season will be the tenth season of the National Women's Soccer League, the top division of women's soccer in the United States. Including the NWSL's two professional predecessors, Women's Professional Soccer (2009–2011) and the Women's United Soccer Association (2001–2003), it will be the 16th overall season of FIFA and USSF-sanctioned top division women's soccer in the United States.

National Women's Soccer League
Season2022
← 2021
2023 →

Teams, stadiums, and personnel

Team names

On October 21, 2020, the Los Angeles expansion team announced their name as Angel City FC.[1]

On October 30, 2021, the NWSL franchise in Kansas City announced their new name as Kansas City Current.[2]

On November 9, 2021, the San Diego expansion team announced their name as San Diego Wave FC[3]

Stadiums and locations
See also: List of National Women's Soccer League stadiums

Capacities listed here are full capacities, and do not reflect COVID-19 restrictions.

Personnel and sponsorship

Note: All teams use Nike as their kit manufacturer.

Team Head coach Captain Shirt sponsor
Angel City FC Freya Coombe DoorDash[7]
Chicago Red Stars
Houston Dash James Clarkson Jane Campbell
Rachel Daly		 MD Anderson Cancer Center
Kansas City Current Rachel Corsie Saint Luke's Health System[8]
NJ/NY Gotham FC Scott Parkinson McCall Zerboni Avaya
North Carolina Courage Sean Nahas Abby Erceg Continental AG
OL Reign Laura Harvey Lauren Barnes
Megan Rapinoe		 Black Future Co-op Fund
Orlando Pride Amanda Cromwell Orlando Health
Portland Thorns FC Rhian Wilkinson Christine Sinclair Providence Health & Services
Racing Louisville FC Kim Björkegren GE Appliances
San Diego Wave FC Casey Stoney
Washington Spirit Tori Huster
Andi Sullivan

Coaching changes
Team Outgoing coach Manner of departure Date of vacancy Position in table Incoming coach Date of appointment Ref.
Washington Spirit Richie Burke Re-assigned[lower-alpha 1] August 10, 2021 7th in 2021 [11]
San Diego Wave FC Preseason Casey Stoney July 14, 2021 [12]
Angel City FC Preseason Freya Coombe August 23, 2021 [13]
Orlando Pride Becky Burleigh (interim) End of interim period October 30, 2021 Preseason Amanda Cromwell December 7, 2021 [14] [15]
Racing Louisville FC Mario Sanchez (interim) End of interim period November 1, 2021 Preseason Kim Björkegren December 9, 2021 [16][17]
North Carolina Courage Sean Nahas (interim) End of interim period November 8, 2021 Preseason Sean Nahas December 1, 2021 [18][19]
Portland Thorns FC Mark Parsons Resigned November 15, 2021 Preseason Rhian Wilkinson November 29, 2021 [20][21]
Kansas City Current Huw Williams Re-assigned November 18, 2021 Preseason [22]
Chicago Red Stars Rory Dames Resigned November 22, 2021 Preseason [23]
  1. Initially re-assigned to the front office, Burke was suspended by the team one day later pending an investigation by the league.[9] He was terminated for cause on September 28, 2021, after the league concluded its investigation.[10]

Regular season
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Angel City FC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 NWSL Shield
2 Chicago Red Stars 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Playoffs – Semi-Finals
3 Houston Dash 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Playoffs – First Round
4 Kansas City Current 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
5 NJ/NY Gotham FC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
6 North Carolina Courage 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
7 OL Reign 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
8 Orlando Pride 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
9 Portland Thorns FC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
10 Racing Louisville FC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
11 San Diego Wave FC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
12 Washington Spirit 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
First match(es) will be played on TBD, 2022. Source: NWSL
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers

Tiebreakers

The initial determining factor for a team's position in the standings is most points earned, with three points earned for a win, one point for a draw, and zero points for a loss. If two or more teams tie in total points total when determining rank, playoff qualification, and seeding, the NWSL uses the following tiebreaker criteria,[24] going down the list until all teams are ranked. Coin tosses or drawing of lots will be used if this criteria below fail.

  1. Head-to-head win/loss record between the teams tied in points (or points per game if more than two teams).
  2. Greater goal difference across the entire regular season (against all teams, not just tied teams).
  3. Greatest total number of goals scored (against all teams).
  4. Apply #1–3 to games played on the road.
  5. Apply #1–3 to games played at home.

Note: If two clubs remain tied after another club with the same number of points advances during any step, the tiebreaker reverts to step 1 of the two-club format.

Attendance
See also: National Women's Soccer League attendance

Average home attendances

Ranked from highest to lowest average attendance.

Highest attendances

Regular season

Rank Home team Score Away team Attendance Date Stadium

Statistical leaders
As of August 1, 2021.[25][26]

Playoffs
Further information: NWSL Playoffs

Individual awards
As of July 29, 2021

Annual awards
Further information: NWSL awards

Player of the Month
Further information: NWSL Player of the Month

Team of the Month
Further information: NWSL Team of the Month

References
  1. "National Women's Soccer League Official Site | NWSL". www.nwslsoccer.com.
  2. "Kansas City Current Reveals Name and Crest at Inaugural Season Finale - Kansas City Current". www.kansascitycurrent.com. October 30, 2021.
  3. "San Diego Wave FC: NWSL team reveals its name ahead of 2022 debut". www.theathletic.com. November 9, 2021.
  4. "Kansas City NWSL to Play 2022 Home Matches at Children's Mercy Park - KC NWSL". www.kcwoso.com. September 22, 2021.
  5. "OL Reign Returns Home to Seattle". OL REIGN: WE ARE THE BOLD.
  6. Rantz, Susie (December 15, 2021). "OL Reign's move to Lumen Field, explained". Sounder At Heart.
  7. Carp, Sam (March 19, 2021). "Angel City FC complete shirt sponsorship hattrick with Sprouts deal". SportsPro. Retrieved August 3, 2021.
  8. "Kansas City NWSL Partners with Saint Luke's Health System". kcwoso.com. September 28, 2021. Retrieved October 29, 2021.
  9. "Statement From Steve Baldwin". Washington Spirit. August 11, 2021. Retrieved August 13, 2021.
  10. "National Women's Soccer League Official Site | NWSL". www.nwslsoccer.com.
  11. "Richie Burke re-assigned to Spirit Front Office". Washington Spirit. August 10, 2021. Retrieved August 10, 2021.
  12. Brennan, Clare (July 14, 2021). "CASEY STONEY NAMED HEAD COACH OF SAN DIEGO NWSL TEAM". Just Women's Sports. Retrieved August 3, 2021.
  13. Baxter, Kevin (August 22, 2021). "Angel City names Freya Coombe as new coach". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 23, 2021.
  14. "Update on Orlando Pride Head Coach Vacancy | Orlando City". orlandocitysc.
  15. "Orlando Pride Hires Amanda Cromwell as Head Coach". orlandocitysc.
  16. "HOLLY'S CONTRACT TERMINATED; SANCHEZ APPOINTED INTERIM COACH". Racing Louisville FC. August 31, 2021. Retrieved September 1, 2021.
  17. "RACING LOUISVILLE FC HIRES BJÖRKEGREN AS HEAD COACH". Racing Louisville FC. December 9, 2021. Retrieved December 9, 2021.
  18. https://twitter.com/TheNCCourage/status/1443656907894534151
  19. "SEAN NAHAS NAMED HEAD COACH OF THE NORTH CAROLINA COURAGE". North Carolina Courage.
  20. "Thorns FC head coach Mark Parsons to depart club at conclusion of 2021 NWSL season". Portland Timbers. May 20, 2021. Retrieved August 3, 2021.
  21. Timbers, Portland. "Rhian Wilkinson named Thorns FC head coach | PTFC". Portland Timbers.
  22. "KC Current searching for new coach after moving Huw Williams into technical-staff role". Kansas City Star. November 18, 2021. Retrieved November 22, 2021.
  23. Salazar, Emmanuel (November 22, 2021). "Chicago Red Stars Head Coach Rory Dames Steps Down". Chicago Red Stars.
  24. "2021 Competition Rules". NWSL. Retrieved May 23, 2021.
  25. "NWSL Stats". NWSLsoccer.com. Retrieved May 16, 2021.
  26. "2021 NWSL Stats". FBref. Sports Reference. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
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