2022 National Women's Soccer League season


The 2022 National Women's Soccer League season was 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 and the Women's United Soccer Association, it was the 16th overall season of FIFA and USSF-sanctioned top division women's soccer in the United States. Twelve teams competed in the league, including two expansion teams, San Diego Wave FC and Angel City FC.
The NWSL regular season, comprising 22 games for each team, began on April 29 and ended on October 2, 2022. OL Reign topped the standing with 40 points and thus won the NWSL Shield. The championship playoffs were held from October 16–29 and were won by Portland Thorns FC, who defeated the Kansas City Current 2-0 in the final and thus became the NWSL champions. The year also included the 2022 NWSL Challenge Cup, which was played from March 18 to May 7 and overlapped with the start of the regular season. It was won by the North Carolina Courage, who defeated the Washington Spirit 2-1 in the final.
This season was the first in which the total attendance exceeded one million.

Teams, stadiums, and personnel

Team names

On October 21, 2020, the Los Angeles expansion team announced its name as Angel City FC.
On October 30, 2021, the NWSL franchise in Kansas City announced its new name as Kansas City Current.
On November 9, 2021, the San Diego expansion team announced its name as San Diego Wave FC.

Stadiums and locations

Capacities listed here are full capacities, and do not reflect COVID-19 restrictions.
TeamStadiumCapacity
Angel City FCBanc of California Stadium22,000
Angel City FCTitan Stadium10,000
Chicago Red StarsSeatGeek Stadium20,000
Houston DashPNC Stadium7,000
Kansas City CurrentChildren's Mercy Park18,467
NJ/NY Gotham FCRed Bull Arena25,000
North Carolina CourageWakeMed Soccer Park10,000
OL ReignLumen Field10,000
Orlando PrideExploria Stadium25,500
Portland Thorns FCProvidence Park25,218
Racing Louisville FCLynn Family Stadium11,700
San Diego Wave FCTorero Stadium6,000
San Diego Wave FCSnapdragon Stadium35,000
Washington SpiritAudi Field20,000
Washington SpiritSegra Field5,000



Personnel and sponsorship

Note: All teams use Nike as their kit manufacturer as part of a league-wide sponsorship agreement renewed in November 2021.
TeamHead coachCaptainShirt sponsor
Angel City FCsortname|Freya|Coombe

Regular season

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 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.
  1. Greater goal difference across the entire regular season.
  2. Most total wins across the entire regular season.
  3. Most goals scored across the entire regular season.
  4. Head-to-head results between the tied teams.
  5. Head-to-head most goals scored between the tied teams.
  6. Least disciplinary points accumulated across the entire regular season.
  7. Coin flip or drawing of lots.

Positions by week

Considering each week to end when the NWSL releases their weekly standing tweet
Team \ Week1234567891011121314151617181920
Team \ Week
OL Reign8101093665446565555521
Portland Thorns FC22378432332211143412
San Diego Wave FC61111111111123212143
Houston Dash105444254564332324254
Kansas City Current1212111111111010775654431335
Chicago Red Stars44567323223446666676
North Carolina Courage7111212121212121212121212121098867
Angel City FC36222746657777777788
Racing Louisville FC999358998101011999101111109
Orlando Pride1186569111111988888899910
Washington Spirit53789108791111101010111110101111
NJ/NY Gotham FC1781010578108991111121212121212

Legend: Gold = first place; green = playoff position; Red = last place.

Attendance

Average home attendances

Ranked from highest to lowest average attendance.
Regular season
Team
Angel City FC11210,15322,00016,11219,105
Portland Thorns FC11170,97619,1279,87615,543
San Diego Wave FC1196,01732,0004,4188,729
Kansas City Current1184,22310,3955,6957,657
OL Reign1175,28910,7463,9446,844
Washington Spirit1168,44110,1771,9616,222
Racing Louisville FC1166,5298,7295,1076,048
Chicago Red Stars1164,58823,9512,1355,872
Houston Dash1162,0857,7984,6375,644
North Carolina Courage1149,9916,3983,0844,545
NJ/NY Gotham FC1148,5637,1452,1304,415
Orlando Pride1148,2407,5733,0154,385
Total1321,045,09532,0001,9617,917

Updated through October 2, 2022

Highest attendances

Regular season
RankHome teamScoreAway teamAttendanceDateStadium
1 San Diego Wave FC 1–0 Angel City FC 32,000 Snapdragon Stadium
2 Chicago Red Stars 0–1 San Diego Wave FC 23,951 Soldier Field
3 Angel City FC 2–1 North Carolina Courage 22,000 Banc of California Stadium
3Angel City FC 2–1 San Diego Wave FC 22,000 Banc of California Stadium
3 Angel City FC 2–3 OL Reign 22,000 Banc of California Stadium
3 Angel City FC 1–3 Racing Louisville FC 22,000 Banc of California Stadium
7 Angel City FC 0–1 NJ/NY Gotham FC 18,784 Banc of California Stadium
8 Portland Thorns FC 0–2 San Diego Wave FC 18,624 Providence Park
9 Angel City FC 1–0 Kansas City Current 18,514 Banc of California Stadium
10 San Diego Wave FC 0–0 North Carolina Courage 18,000 Snapdragon Stadium

Updated through October 2, 2022.

Statistical leaders

Top scorers

RankPlayerClubGoals
1

Top assists

RankPlayerClubAssists
1

Clean sheets

RankPlayerClubClean sheets
1

Hat-tricks

PlayerForAgainstScoreDate

Playoffs

The top six teams from the regular season qualified for the NWSL Championship playoffs, with the top two teams receiving a first-round bye. On August 23, 2022, the league announced that the championship match would be held on October 29, 2022, at Audi Field in Washington, D.C., with domestic broadcast on CBS and a prime-time kickoff at 8 p.m. EDT.

Championship

Before the championship game, the NWSL recognized the 21 players who had been in the league for all 10 years of its existence.

Championship Game MVP: Sophia Smith

Individual awards

Annual awards

Teams of the Year

Announced October 25, 2022
Best XI
PositionPlayerClub
Goalkeepersortname|Kailen|Sheridan

Monthly Awards

Player of the Month

MonthPlayerClubRef.
May

Rookie of the Month

MonthPlayerClubRef.
May

Team of the Month

MonthGoalkeeperDefendersMidfieldersForwardsRef.
May