2015 National Women's Soccer League season


The 2015 National Women's Soccer League season was the third 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 and the Women's United Soccer Association, it was the ninth overall season of FIFA and USSF-sanctioned top division women's soccer in the United States. The league was operated by the United States Soccer Federation and received major financial backing from that body. Further financial backing was provided by the Canadian Soccer Association and the Mexican Football Federation. All three national federations paid the league salaries of many of their respective national team members in an effort to nurture talent in those nations.
In January, Jeff Plush was named NWSL commissioner, replacing Cheryl Bailey.
To accommodate the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup, the league announced it would take a two-week break from June 7–19, reduce the season to 20 games, and extend the playing calendar into September.
For the second straight season, FC Kansas City defeated the NWSL Shield winners Seattle Reign FC 1–0 to win the NWSL championship.

Teams, stadiums, and personnel

Stadiums and locations

Two teams, the Dash and Reign, do not make their stadiums' entire capacity available for home games, instead restricting ticket sales at a lower level. The full capacities of their venues are included in parentheses and italics.
TeamStadiumCapacity
Boston BreakersSoldiers Field Soccer Stadium4,500
Chicago Red StarsVillage Sports Complex3,600
Houston DashBBVA Compass Stadium7,000
FC Kansas CitySwope Soccer Village4,000
Portland ThornsProvidence Park20,438
Seattle Reign FCMemorial Stadium6,000
Sky Blue FCYurcak Field5,000
Washington SpiritMaryland SoccerPlex5,126
Western New York FlashSahlen's Stadium13,768

Personnel and sponsorship

Note: All of the teams use Nike as their kit manufacturer.
TeamHead coachCaptainShirt sponsor
Boston Breakers

Player acquisition

Players were acquired through the 2015 Allocation of national team players on January 14
and the 2015 NWSL College Draft on January 16,
as well as free agency and trades.
Notable acquisitions and losses

Competition format

  • Each team will play a total of 20 games, 10 home and 10 away.
  • Each team will play all opponents twice, once home and once away, plus four opponents an extra time, split two opponents at home and two away.
  • The four teams at the end of the season with the most points will qualify for the playoffs.

Results table

''Scores listed as home-away''

League standings


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 point total, when determining rank and playoff qualification and seeding, the NWSL uses the following tiebreaker rules, going down the list until all teams are ranked.
If two teams tie:
  1. Head-to-head win–loss record between the two teams.
  2. Greater goal difference across the entire season.
  3. Greatest total number of goals scored.
  4. Apply #1–3 to games played on the road.
  5. Apply #1–3 to games played at home.
  6. If teams are still equal, ranking will be determined by a coin toss.
If three or more teams tie, the following rules apply until only two teams remain tied, at which point the two-team tiebreakers listed above are used:
  1. Points per game against all other tied teams.
  2. Greater goal difference across the entire season.

Weekly live standings

''Considering each week to end on a Sunday''

Statistical leaders

Top scorers

RankPlayerNationClubGoals
1Crystal DunnUnited States

Top assists

RankPlayerNationClubAssists
1Kim LittleScotland

Goalkeeping

RankGoalkeeperClubGPMINSSOGSVSGAGAAW-L-TSHO
1

NWSL Playoffs

The top four teams from the regular season will compete for the NWSL Championship.