2017 National Women's Soccer League season


The 2017 National Women's Soccer League season was the fifth 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 eleventh overall season of FIFA- and USSF-sanctioned top-division women's soccer in the United States. The league is operated by the United States Soccer Federation and receives major financial backing from that body. Further financial backing is provided by the Canadian Soccer Association; both national federations pay the league salaries of many of their respective national team members in an effort to nurture talent in those nations.
The reigning champions Western New York Flash did not play under that name; the franchise was sold, relocated to Cary, North Carolina and rebranded as the North Carolina Courage.
After schedule disruptions in the previous two years caused by the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup and the 2016 Summer Olympics, NWSL teams in 2017 once again played 24 games, a schedule last played during the 2014 season. The Courage won the NWSL Shield, topping the Portland Thorns by two points.
The NWSL Playoff semifinals were held October 7–8, 2017, and were won by the Thorns and the Courage. The NWSL Championship Game was held on October 14, 2017 at Orlando City Stadium in Orlando, Florida. The Thorns won 1–0, becoming NWSL Champions, their second 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 Stadium4,000
Chicago Red StarsToyota Park20,000
Houston DashBBVA Compass Stadium7,000 '
FC Kansas CitySwope Soccer Village
Children's Mercy Park 		3,500
18,467
North Carolina CourageSahlen's Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park10,000
Orlando PrideOrlando City Stadium25,500
Portland ThornsProvidence Park21,144
Seattle Reign FCMemorial Stadium6,088 '
Sky Blue FCYurcak Field5,000
Washington SpiritMaryland SoccerPlex4,000


Personnel and sponsorship

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

Coaching changes

Competition format

  • Each team played a total of 24 games, 12 home and 12 away.
  • The four teams at the end of the season with the most points qualified for the playoffs.

    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.
→
Team ↓
North Carolina Courage4111112111
Portland Thorns3432355342
Orlando Pride101010109887673
Chicago Red Stars96846322224
Seattle Reign FC52562445555
Sky Blue FC6868426
FC Kansas City23778766769107
Houston Dash1745799910988
Boston Breakers852356789109
Washington Spirit7999101010108810101010910

Washington Spirit and Boston Breakers were eliminated from playoff contention in Week 18 on August 26, 2017 after losing their respective games. FC Kansas City and Houston Dash were both eliminated in Week 20 on September 9, after the Chicago Red Stars gained one more point in a tie against FC Kansas City. Sky Blue FC was eliminated later that weekend after a loss against the Washington Spirit. Seattle Reign was the last team to lose a playoff spot after a defeat in Week 21.
In Week 19, North Carolina Courage was the first team to clinch a playoff spot. Later that week, Portland Thorns clinched the second playoff spot. Both Chicago Red Stars and Orlando Pride clinched the remaining two spots in Week 21.

Attendance

Average home attendances

Ranked from highest to lowest average attendance.
Team
Portland Thorns FC12211,83021,14414,47117,653
Orlando Pride1274,23314,4524,2736,186
Houston Dash1254,9386,7074,578
North Carolina Courage1252,6727,0202,3834,389
Seattle Reign FC1248,4496,0412,7274,037
Washington Spirit1241,8915,2002,3653,491
Chicago Red Stars1238,3794,9341,8273,198
Boston Breakers1234,7544,3212,2762,896
Sky Blue FC1231,3553,4512,0082,613
FC Kansas City1221,4563,3401,788
Total120609,95721,1444285,083

Updated to games played on October 1, 2017.

Highest attendances

Regular season
RankHome teamScoreAway teamAttendanceDateStadium
1Portland Thorns FC3–1Chicago Red Stars21,144Providence Park
2Portland Thorns FC2–0Houston Dash19,672Providence Park
3Portland Thorns FC4–0Washington Spirit19,141Providence Park
4Portland Thorns FC2–0Boston Breakers18,637Providence Park
5Portland Thorns FC2–1Washington Spirit18,478Providence Park
6Portland Thorns FC2–1Houston Dash18,243Providence Park
7Portland Thorns FC4–1Orlando Pride18,193Providence Park
8Portland Thorns FC1–0North Carolina Courage16,804Providence Park
9Portland Thorns FC1–3Sky Blue FC16,736Providence Park
10Portland Thorns FC3–0FC Kansas City16,199Providence Park

Updated to games played on October 7, 2017.