2016 National Women's Soccer League season


The 2016 National Women's Soccer League season was the fourth 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 tenth 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 significant financial backing from that body. Further financial backing was provided by the Canadian Soccer Association. Both national federations paid the league salaries of many of their respective national team members in an effort to nurture talent in those nations.
To accommodate the 2016 Olympics, the league suspended play for most of the month of August. In addition, the league did not schedule games during FIFA windows, leaving the 20-game, 19-week regular season ending in late September for the second year in a row.
In the regular season, the Portland Thorns topped the standings and thus won the NWSL Shield. In the playoffs, the Washington Spirit and Western New York Flash won their opening matches to set up a meeting in the final. They tied 2-2 after extra time, with the Flash winning 3-2 on penalties to take the NWSL Championship.
WWW nwslsoccer.com

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 StarsToyota Park20,000
Houston DashBBVA Compass Stadium7,000
FC Kansas CitySwope Soccer Village
Children's Mercy Park 		4,000
18,467
Orlando PrideCamping World Stadium60,219
Portland ThornsProvidence Park21,144
Seattle Reign FCMemorial Stadium7,000
Sky Blue FCYurcak Field5,000
Washington SpiritMaryland SoccerPlex5,126
Western New York FlashRochester Rhinos Stadium13,768

Personnel and sponsorship

Note: All of the teams use Nike as their kit manufacturer.
TeamHead coachCaptainShirt sponsor
Boston Breakerssortname|Matt|Beard

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 one local rival two extra times, also once home and away.
  • The four teams at the end of the season with the most points will qualify for the playoffs.

Results table

Updated to games played on September 25, 2016.
''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.
  1. Head-to-head win–loss record between the 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.
NOTE: If two clubs remain tied after another club with the same number of points advances during any step, the tie breaker reverts to step 1 of the two-club format.

Weekly live standings

Considering each week to end on a Sunday. The number of games played by the teams are uneven due to a weather postponement in week 7 and differing schedules between week 10 and 16.
→
Team ↓
Portland Thorns FC3223332321122221
Washington Spirit51111111112
Chicago Red Stars108422211124445443333
Western New York Flash47878552432233334444
Seattle Reign FC63367676675776665555
FC Kansas City899991099888888888876
Sky Blue FC26685867767654556667
Houston Dash155467788
Orlando Pride7475444556567777999
Boston Breakers910101010910101010101010101010

Attendance

Average home attendances

Ranked from highest to lowest average attendance.
Team
Portland Thorns FC10169,44921,14413,75216,945
Orlando Pride1087,85123,4035,8428,785
Houston Dash1056,9637,4404,5705,696
Seattle Reign FC1046,0185,8883,9874,602
Western New York Flash1038,6836,4492,2353,868
Washington Spirit1037,8175,7503,0363,782
Boston Breakers1035,7044,3791,4353,570
FC Kansas City1031,6248,0222,2173,162
Chicago Red Stars1030,0454,0242,0683,005
Sky Blue FC1021,6213,7801,2522,162
Total100555,77523,4031,2525,558

Updated to games played on September 25, 2016.

Highest attendances

Regular season
RankHome teamScoreAway teamAttendanceDateStadium
1Orlando Pride3–1Houston Dash23,403Camping World Stadium
2Portland Thorns FC3–2Western New York Flash21,144September 11, 2016Providence Park
3Portland Thorns FC1–0Seattle Reign19,231July 30, 2016Providence Park
4Portland Thorns FC0–0Seattle Reign18,114Providence Park
5Portland Thorns FC5–1Boston Breakers17,152Providence Park
6Portland Thorns FC1–2FC Kansas City16,942Providence Park
7Portland Thorns FC2–0Chicago Red Stars16,931Providence Park
8Portland Thorns FC2–1Orlando Pride16,073Providence Park
9Portland Thorns FC4–1Washington Spirit15,823Providence Park
10Portland Thorns FC2–0Sky Blue14,287Providence Park

Updated to games played on September 25, 2016.

Statistical leaders

Top scorers

Updated: September 25

Top assists

Updated: September 25

Clean sheets

Updated: September 25

NWSL Playoffs

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