2019 National Women's Soccer League season


The 2019 National Women's Soccer League season was the seventh 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 thirteenth 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 and take the financial burden of individual clubs.

Teams, stadiums, and personnel

Stadiums and locations

The Dash does not make its stadium's entire capacity available for home games, instead restricting ticket sales at a lower level. The full capacity of this venue is included in parentheses and italics.
Two stadiums were renamed during the season. First, on June 4, Exploria Resorts acquired the naming rights to Orlando City Stadium, which was accordingly renamed Exploria Stadium. Then, on June 13, the U.S. arm of the Spanish multinational bank BBVA announced a rebranding of the U.S. operations from "BBVA Compass" to "BBVA". As part of the rebranding, BBVA Compass Stadium became simply BBVA Stadium.
TeamStadiumCapacity
Chicago Red StarsSeatGeek Stadium20,000
Houston DashBBVA Stadium7,000
North Carolina CourageSahlen's Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park10,000
Orlando PrideExploria Stadium25,500
Portland ThornsProvidence Park25,218
Reign FCCheney Stadium6,500
Sky Blue FCYurcak Field5,000
Utah Royals FCRio Tinto Stadium20,213
Washington SpiritMaryland SoccerPlex4,000


Personnel and sponsorship

Note: All teams use Nike as their kit manufacturer.
TeamHead coachShirt sponsor
Chicago Red Stars —
Houston Dash —
North Carolina Courage Continental AG
Orlando Pride Orlando Health
Portland Thorns Providence Health & Services
Reign FC Zulily
Sky Blue FC Meridian Health
Utah Royals FC Conservice
Washington Spirit GEICO

Coaching changes

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 tiebreaker reverts to step 1 of the two-club format.

Attendance

Average home attendances

Ranked from highest to lowest average attendance.
Team
Portland Thorns FC12241,18125,21815,58120,098
Utah Royals FC12129,28818,0155,77710,774
Washington Spirit1273,66119,8712,0976,138
North Carolina Courage1270,4969,5634,0535,875
Orlando Pride1266,7839,4153,7035,565
Chicago Red Stars1265,40617,3882,0235,451
Reign FC1262,5517,4793,0325,213
Houston Dash1248,6315,3272,9334,053
Sky Blue FC1240,0599,4151,3213,338
Total108798,05625,2181,3217,389

Updated through end of regular season on October 12, 2019.

Highest attendances

Regular season
RankHome teamScoreAway teamAttendanceDateStadium
1Portland Thorns FC2–1North Carolina Courage25,218Providence Park
2Portland Thorns FC0–0Washington Spirit24,521Providence Park
3Portland Thorns FC5–0Houston Dash22,329Providence Park
4Portland Thorns FC1–0Houston Dash21,022Providence Park
5Portland Thorns FC3–1Washington Spirit20,895Providence Park
6Washington Spirit2–1Orlando Pride19,871Audi Field
7Portland Thorns FC3–0Chicago Red Stars19,461Providence Park
8Portland Thorns FC0–1Reign FC19,116Providence Park
9Portland Thorns FC1–1Sky Blue FC19,070Providence Park
10Portland Thorns FC4–3Orlando Pride18,909Providence Park

Updated through end of regular season on October 12, 2019.

Statistical leaders

Top scorers

Top assists

Shutouts

RankPlayerClubClean Sheets
1 Nicole BarnhartUtah Royals FC10
2 Aubrey BledsoeWashington Spirit9
3 Stephanie LabbeNorth Carolina Courage8
4 Alyssa NaeherChicago Red Stars6
4 Jane CampbellHouston Dash6
4 Casey MurphyReign FC6
7 Adrianna FranchPortland Thorns FC5
8 Britt EckerstromPortland Thorns FC3
8 Kailen SheridanSky Blue FC3
10 Emily BoydChicago Red Stars2

Hat-tricks

4 Scored 4 goals

NWSL Playoffs

The top four teams from the regular season compete for the NWSL Championship. The North Carolina Courage secured the number one seed on September 21, winning their third straight NWSL Shield.

Semi-finals

Championship

Individual awards

Monthly Awards

Player of the Month">NWSL Player of the Month">Player of the Month

Team of the Month">NWSL Team of the Month">Team of the Month

MonthGoalkeeperDefendersMidfieldersForwardsRef
April Kailen Sheridan, NJ Casey Short, CHI
Becky Sauerbrunn, UTA
Abby Erceg, NC
Meghan Klingenberg, POR		 Christine Sinclair, POR
Yuki Nagasato, CHI
Crystal Dunn, NC		 Christen Press, UTA
Sam Kerr, CHI
Tobin Heath, POR
May Aubrey Bledsoe, WAS Casey Short, CHI
Rachel Corsie, UTA
Sam Staab, WAS
Merritt Mathias, NC		 Yuki Nagasato, CHI
Jordan DiBiasi, WAS
Vero Boquete, UTA		 Sam Kerr, CHI
Amy Rodriguez, UTA
Ashley Hatch, WAS
June Aubrey Bledsoe, WAS Casey Short, CHI
Sam Staab, WAS
Megan Oyster, RFC
Katherine Reynolds, POR		 Andi Sullivan, WAS
Jess Fishlock, RFC
Kristen Hamilton, NC		 Midge Purce, POR
Amy Rodriguez, UTA
Ifeoma Onumonu, RFC
July Kailen Sheridan, NJ Casey Short, CHI
Sarah Gorden, CHI
Abby Erceg, NC
Merritt Mathias, NC		 Vanessa DiBernardo, CHI
Debinha, NC
Gabby Seiler, POR		 Kristen Hamilton, NC
Sam Kerr, CHI
Marta, ORL
August Aubrey Bledsoe, WAS Jaelene Hinkle, NC
Emily Menges, POR
Abby Erceg, NC
Casey Short, CHI
Debinha, NC
Christine Sinclair, POR
Lo'eau LaBonta, UTA		 Midge Purce, POR
Christen Press, UTA
Amy Rodriguez, UTA
September Alyssa Naeher, CHI Jaelene Hinkle, NC
Lauren Barnes, RFC
Julie Ertz, CHI
Casey Short, CHI		 Beverly Yanez, RFC
Debinha, NC
Morgan Brian, CHI		 Yuki Nagasato, CHI
Sam Kerr, CHI
Lynn Williams, NC

Weekly awards

Annual awards