Here's your viewing guide for the NWSL — the first American professional contact sports league to return since the coronavirus pandemic began
- The National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) will become the first professional contact sports league to return in the US in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
- The world's premier women's soccer league — which boasts nine clubs and all 23 current members of the US Women's National Team — will host a bubble-style, 25-game tournament dubbed the 2020 Challenge Cup.
- Check out Insider's viewing guide for each team as you gear up for the 2020 season, which begins play on June 27 on CBS and CBS All Access.
- Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.
Chicago Red Stars
Home stadium: SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview, Illinois
Championships: N/A
Top players: Julie Ertz*, Alyssa Naeher*, Casey Short*, Tierna Davidson*, Morgan Brian, Savannah McCaskill
Head coach: Rory Dames
Significant tournament absences:
Last year's finish: Runners-up
First game back: Saturday, June 27 @ 10 p.m. ET on CBS All Access vs Orlando Pride
What to know: The Chicago Red Stars advanced to the NWSL championship for the first time in team history last season, and even though they fell short against the NC Courage juggernaut in the final, they were a worthy opponent throughout the season. During the offseason, 2019 league MVP and Golden Boot winner Sam Kerr left the Red Stars to play for Chelsea FC in England's Women's Super League. Chicago will look to supplement her scoring efforts through strikers Savannah McCaskill and Yuki Nagasato as well as the addition of forward Kelia Ohai. Plus, having Julie Ertz — US Soccer's 2019 female player of the year — on their side can't hurt.
* denotes current USWNT player
Houston Dash
Home stadium: BBVA Stadium in Houston, Texas
Championships: N/A
Top players: Rachel Daly, Kristie Mewis, Jane Campbell, Nichelle Prince
Head coach: James Clarkson
Significant absences:
Last year's finish: 7th
First game back: Wednesday, July 1 @ 10 p.m. ET on CBS All Access vs NC Courage
What to know: The Houston Dash will be touting quite a different lineup from last year's campaign. Three of their top-five goal scorers of 2019 — Sofia Huerta, Kelia Ohai, and Kyah Simon — have moved on to different clubs. Still, British national team star Rachel Daly should represent the team up front while former US women's national teamer Kristie Mewis holds down the midfield and keeper Jane Campbell defends the net.
North Carolina Courage
Home stadium: WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, North Carolina
Championships: 2
Top players: Crystal Dunn*, Debinha, Abby Dahlkemper*, Sam Mewis*, Lynn Williams*, Jessica McDonald*, Kristen Hamilton
Head coach: Paul Riley
Significant absences:
Last year's finish: Champions, Shield Winners
First game back: Saturday, June 27 @ 12:30 p.m. ET on CBS vs Portland Thorns
What to know: The NC Courage have dominated the NWSL since the team took over franchise rights from the now-defunct Western New York Flash in 2017. They've won the Shield — indicating they had the league's best record — every season since and are back-to-back NWSL champions. The Courage have become something of a villain among NWSL fans thanks to their embarrassment of riches, not dissimilar to the New England Patriots of the NFL or the New York Yankees of the MLB.
* denotes current USWNT player
OL Reign
Home stadium: Cheney Stadium in Tacoma, Washington
Championships: N/A
Top players: Megan Rapinoe*, Sofia Huerta, Bethany Balcer, Allie Long
Head coach: Farid Benstiti
Significant absences: Megan Rapinoe
Last year's finish: 4th, Semi-finals
First game back: Tuesday, June 30 @ 10 p.m. ET on CBS All Access vs Sky Blue FC
One thing to know: Lots has changed for the OL Reign this offseason, starting all the way at the top. Previously known as Reign FC, the team is now under new leadership since the French OL Groupe — which also owns Olympique Lyonnais and Olympique Lyonnais Féminin — became majority owners of the franchise in January. The team also has a new coach in Farid Benstiti after his predecessor, Vlatko Andonovski, was hired to coach the US Women's National Team. Though the club has made the playoffs in each of the past two seasons, it may struggle to break through at the 2020 Challenge Cup without global superstar Megan Rapinoe in its ranks. Still, reigning NWSL rookie of the year Bethany Balcer and former Houston Dash striker Sofia Huerta should help mitigate the loss up top.
* denotes current USWNT player
Orlando Pride
Home stadium: Exploria Stadium in Orlando, Florida
Championships: N/A
Top players: Alex Morgan*, Marta*, Ali Krieger*, Ashlyn Harris*, Emily Sonnett*
Head coach: Marc Skinner
Significant absences:
Last year's finish: 9th
First game back: Saturday, June 27 @ 10 p.m. ET on CBS All Access vs Chicago Red Stars
One thing to know: Though the Orlando Pride have an impressive roster featuring USWNT stars like Alex Morgan, Ali Krieger, and Ashlyn Harris plus Brazilian superstar Marta, the club has struggled to compete with the league's heavyweights in recent years. Adding former Portland Thorns and USWNT defender Emily Sonnett should help the Pride bolster their back line and better contend for the cup in Utah.
* denotes current USWNT player
Portland Thorns
Home stadium: Providence Park in Portland, Oregon
Championships: 2
Top players: Tobin Heath*, Christine Sinclair, Becky Sauerbrunn*, Raquel Rodriguez, Lindsey Horan*
Head coach: Mark Parsons
Significant absences:
Last year's finish: 3rd, Semi-finals
First game back: Saturday, June 27 @ 12:30 p.m. ET on CBS vs. NC Courage
One thing to know: Historically, the Portland Thorns, an NWSL powerhouse, took home the NWSL Shield in 2016 and won the league championship in both 2013 and 2017. They've made the playoffs in each of the past two seasons but fallen short in both campaigns. During the offseason, the team has added reigning NWSL defender of the year Becky Sauerbrunn and Costa Rican star Raquel "Rocky" Rodriguez to its roster to help an already-dynamic cast of stars — including Canadian superstar Christine Sinclair and US women's national teamers Tobin Heath and Lindsey Horan — compete for more hardware.
* denotes current USWNT player
Sky Blue FC
Home stadium: Red Bull Arena in Harrison, New Jersey
Championships: N/A
Top players: Carli Lloyd*, Mallory Pugh*, Midge Purce, McCall Zerboni
Head coach: Freya Coombe
Significant absences:
Last year's finish: 8th
First game back: Tuesday, June 30 @ 10 p.m. ET on CBS All Access vs OL Reign
One thing to know: After years of sitting amongst the NWSL's bottom-dwellers, Sky Blue FC has made some massive changes to help improve its standing in the league. This season, the club was slated to play its home games at Red Bull Arena — a significant upgrade from their previous digs at Rutgers University. But even with the entire 2020 season playing out in a bubble, the New Jersey-based squad will arrive in Utah with a fresh new look, including a new coach. Freya Coombe will take over at the helm to oversee USWNT icon Carli Lloyd and a slew of new reinforcements, including former Washington Spirit striker Mallory Pugh, former NC Courage midfielder McCall Zerboni, and former Portland Thorns midfielder Midge Purce.
* denotes current USWNT player
Utah Royals
Home stadium: Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy, Utah
Championships: N/A
Top players: Christen Press*, Kelley O'Hara*, Amy Rodriguez
Head coach: Craig Harrington
Significant absences: Christen Press
Last year's finish: 6th
First game back: Tuesday, June 30 @ 12:30 p.m. ET on CBS All Access vs Utah Royals
One thing to know: The Utah Royals will have home-field advantage for the entirety of the 2020 NWSL Challenge Cup, but they'll have to play without one of the club's brightest stars in USWNT striker Christen Press. Still, the Royals will have striker Amy Rodriguez — who scored nine goals for the team last season — and arguably the best right back in the world in USWNT star Kelley O'Hara. Though the club finished sixth in the league last year, Utah made moves towards the future this offseason by trading USWNT star Becky Sauerbrunn to the Portland Thorns in exchange for Elizabeth Ball and $100,000 in allocation money. The Royals had reportedly used those funds to secure deals with Olympique Lyonnais superstars Sarah Bouhaddi and Dzsenifer Marozsan — both of whom would be huge additions to the team's roster — but the coronavirus pandemic may prevent the Europe-based stars from joining the club in time for the 2020 season.
* denotes current USWNT player
Washington Spirit
Home stadium: Audi Field in Washington, D.C.
Championships: N/A
Top players: Andi Sullivan*, Aubrey Bledsoe, Rose Lavelle*, Jordan DiBiasi, Ashley Hatch
Head coach: Richie Burke
Significant absences:
Last year's finish: 5th
First game back: Tuesday, June 30 @ 12:30 p.m. ET on CBS All Access vs Utah Royals
One thing to know: Though the Washington Spirit made a series of playoff appearances from 2014 to 2016, the club has struggled to contend for championships in recent years. But with a young, talented roster featuring USWNT stars Rose Lavelle and Andi Sullivan, prolific scorers Ashley Hatch and Jordan DiBiasi, and the league's reigning goaltender of the year in Aubrey Bledsoe, the Spirit are on their way to breaking through once again.
* denotes current USWNT player