It is the quarter-mark of the 2026 season of the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL). The league has expanded to 16 teams by incorporating Boston Legacy FC and Denver Summit FC, and clubs are going by a 30-game regular-season schedule. By May 10, 2026, the table will be split, and the teams that will win will be the leading ones, those that will not perform, and the definite winner of the Golden Boot.
The Standings Leaders
Portland Thorns FC. The NWSL leaders are the Thorns, who have 19 points in 9 games. There is a goal difference of +6 (15 goals scored, 9 conceded). Both Reilyn Turner and Sophia Wilson are 3-goal scorers. Olivia Moultrie has 4 goals and 4 assists, tops in the league.
Washington Spirit. The Spirit comes second with 18 points out of 9 games. The team led by coach Jonatan Giraldez has the best goal difference ( +9 ) of 15 goals to 6 goals, the best in the league. Washington has a winning streak of seven games, and 5 of the games are in a row, which is equal to the record of the club during 2021 and 2022. On April 24, Trinity Rodman scored her first goal of the season and assisted in a 4-0 victory over Kansas City. Claudia Martínez was the first Paraguayan to score in the NWSL as a midfielder.
San Diego Wave FC. San Diego has 18 points, like Washington, except that they are trailing other cities due to the tiebreakers. The team has a +4 goal difference (13 goals scored, 9 conceded). During the time from March 22 to April 29, San Diego was able to win five consecutive games, the longest winning streak in the league during this time. There are 4 goals of Lia Godfrey.
Utah Royals. In fourth position are the Royals, who have 17 points in 9 matches. The team is at a +6 goal difference(12 goals scored and 6 conceded). The state of Utah has lost five games in a row and five shutouts, 468 minutes of not scoring a goal. Since she was reintroduced in the starting line, Goalkeeper Mandy McGlynn has not conceded in the last two games.
Unsuccessful teams.
Kansas City Current. The Current are in sixth place with 12 points from 8 matches (4-0-4). The team is losing (goal difference -4), with 10 goals scored and 14 conceded. Temwa Chawinga, the Golden Boot winner in the years 2024 and 2025, had already scored two goals in her first 7 games. On May 12, she scored a hat trick against Houston and was subsequently named a NWSL Player of the Week. Head coach Chris Armas was hired on January 7, 2026, to replace Vlatko Andonovski, who was hired as the global sporting director. Armas is also a coach of Colorado Rapids in the MLS, a former assistant coach in Manchester United and Leeds United of the English Premier League.
Orlando Pride. The NWSL champions of 2024, the NWSL Shield, stand at 11 th place with 11 points, having played 9 games (3-2-4). The level difference in the goals between the team is 12 goals to score, and 12 goals were conceded. Emily Sams had been taken by Angel City, and Ally Watt had been taken by Denver Summit during the offseason. The head of the league is Barbra Banda, who has 8 goals in 8 games. Seb Hines is still the head coach.
North Carolina Courage. The Courage are ranked 13th, having received 9 points out of the 8 matches (2-3-3). The team has a -2 goal difference (9 goals scored, 11 conceded). It is supported by 5 goals by Ashley Sanchez, and she was the April Player of the Month in the NWSL. Mak Lind is the successor of the fired Sean Nahas, replacing him in August 2025.
Breakout Performers
Orlando Pride, Barbra Banda. Banda is the leader in the NWSL Golden Boot with 8 goals in 8 games. She has over 5 goals, making her the leader in goals in the league.
Ashley Sanchez, North Carolina Courage. Sanchez comes in second in the Golden Boot race with 5 goals. The NWSL made her April Player of the Month.
Portland Thorns FC, Olivia Moultrie. Moultrie has 4 goals, and she is top in the league (4 assists). She is 20 years old.
Wave FC San Diego, Lia Godfrey. Godfrey has 4 goals.
Denver Summit FC, Melissa Kossler. Kössler has 4 goals. She was the first woman to score in the club, on March 14, in the first match in the history of the Denver Summit.
Bottom of the Table
Chicago Stars FC. The franchise, no longer going by the name Chicago Red Stars, renamed itself Chicago Stars FC before the 2025 season. The team has had 9 outings with 6 points (2-0-7), which puts the team at position 16. The team has not only lost by goals by -14 (4 score and 18 goals conceded) but has had 7 season shutouts as well. He was replaced by head coach Martin Sjögren at the end of the 2025 season, prior to the 2026 season.
Boston Legacy FC. The expansion squad is 14 th with 8 points in its 8 games (2-2-4). The team has a -5 goal difference (they have scored 9 goals and conceded 14 goals). Between March 14 and April 29, Boston had a five-match losing streak. The team, under head coach Filipa Patão, opened its first game on March 14 in Gillette Stadium, attracting 30,207 fans, the most ever to turn up at an NWSL opening game.
The Road Ahead
On November 1, the regular season of NWSL ends. The playoffs are between November 6 and November 21. The league will also miss a break in its regular season to host the FIFA World Cup in June 2026, which will leave national team players without club rosters.
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