The 2026 season is the 14th season for the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL), the top division of women's soccer in the United States. Including the NWSL's two professional predecessors, Women's Professional Soccer (2009âÂÂ2011) and the Women's United Soccer Association (2001âÂÂ2003), it is the 20th overall season of FIFA and USSF-sanctioned top division women's soccer in the United States.
The league has 16 teams, with 2 expansion teams Boston Legacy and Denver Summit joining the 14 teams that contested the 2025 NWSL season. All teams are scheduled to play 30 regular-season matches.
The defending NWSL champion is Gotham FC, and the defending NWSL Shield winner is Kansas City Current.
Boston Legacy and Denver Summit will play their inaugural season.
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<small>Note: All teams use Nike as their kit manufacturer as part of a league-wide sponsorship agreement renewed in November 2021.</small>
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, going down the list until all teams are ranked.
Ranked from highest to lowest average attendance.
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