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class="vector-toc-numb">2</span> <span>National team</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-National_team-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-League_system" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#League_system"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">3</span> <span>League system</span> </div> </a> <button aria-controls="toc-League_system-sublist" class="cdx-button cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--icon-only vector-toc-toggle"> <span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-expand"></span> <span>Toggle League system subsection</span> </button> <ul id="toc-League_system-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> <li id="toc-History" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#History"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">3.1</span> <span>History</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-History-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> <li id="toc-Amateur_soccer:_W-League_and_WPSL" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-3"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Amateur_soccer:_W-League_and_WPSL"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">3.1.1</span> <span>Amateur soccer: W-League and WPSL</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Amateur_soccer:_W-League_and_WPSL-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Women's_United_Soccer_Association_(WUSA)" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-3"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Women's_United_Soccer_Association_(WUSA)"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">3.1.2</span> <span>Women's United Soccer Association (WUSA)</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Women's_United_Soccer_Association_(WUSA)-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Post-WUSA" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-3"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Post-WUSA"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">3.1.3</span> <span>Post-WUSA</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Post-WUSA-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Women's_Professional_Soccer_(WPS)" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-3"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Women's_Professional_Soccer_(WPS)"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">3.1.4</span> <span>Women's Professional Soccer (WPS)</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Women's_Professional_Soccer_(WPS)-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-WPSL_Elite" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-3"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#WPSL_Elite"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">3.1.5</span> <span>WPSL Elite</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-WPSL_Elite-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-National_Women's_Soccer_League_(NWSL)" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-3"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#National_Women's_Soccer_League_(NWSL)"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">3.1.6</span> <span>National Women's Soccer League (NWSL)</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-National_Women's_Soccer_League_(NWSL)-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Folding_of_the_W-League_and_creation_of_United_Women's_Soccer" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-3"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Folding_of_the_W-League_and_creation_of_United_Women's_Soccer"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">3.1.7</span> <span>Folding of the W-League and creation of United Women's Soccer</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Folding_of_the_W-League_and_creation_of_United_Women's_Soccer-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Tier_system" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Tier_system"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">3.2</span> <span>Tier system</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Tier_system-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> 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id="toc-USASA_National_Women's_Amateur" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#USASA_National_Women's_Amateur"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">4.2</span> <span>USASA National Women's Amateur</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-USASA_National_Women's_Amateur-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-US_Soccer_National_Amateur_Championships" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#US_Soccer_National_Amateur_Championships"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">4.3</span> <span>US Soccer National Amateur Championships</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-US_Soccer_National_Amateur_Championships-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Hardships" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Hardships"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">5</span> <span>Hardships</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Hardships-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Contributions_to_the_game" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Contributions_to_the_game"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">6</span> <span>Contributions to the game</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Contributions_to_the_game-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-See_also" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#See_also"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">7</span> <span>See also</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-See_also-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-References" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#References"> <div 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.infobox-subbox{padding:0;border:none;margin:-3px;width:auto;min-width:100%;font-size:100%;clear:none;float:none;background-color:transparent}.mw-parser-output .infobox-3cols-child{margin:auto}.mw-parser-output .infobox .navbar{font-size:100%}@media screen{html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .infobox-full-data:not(.notheme)>div:not(.notheme)[style]{background:#1f1f23!important;color:#f8f9fa}}@media screen and (prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .infobox-full-data:not(.notheme) div:not(.notheme){background:#1f1f23!important;color:#f8f9fa}}@media(min-width:640px){body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table{display:table!important}body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table>caption{display:table-caption!important}body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table>tbody{display:table-row-group}body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table tr{display:table-row!important}body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table th,body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table td{padding-left:inherit;padding-right:inherit}}</style><table class="infobox" style="width:250;"><tbody><tr><th colspan="2" class="infobox-above">Women's soccer in the United States</th></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="infobox-image"><span typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:L-22-09-06-A-441_(52340203655).jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/73/L-22-09-06-A-441_%2852340203655%29.jpg/240px-L-22-09-06-A-441_%2852340203655%29.jpg" decoding="async" width="240" height="160" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/73/L-22-09-06-A-441_%2852340203655%29.jpg/360px-L-22-09-06-A-441_%2852340203655%29.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/73/L-22-09-06-A-441_%2852340203655%29.jpg/480px-L-22-09-06-A-441_%2852340203655%29.jpg 2x" data-file-width="5508" data-file-height="3672" /></a></span><div class="infobox-caption">U.S. Secretary of Labor Marty J. Walsh attends U.S. Soccer Federation, the U.S. Women’s National Team Players Association, and the U.S. National Soccer Team Players Association, for a ceremonial collective bargaining agreement signing, post-USWNT match at Audi Field.</div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Country</th><td class="infobox-data">United States</td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label"><span class="nowrap">Governing body</span></th><td class="infobox-data"><a href="/wiki/United_States_Soccer_Federation" title="United States Soccer Federation">U.S. Soccer</a></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label"><span class="nowrap">National team(s)</span></th><td class="infobox-data"><a href="/wiki/United_States_women%27s_national_soccer_team" title="United States women's national soccer team">Women's national team</a></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Nickname(s)</th><td class="infobox-data">USWNT</td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Clubs</th><td class="infobox-data">18 Professional</td></tr><tr><th colspan="2" class="infobox-header"><div style="border-bottom:1px solid lightgray;">Club competitions</div></th></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="infobox-full-data"><div style="text-align:left;"> <a href="/wiki/National_Women%27s_Soccer_League" title="National Women's Soccer League">National Women's Soccer League</a><br /><a href="/wiki/USL_Super_League" title="USL Super League">USL Super League</a><br /><a href="/wiki/WPSL_PRO" title="WPSL PRO">WPSL PRO</a></div></td></tr><tr><th colspan="2" class="infobox-header"><div style="border-bottom:1px solid lightgray;">International competitions</div></th></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="infobox-full-data"><div style="text-align:left;"> <a href="/wiki/Football_at_the_Summer_Olympics" title="Football at the Summer Olympics">Olympics</a> (National Team)<br /><a href="/wiki/FIFA_Women%27s_World_Cup" title="FIFA Women's World Cup">FIFA Women's World Cup</a> (National Team)<br /><a href="/wiki/CONCACAF_W_Championship" title="CONCACAF W Championship">CONCACAF Women's Championship</a> (National Team)</div></td></tr><tr><th colspan="2" class="infobox-header"><div style="border-bottom:1px solid lightgray;">Audience records</div></th></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label"><span class="nowrap">Single match</span></th><td class="infobox-data">Club - 35,038<sup id="cite_ref-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-1"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>1<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> <span class="nowrap"><span style="font-size:85%;"><a href="/wiki/Chicago_Red_Stars" title="Chicago Red Stars">Chicago Red Stars</a> v <a href="/wiki/Bay_FC" title="Bay FC">Bay FC</a> (<a href="/wiki/National_Women%27s_Soccer_League" title="National Women's Soccer League">NWSL</a>)</span></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">(June 8, 2024)</span><br />National - 90,185<sup id="cite_ref-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><br /><span class="nowrap"><span style="font-size:85%;"><a href="/wiki/United_States_women%27s_national_soccer_team" title="United States women's national soccer team">USWNT</a> v <a href="/wiki/China_women%27s_national_football_team" title="China women's national football team">China</a> (<a href="/wiki/1999_FIFA_Women%27s_World_Cup_final" title="1999 FIFA Women's World Cup final">1999 Women's World Cup</a>)</span></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">(July 10, 1999)</span></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Season</th><td class="infobox-data">1,366,581<sup id="cite_ref-3" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-3"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></td></tr></tbody></table> <p><b><a href="/wiki/Women%27s_association_football" title="Women's association football">Women's soccer</a> in the <a href="/wiki/United_States" title="United States">United States</a></b> has developed quite differently from men's soccer. Until the 1970s, organized women's soccer matches in the U.S. existed only on a limited basis.<sup id="cite_ref-4" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-4"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>4<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-sover_5-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-sover-5"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-6" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-6"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>6<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Since changes that started in the 1970's, the U.S. has become one of the top countries in the world of women's soccer. In the <a href="/wiki/2019_FIFA_Women%27s_World_Cup" title="2019 FIFA Women's World Cup">2019 FIFA Women's World Cup</a>, there were 58 US-based players, the most of any country and in the <a href="/wiki/2023_FIFA_Women%27s_World_Cup" title="2023 FIFA Women's World Cup">2023 FIFA Women's World Cup</a>, there were 61 US-based players, the second of any country.<sup id="cite_ref-7" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-7"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>7<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> In addition the <a href="/wiki/United_States_women%27s_national_soccer_team" title="United States women's national soccer team">national team</a> has been ranked <a href="/wiki/FIFA_Women%27s_World_Rankings" class="mw-redirect" title="FIFA Women's World Rankings">#1 in the world</a> after their back-to-back <a href="/wiki/FIFA_Women%27s_World_Cup" title="FIFA Women's World Cup">Women's World Cup</a> victories in <a href="/wiki/2015_FIFA_Women%27s_World_Cup" title="2015 FIFA Women's World Cup">2015</a> and <a href="/wiki/2019_FIFA_Women%27s_World_Cup" title="2019 FIFA Women's World Cup">2019</a><sup id="cite_ref-8" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-8"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>8<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> and once again after winning the <a href="/wiki/Football_at_the_2024_Summer_Olympics_%E2%80%93_Women%27s_tournament" title="Football at the 2024 Summer Olympics – Women's tournament">2024 Olympics</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-9" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-9"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>9<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Until 2024, The <a href="/wiki/United_States_soccer_league_system#Women's_leagues" title="United States soccer league system">highest women's professional soccer league</a> in the United States is the <a href="/wiki/National_Women%27s_Soccer_League" title="National Women's Soccer League">National Women's Soccer League</a> (NWSL), which was established in 2012 as a successor to <a href="/wiki/Women%27s_Professional_Soccer" title="Women's Professional Soccer">Women's Professional Soccer</a> and was run by the <a href="/wiki/United_States_Soccer_Federation" title="United States Soccer Federation">United States Soccer Federation</a> (USSF)<sup id="cite_ref-NWSL_10-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-NWSL-10"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>10<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> before becoming independently governed in 2020.<sup id="cite_ref-11" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-11"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>11<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The league began with eight teams in 2013<sup id="cite_ref-NWSL_10-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-NWSL-10"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>10<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> and reached its current membership of 14 teams in 2024.<sup id="cite_ref-12" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-12"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>12<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Beginning in 2024, the NWSL was joined by the <a href="/wiki/USL_Super_League" title="USL Super League">USL Super League</a> as a <a href="/wiki/United_States_soccer_league_system" title="United States soccer league system">Division I</a> professional soccer league.<sup id="cite_ref-13" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-13"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>13<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> USL Super League launched in August 2024 with eight teams playing in a fall to spring schedule.<sup id="cite_ref-Inaugural_Teams_14-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Inaugural_Teams-14"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>14<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The expansion of professional women's soccer is planned to continue in 2025 with the establishment of <a href="/wiki/WPSL_PRO" title="WPSL PRO">WPSL PRO</a> a Division III league, designed to enhance the pathway from amateur to professional.<sup id="cite_ref-15" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-15"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>15<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Amateur soccer has been the backbone of women's soccer in America since the 1950, with the <a href="/wiki/Craig_League" title="Craig League">Craig League</a> based in Missouri.<sup id="cite_ref-16" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-16"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>16<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The amateur landscape includes both players who compete in <a href="/wiki/National_Collegiate_Athletic_Association" title="National Collegiate Athletic Association">NCAA</a><sup id="cite_ref-sover_5-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-sover-5"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> and those who compete in the summer leagues <a href="/wiki/USL_W_League" title="USL W League">USL W League</a>, <a href="/wiki/Women%27s_Premier_Soccer_League" title="Women's Premier Soccer League">Women's Premier Soccer League</a>, and <a href="/wiki/United_Women%27s_Soccer" title="United Women's Soccer">United Women's Soccer</a>. </p> <meta property="mw:PageProp/toc" /> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Early_history">Early history</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Women%27s_soccer_in_the_United_States&action=edit&section=1" title="Edit section: Early history"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>One of the first known organized women's soccer league in the United States was the <a href="/wiki/Craig_League" title="Craig League">Craig League</a>, which consisted of four teams in <a href="/wiki/St._Louis,_Missouri" class="mw-redirect" title="St. Louis, Missouri">St. Louis, Missouri</a>, playing 15-game seasons in 1950 and 1951.<sup id="cite_ref-17" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-17"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>17<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-18" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-18"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>18<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Women's soccer in the United States started to gain popularity in the beginning of the 20th century, much later than it appeared in Europe, which had women's leagues in the 1930s. The passage of <a href="/wiki/Title_IX" title="Title IX">Title IX</a> legislation in 1972 made <a href="/wiki/Gender_equality" title="Gender equality">gender equality</a> mandatory in education, including collegiate athletics, which led to more organized women's soccer teams and development.<sup id="cite_ref-19" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-19"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>19<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> <a href="/wiki/College_soccer_in_the_United_States" class="mw-redirect" title="College soccer in the United States">Collegiate soccer</a> created more popularity for the game in the 1980s. However, there were few professional opportunities for women in the United States, and the first national women's league, the <a href="/wiki/USL_W-League_(1995%E2%80%932015)" title="USL W-League (1995–2015)">USL W-League</a>, would not be established until 1995.<sup id="cite_ref-sover_5-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-sover-5"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="National_team">National team</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Women%27s_soccer_in_the_United_States&action=edit&section=2" title="Edit section: National team"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1236090951">.mw-parser-output .hatnote{font-style:italic}.mw-parser-output div.hatnote{padding-left:1.6em;margin-bottom:0.5em}.mw-parser-output .hatnote i{font-style:normal}.mw-parser-output .hatnote+link+.hatnote{margin-top:-0.5em}@media print{body.ns-0 .mw-parser-output .hatnote{display:none!important}}</style><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Main article: <a href="/wiki/United_States_women%27s_national_soccer_team" title="United States women's national soccer team">United States women's national soccer team</a></div> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236090951"><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Main article: <a href="/wiki/United_States_at_the_FIFA_Women%27s_World_Cup" title="United States at the FIFA Women's World Cup">United States at the FIFA Women's World Cup</a></div> <p>The women's national team was formed in 1983, but would not play its first games until <a href="/wiki/1985_United_States_women%27s_national_soccer_team" class="mw-redirect" title="1985 United States women's national soccer team">1985</a>. In its first years, it played in little more than friendly tournaments, primarily against European teams, as few competitions for women's national teams yet existed. After the first <a href="/wiki/FIFA_Women%27s_World_Cup" title="FIFA Women's World Cup">FIFA Women's World Cup</a> was announced for 1991 and especially on the United States being awarded the <a href="/wiki/1994_FIFA_World_Cup" title="1994 FIFA World Cup">1994 FIFA World Cup</a> increased investment in both the men's and women's national teams by the USSF led to the United States' team rapidly improving and winning the first women's World Cup.<sup id="cite_ref-20" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-20"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>20<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-sover_5-3" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-sover-5"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The popularity of the team exploded in the aftermath of the <a href="/wiki/1999_FIFA_Women%27s_World_Cup" title="1999 FIFA Women's World Cup">1999 FIFA Women's World Cup</a> win as a result of penalty kicks in front of a sold-out <a href="/wiki/Rose_Bowl_(stadium)" title="Rose Bowl (stadium)">Rose Bowl</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-21" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-21"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>21<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-22" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-22"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>22<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-autogenerated1999_23-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-autogenerated1999-23"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>23<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-24" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-24"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>24<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The close win increased the tension, giving the team a more lively reputation as a sport.<sup id="cite_ref-25" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-25"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>25<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Since then, the Americans have remained a force in international women's soccer, having finished third or better in every World Cup, reaching the championship game again in 2011 and winning in 2015 and 2019, as well as appearing in five of the six Olympic gold medal games, winning four. The national team also competes in other tournaments, such as the annual <a href="/wiki/Algarve_Cup" title="Algarve Cup">Algarve Cup</a>. The primary source of young players for the national team is NCAA <a href="/wiki/College_soccer_in_the_United_States" class="mw-redirect" title="College soccer in the United States">college soccer</a>, which feeds players to the U-20 national team and eventually the full senior team. Because the United States often lacked a professional women's league, interest in the team peaked around major tournaments, and the team historically struggled to maintain interest between tournaments.<sup id="cite_ref-sover_5-4" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-sover-5"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The United States also faces increasingly competitive European national teams, many of which have well-established women's leagues in their countries from which to draw players.<sup id="cite_ref-26" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-26"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>26<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="League_system">League system</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Women%27s_soccer_in_the_United_States&action=edit&section=3" title="Edit section: League system"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>The success of the <a href="/wiki/United_States_women%27s_national_soccer_team" title="United States women's national soccer team">women's national team</a> has not always translated into success for women's professional soccer in the United States.<sup id="cite_ref-27" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-27"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>27<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="History">History</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Women%27s_soccer_in_the_United_States&action=edit&section=4" title="Edit section: History"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>Women's soccer was dated back to the 1800s in Europe. Overcoming adversity and change led to where soccer is today for women. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading4"><h4 id="Amateur_soccer:_W-League_and_WPSL">Amateur soccer: W-League and WPSL</h4><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Women%27s_soccer_in_the_United_States&action=edit&section=5" title="Edit section: Amateur soccer: W-League and WPSL"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236090951"><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Main articles: <a href="/wiki/USL_W-League_(1995%E2%80%932015)" title="USL W-League (1995–2015)">USL W-League (1995–2015)</a> and <a href="/wiki/Women%27s_Premier_Soccer_League" title="Women's Premier Soccer League">Women's Premier Soccer League</a></div> <p>Originally called the United States Interregional Women's League, the USL W-League was formed in 1995 as the first national women's soccer league,<sup id="cite_ref-28" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-28"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>28<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-29" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-29"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>29<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-stewart_30-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-stewart-30"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>30<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> providing a professional outlet for many of the top female soccer players in the country. It also allowed college players the opportunity to play alongside established international players. Starting as the Western Division of the W-League, the Women's Premier Soccer League (WPSL) broke away and formed its own league in 1997 and had its inaugural season in 1998. Both the W-League and the WPSL were considered the premier women's soccer leagues in the United States at the time, but eventually fell to a second-tier level upon the formation of the <a href="/wiki/Women%27s_United_Soccer_Association" title="Women's United Soccer Association">Women's United Soccer Association</a> in 2000. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading4"><h4 id="Women's_United_Soccer_Association_(WUSA)"><span id="Women.27s_United_Soccer_Association_.28WUSA.29"></span>Women's United Soccer Association (WUSA)</h4><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Women%27s_soccer_in_the_United_States&action=edit&section=6" title="Edit section: Women's United Soccer Association (WUSA)"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236090951"><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Main article: <a href="/wiki/Women%27s_United_Soccer_Association" title="Women's United Soccer Association">Women's United Soccer Association</a></div> <p>A seemingly viable market for the sport became apparent after the United States women's national soccer team won the <a href="/wiki/1999_FIFA_Women%27s_World_Cup" title="1999 FIFA Women's World Cup">1999 FIFA Women's World Cup</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-stewart_30-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-stewart-30"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>30<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-31" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-31"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>31<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Feeding on the momentum of their victory, the twenty national team players, in partnership with <a href="/wiki/John_Hendricks" title="John Hendricks">John Hendricks</a> of the <a href="/wiki/Discovery_Channel" title="Discovery Channel">Discovery Channel</a>, sought out the investors, markets, and players necessary to form the WUSA, an eight-team league, in February 2000. The league played its first season in April 2001, and was the world's first women's soccer league in which all players were paid professionals.<sup id="cite_ref-32" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-32"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>32<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>The eight teams included the <a href="/wiki/Atlanta_Beat_(WUSA)" title="Atlanta Beat (WUSA)">Atlanta Beat</a>, <a href="/wiki/Boston_Breakers_(WUSA)" title="Boston Breakers (WUSA)">Boston Breakers</a>, <a href="/wiki/Carolina_Courage" title="Carolina Courage">Carolina Courage</a>, <a href="/wiki/New_York_Power" title="New York Power">New York Power</a>, <a href="/wiki/Philadelphia_Charge" title="Philadelphia Charge">Philadelphia Charge</a>, <a href="/wiki/San_Diego_Spirit" title="San Diego Spirit">San Diego Spirit</a>, <a href="/wiki/San_Jose_CyberRays" title="San Jose CyberRays">San Jose CyberRays</a> (called Bay Area CyberRays for 2001 season), and the <a href="/wiki/Washington_Freedom_(soccer)" title="Washington Freedom (soccer)">Washington Freedom</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-stewart_30-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-stewart-30"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>30<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <table class="wikitable"> <tbody><tr> <th>Team </th> <th>Stadium </th> <th>City </th> <th>Founded </th> <th>Joined WUSA </th> <th>Left </th> <th>Notes </th></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/Atlanta_Beat_(WUSA)" title="Atlanta Beat (WUSA)">Atlanta Beat</a> </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Herndon_Stadium" title="Herndon Stadium">Herndon Stadium</a> </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Atlanta" title="Atlanta">Atlanta</a> </td> <td>2001 </td> <td>2001 </td> <td>2003 </td> <td>Dissolved then joined <a href="/wiki/Women%27s_Professional_Soccer" title="Women's Professional Soccer">WPS</a> in 2009 </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/Boston_Breakers" title="Boston Breakers">Boston Breakers</a> </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Nickerson_Field" title="Nickerson Field">Nickerson Field</a> </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Boston" title="Boston">Boston</a> </td> <td>2000 </td> <td>2001 </td> <td>2003 </td> <td>Dissolved then joined <a href="/wiki/Women%27s_Professional_Soccer" title="Women's Professional Soccer">WPS</a> in 2007 </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/Carolina_Courage" title="Carolina Courage">Carolina Courage</a> </td> <td><a href="/wiki/SAS_Stadium" class="mw-redirect" title="SAS Stadium">SAS Stadium</a> </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Cary,_North_Carolina" title="Cary, North Carolina">Cary, North Carolina</a> </td> <td>2001 </td> <td>2001 </td> <td>2003 </td> <td>Dissolved </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/New_York_Power" title="New York Power">New York Power</a> </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Mitchel_Athletic_Complex" title="Mitchel Athletic Complex">Mitchel Athletic Complex</a> </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Uniondale,_New_York" title="Uniondale, New York">Uniondale, New York</a> </td> <td>2000 </td> <td>2001 </td> <td>2003 </td> <td>Dissolved </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/Philadelphia_Charge" title="Philadelphia Charge">Philadelphia Charge</a> </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Villanova_Stadium" title="Villanova Stadium">Villanova Stadium</a> </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Villanova,_Pennsylvania" title="Villanova, Pennsylvania">Villanova, Pennsylvania</a> </td> <td>2000 </td> <td>2001 </td> <td>2003 </td> <td>Dissolved </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/San_Diego_Spirit" title="San Diego Spirit">San Diego Spirit</a> </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Torero_Stadium" title="Torero Stadium">Torero Stadium</a> </td> <td><a href="/wiki/San_Diego" title="San Diego">San Diego</a> </td> <td>2001 </td> <td>2001 </td> <td>2003 </td> <td>Dissolved </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/San_Jose_CyberRays" title="San Jose CyberRays">San Jose CyberRays</a> </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Spartan_Stadium_(San_Jose,_California)" class="mw-redirect" title="Spartan Stadium (San Jose, California)">Spartan Stadium</a> </td> <td><a href="/wiki/San_Jose,_California" title="San Jose, California">San Jose, California</a> </td> <td>2001 </td> <td>2001 </td> <td>2003 </td> <td>Dissolved </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/Washington_Freedom_(soccer)" title="Washington Freedom (soccer)">Washington Freedom</a> </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Robert_F._Kennedy_Memorial_Stadium" title="Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium">Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium</a> </td> <td>Washington, D.C. </td> <td>2001 </td> <td>2001 </td> <td>2003 </td> <td>Joined <a href="/wiki/USL_W-League_(1995%E2%80%932015)" title="USL W-League (1995–2015)">W-League</a> in 2006 </td></tr></tbody></table> <p>The U.S. Soccer Federation approved membership of WUSA as a sanctioned Division I women's professional soccer league on August 18, 2000. WUSA had previously announced plans to begin play in 2001 in eight cities across the country, including: <a href="/wiki/Atlanta" title="Atlanta">Atlanta</a>, the <a href="/wiki/San_Francisco_Bay_Area" title="San Francisco Bay Area">Bay Area</a>, <a href="/wiki/Boston" title="Boston">Boston</a>, New York City, <a href="/wiki/Orlando,_Florida" title="Orlando, Florida">Orlando</a>, <a href="/wiki/Philadelphia" title="Philadelphia">Philadelphia</a>, <a href="/wiki/San_Diego" title="San Diego">San Diego</a> and <a href="/wiki/Washington,_D.C." title="Washington, D.C.">Washington, D.C.</a> Led by investor John Hendricks, WUSA had also forged ahead on a cooperation agreement that will see the new league work side by side with <a href="/wiki/Major_League_Soccer" title="Major League Soccer">Major League Soccer</a> to help maximize the market presence and success of both Division I leagues.<sup id="cite_ref-33" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-33"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>33<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>WUSA played for three full seasons and suspended operations on September 15, 2003, shortly after the conclusion of the third season due to financial problems and lack of public interest in the sport.<sup id="cite_ref-34" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-34"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>34<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading4"><h4 id="Post-WUSA">Post-WUSA</h4><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Women%27s_soccer_in_the_United_States&action=edit&section=7" title="Edit section: Post-WUSA"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>With the Women's United Soccer Association on hiatus, the <a href="/wiki/Women%27s_Premier_Soccer_League" title="Women's Premier Soccer League">Women's Premier Soccer League</a> (WPSL) and the <a href="/wiki/USL_W-League_(1995%E2%80%932015)" title="USL W-League (1995–2015)">W-League</a> regained their status as the premier women's soccer leagues in the United States, and many former WUSA players joined those teams. </p><p>After the folding of WUSA, the WUSA Reorganization Committee was formed in September 2003 that led to the founding of Women's Soccer Initiative, Inc. (WSII), whose stated goal was "promoting and supporting all aspects of women's soccer in the United States", including the founding of a new professional league.<sup id="cite_ref-35" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-35"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>35<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Initial plans were to play a scaled-down version of WUSA in 2004. However, these plans fell through and instead, in June 2004, the WUSA held two "WUSA Festivals" in Los Angeles and <a href="/wiki/Blaine,_Minnesota" title="Blaine, Minnesota">Blaine, Minnesota</a>, featuring matches between reconstituted WUSA teams in order to maintain the league in the public eye and sustain interest in women's professional soccer.<sup id="cite_ref-36" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-36"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>36<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> A planned full relaunch in 2005 also fell through. In June 2006, WSII announced the relaunch of the league for the 2008 season.<sup id="cite_ref-37" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-37"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>37<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>In December 2006, WSII announced that it reached an agreement with six owner-operators for teams based in <a href="/wiki/Chicago" title="Chicago">Chicago</a>, <a href="/wiki/Dallas" title="Dallas">Dallas</a>, Los Angeles, <a href="/wiki/St._Louis" title="St. Louis">St. Louis</a>, Washington, D.C., and a then-unnamed city.<sup id="cite_ref-38" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-38"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>38<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> In September 2007, the launch was pushed back from Spring of 2008 to 2009 to avoid clashing with the <a href="/wiki/2007_FIFA_Women%27s_World_Cup" title="2007 FIFA Women's World Cup">2007 Women's World Cup</a> and the <a href="/wiki/2008_Summer_Olympics" title="2008 Summer Olympics">2008 Summer Olympics</a> and to ensure that all of the teams were fully prepared for long-term operations.<sup id="cite_ref-39" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-39"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>39<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading4"><h4 id="Women's_Professional_Soccer_(WPS)"><span id="Women.27s_Professional_Soccer_.28WPS.29"></span>Women's Professional Soccer (WPS)</h4><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Women%27s_soccer_in_the_United_States&action=edit&section=8" title="Edit section: Women's Professional Soccer (WPS)"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <table class="wikitable"> <tbody><tr> <th>Team </th> <th>Stadium </th> <th>City </th> <th>Founded </th> <th>Joined WPS </th> <th>Left </th> <th>Notes </th></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/Atlanta_Beat_(WPS)" title="Atlanta Beat (WPS)"><b>Atlanta Beat</b></a> </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Fifth_Third_Bank_Stadium" class="mw-redirect" title="Fifth Third Bank Stadium">KSU Soccer Stadium</a> </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Kennesaw,_Georgia" title="Kennesaw, Georgia">Kennesaw, Georgia</a> </td> <td>2009 </td> <td>2010 </td> <td>2012 </td> <td>Dissolved </td></tr> <tr> <td><b><a href="/wiki/Boston_Breakers" title="Boston Breakers">Boston Breakers</a></b> </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Harvard_Stadium" title="Harvard Stadium">Harvard Stadium</a> </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Boston" title="Boston">Boston</a> </td> <td>2008 </td> <td>2009 </td> <td>2012 </td> <td>Joined WPSLE in 2012 </td></tr> <tr> <td><b><a href="/wiki/Chicago_Red_Stars" title="Chicago Red Stars">Chicago Red Stars</a></b> </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Toyota_Park" class="mw-redirect" title="Toyota Park">Toyota Park</a> </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Bridgeview,_Illinois" title="Bridgeview, Illinois">Bridgeview, Illinois</a> </td> <td>2007 </td> <td>2009 </td> <td>2011 </td> <td>Joined WPSL in 2011 </td></tr> <tr> <td><b><a href="/wiki/FC_Gold_Pride" title="FC Gold Pride">FC Gold Pride</a></b> </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Pioneer_Stadium" title="Pioneer Stadium">Pioneer Stadium</a> </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Hayward,_California" title="Hayward, California">Hayward, California</a> </td> <td>2008 </td> <td>2009 </td> <td>2010 </td> <td>Dissolved </td></tr> <tr> <td><b><a href="/wiki/Los_Angeles_Sol" title="Los Angeles Sol">Los Angeles Sol</a></b> </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Dignity_Health_Sports_Park" title="Dignity Health Sports Park">Home Depot Center</a> </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Carson,_California" title="Carson, California">Carson, California</a> </td> <td>2007 </td> <td>2009 </td> <td>2012 </td> <td>Dissolved </td></tr> <tr> <td><b><a href="/wiki/MagicJack_(WPS)" title="MagicJack (WPS)">magicJack</a></b> </td> <td><a href="/wiki/FAU_Soccer_Field" class="mw-redirect" title="FAU Soccer Field">FAU Soccer Field</a> </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Boca_Raton,_Florida" title="Boca Raton, Florida">Boca Raton, Florida</a> </td> <td>2001 </td> <td>2009 </td> <td>2012 </td> <td>Dissolved </td></tr> <tr> <td><b><a href="/wiki/Philadelphia_Independence" title="Philadelphia Independence">Philadelphia Independence</a></b> </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Widener_University#Athletics" title="Widener University">Leslie Quick Stadium</a> </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Chester,_Pennsylvania" title="Chester, Pennsylvania">Chester, Pennsylvania</a> </td> <td>2009 </td> <td>2010 </td> <td>2012 </td> <td>Dissolved </td></tr> <tr> <td><b><a href="/wiki/NJ/NY_Gotham_FC" title="NJ/NY Gotham FC">Sky Blue FC</a></b> </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Yurcak_Field" title="Yurcak Field">Yurcak Field</a> </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Piscataway,_New_Jersey" title="Piscataway, New Jersey">Piscataway, New Jersey</a> </td> <td>2008 </td> <td>2009 </td> <td>2012 </td> <td>Joined NWSL in 2013; renamed NJ/NY Gotham FC in 2021 </td></tr> <tr> <td><b><a href="/wiki/Saint_Louis_Athletica" title="Saint Louis Athletica">Saint Louis Athletica</a></b> </td> <td><a href="/wiki/World_Wide_Technology_Soccer_Park" title="World Wide Technology Soccer Park">Anheuser-Busch Soccer Park</a> </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Fenton,_Missouri" title="Fenton, Missouri">Fenton, Missouri</a> </td> <td>2008 </td> <td>2009 </td> <td>2010 </td> <td>Dissolved </td></tr> <tr> <td><b><a href="/wiki/Western_New_York_Flash" title="Western New York Flash">Western New York Flash</a></b> </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Rochester_Community_Sports_Complex_Stadium" title="Rochester Community Sports Complex Stadium">Sahlen's Stadium</a> </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Rochester,_New_York" title="Rochester, New York">Rochester, New York</a> </td> <td>2008 </td> <td>2011 </td> <td>2012 </td> <td>Joined WPSLE in 2012 </td></tr></tbody></table> <p>The new league announced its name and logo on January 17, 2008, and was to have its inaugural season in 2009 with seven teams, including the Washington Freedom of the WUSA. The United States national team players allocated 21 players across the seven teams in September 2008. Also in September, the league held the <a href="/wiki/2008_WPS_International_Draft" title="2008 WPS International Draft">2008 WPS International Draft</a>. </p><p>Unlike WUSA, the WPS attempted a more local approach and slower growth. In addition, the WPS attempted to have a closer relationship with <a href="/wiki/Major_League_Soccer" title="Major League Soccer">Major League Soccer</a> in order to cut costs. Most teams considered the first season a moderate success, despite many losing more money than planned. However, most teams began to see problems in 2010. Overall attendance for 2010 was noticeably down from 2009, teams struggled financially, and the WPS changed leadership by the end of the season. </p><p>The success of the United States women's national team at the <a href="/wiki/2011_FIFA_Women%27s_World_Cup" title="2011 FIFA Women's World Cup">2011 FIFA Women's World Cup</a> resulted in an upsurge in attendance league-wide as well as interest in new teams for the 2012 season. However, several internal organization struggles, including an ongoing legal battle with <a href="/wiki/MagicJack_(WPS)" title="MagicJack (WPS)">magicJack</a>-owner <a href="/wiki/Dan_Borislow" title="Dan Borislow">Dan Borislow</a> and a lack of resources invested in the league, led to the suspension of the 2012 season announced in January 2012. </p><p>On May 18, 2012, the WPS announced that the league had officially ceased operations after three seasons. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading4"><h4 id="WPSL_Elite">WPSL Elite</h4><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Women%27s_soccer_in_the_United_States&action=edit&section=9" title="Edit section: WPSL Elite"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>By this time, the <a href="/wiki/Women%27s_Premier_Soccer_League_Elite" title="Women's Premier Soccer League Elite">WPSL</a> and <a href="/wiki/USL_W-League_(1995%E2%80%932015)" title="USL W-League (1995–2015)">W-League</a> were the two semi-pro leagues in the United States and had sat under WUSA and the WPS until 2012. Upon the disbandment of the WPS, they once again regained their status as the premier women's soccer leagues in the United States. In response to the suspension – and eventual end – of the WPS, the Women's Premier Soccer League created the <a href="/wiki/Women%27s_Premier_Soccer_League_Elite" title="Women's Premier Soccer League Elite">Women's Premier Soccer League Elite</a> (WPSL Elite) to support the sport in the United States. For the 2012 season, the league featured former WPS teams with the <a href="/wiki/Boston_Breakers" title="Boston Breakers">Boston Breakers</a>, <a href="/wiki/Chicago_Red_Stars" title="Chicago Red Stars">Chicago Red Stars</a>, and <a href="/wiki/Western_New_York_Flash" title="Western New York Flash">Western New York Flash</a>, in addition to many WPSL teams. Six of the eight teams were considered fully professional. </p><p>Many members of the USWNT remained unattached for the 2012 season, while others chose to play in the W-League instead of the WPSL Elite. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading4"><h4 id="National_Women's_Soccer_League_(NWSL)"><span id="National_Women.27s_Soccer_League_.28NWSL.29"></span>National Women's Soccer League (NWSL)</h4><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Women%27s_soccer_in_the_United_States&action=edit&section=10" title="Edit section: National Women's Soccer League (NWSL)"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236090951"><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Main article: <a href="/wiki/National_Women%27s_Soccer_League" title="National Women's Soccer League">National Women's Soccer League</a></div> <figure class="mw-default-size mw-halign-right" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:OL_Reign_vs._Washington_Spirit_-_October_6,_2023_-_view_from_southeast.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e8/OL_Reign_vs._Washington_Spirit_-_October_6%2C_2023_-_view_from_southeast.jpg/220px-OL_Reign_vs._Washington_Spirit_-_October_6%2C_2023_-_view_from_southeast.jpg" decoding="async" width="220" height="166" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e8/OL_Reign_vs._Washington_Spirit_-_October_6%2C_2023_-_view_from_southeast.jpg/330px-OL_Reign_vs._Washington_Spirit_-_October_6%2C_2023_-_view_from_southeast.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e8/OL_Reign_vs._Washington_Spirit_-_October_6%2C_2023_-_view_from_southeast.jpg/440px-OL_Reign_vs._Washington_Spirit_-_October_6%2C_2023_-_view_from_southeast.jpg 2x" data-file-width="4080" data-file-height="3072" /></a><figcaption>A NWSL regular season match between <a href="/wiki/OL_Reign" class="mw-redirect" title="OL Reign">OL Reign</a> (now Seattle Reign FC) and the <a href="/wiki/Washington_Spirit" title="Washington Spirit">Washington Spirit</a> at <a href="/wiki/Lumen_Field" title="Lumen Field">Lumen Field</a> in <a href="/wiki/Seattle" title="Seattle">Seattle</a></figcaption></figure> <p>After the WPS folded in 2012, the U.S. Soccer Federation announced a round-table discussion of the future of women's professional soccer in the United States. The meeting resulted in the planning of a new league set to launch in 2013 with 12 to 16 teams from the WPS, the W-League, and the WPSL. In November 2012, the USSF, <a href="/wiki/Canadian_Soccer_Association" title="Canadian Soccer Association">Canadian Soccer Association (CSA)</a> and the <a href="/wiki/Mexican_Football_Federation" title="Mexican Football Federation">Mexican Football Federation</a> (FMF) announced that there would be eight teams in a new women's professional soccer league to be funded by the USSF. The USSF would fund up to 24 players, the CSA up to 16, and the FMF a minimum of 12.<sup id="cite_ref-40" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-40"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>40<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Four former WPS teams – the Western New York Flash, Boston Breakers, Chicago Red Stars, and Sky Blue FC (now known as <a href="/wiki/NJ/NY_Gotham_FC" title="NJ/NY Gotham FC">NJ/NY Gotham FC</a>) – were joined by four other teams for the inaugural season in 2012. One of those teams, the <a href="/wiki/Portland_Thorns_FC" title="Portland Thorns FC">Portland Thorns FC</a>, is affiliated with the MLS <a href="/wiki/Portland_Timbers" title="Portland Timbers">Portland Timbers</a> and shares its ownership and facilities.<sup id="cite_ref-41" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-41"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>41<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Each NWSL club is allowed a minimum of 18 players on their roster, with a maximum of 20 players allowed at any time during the season.<sup id="cite_ref-42" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-42"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>42<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Initially, each team's roster included up to three allocated USWNT players, two <a href="/wiki/Mexico_women%27s_national_football_team" title="Mexico women's national football team">Mexico women's national team</a> players, and two <a href="/wiki/Canada_women%27s_national_soccer_team" title="Canada women's national soccer team">Canada women's national team</a> players via <a href="/wiki/NWSL_Player_Allocation" class="mw-redirect" title="NWSL Player Allocation">NWSL Player Allocation</a>. Mexico no longer allocates players to the NWSL following the 2017 establishment of its own women's professional league, <a href="/wiki/Liga_MX_Femenil" title="Liga MX Femenil">Liga MX Femenil</a>. Each team also has, as of 2016, four spots for international players, though these spots can be traded. The rest of the roster must be filled by players from the United States. </p><p>The <a href="/wiki/Houston_Dynamo" class="mw-redirect" title="Houston Dynamo">Houston Dynamo</a> of MLS stated interest in starting a women's team in 2013, and by December 2013 the NWSL approved the new Dynamo-operated team, the <a href="/wiki/Houston_Dash" title="Houston Dash">Houston Dash</a>, for expansion in 2014.<sup id="cite_ref-43" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-43"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>43<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The addition of the Dash made the NWSL the first top-division professional women's soccer league in the United States to have nine teams. </p><p>After the United States women's national team winning the <a href="/wiki/2015_FIFA_Women%27s_World_Cup" title="2015 FIFA Women's World Cup">2015 FIFA Women's World Cup</a>, the NWSL announced agreements for its first televised games with <a href="/wiki/Fox_Sports_1" title="Fox Sports 1">Fox Sports 1</a> during the 2015 season, airing games near the end of the season and during the postseason. The league reached another similar agreement with Fox Sports 1 for the 2016 seasons.<sup id="cite_ref-44" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-44"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>44<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The league remained without a season-long broadcast deal, however, and streamed all of its games for free on <a href="/wiki/YouTube" title="YouTube">YouTube</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-45" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-45"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>45<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>After the media boom of the <a href="/wiki/2015_FIFA_Women%27s_World_Cup" title="2015 FIFA Women's World Cup">2015 FIFA Women's World Cup</a>, MLS side <a href="/wiki/Orlando_City_SC" title="Orlando City SC">Orlando City SC</a> showed interest in starting a women's team for the 2016 season. On October 20, 2015, the NWSL and Orlando City SC announced that <a href="/wiki/Orlando,_Florida" title="Orlando, Florida">Orlando</a> would host the <a href="/wiki/Orlando_Pride" title="Orlando Pride">Orlando Pride</a>, which started play at the beginning of the 2016 season.<sup id="cite_ref-46" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-46"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>46<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>With the beginning of the 2016 season, the NWSL became the first professional women's soccer league to play a fourth season.<sup id="cite_ref-47" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-47"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>47<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>The 2016–17 offseason saw the league's first major relocation, with the Western New York Flash selling their NWSL franchise rights to <a href="/wiki/Steve_Malik" title="Steve Malik">the owner</a> of <a href="/wiki/North_Carolina_FC" title="North Carolina FC">North Carolina FC</a>, then members of the <a href="/wiki/North_American_Soccer_League_(2011%E2%80%932017)" title="North American Soccer League (2011–2017)">NASL</a> and now in the <a href="/wiki/United_Soccer_League" title="United Soccer League">USL</a>, who moved the NWSL team to NCFC's base of the <a href="/wiki/Research_Triangle" title="Research Triangle">Research Triangle</a> of North Carolina and relaunched it as the <a href="/wiki/North_Carolina_Courage" title="North Carolina Courage">North Carolina Courage</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-48" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-48"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>48<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Shortly before the start of the 2017 season, the NWSL signed a three-year broadcasting deal with <a href="/wiki/A%26E_Networks" title="A&E Networks">A+E Networks</a>. Under this deal, A+E's <a href="/wiki/Lifetime_(TV_channel)" title="Lifetime (TV channel)">Lifetime</a> channel broadcasts 22 regular-season matches as the <i>NWSL Game of the Week</i> at 4 p.m. <a href="/wiki/Eastern_Time_Zone" title="Eastern Time Zone">Eastern Time</a> on Saturday afternoons, as well the league's entire postseason. The deal also saw A+E purchase a 25% stake in the league and receive two seats on the league's board.<sup id="cite_ref-sbn-streaming_49-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-sbn-streaming-49"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>49<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-deadline-nwslae_50-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-deadline-nwslae-50"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>50<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-variety-nwsllifetime_51-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-variety-nwsllifetime-51"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>51<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-52" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-52"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>52<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-53" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-53"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>53<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The remainder of the league's games were intended to be exclusively streamed by <a href="/wiki/Go90" title="Go90">go90</a> in the U.S.,<sup id="cite_ref-sbn-streaming_49-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-sbn-streaming-49"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>49<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> but technical issues with that platform led to the NWSL also temporarily streaming these games on its own website.<sup id="cite_ref-54" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-54"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>54<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Soon after the end of that season, <a href="/wiki/FC_Kansas_City" title="FC Kansas City">FC Kansas City</a> folded. The team was partnered with but not owned by MLS side <a href="/wiki/Sporting_Kansas_City" title="Sporting Kansas City">Sporting Kansas City</a>, and media reports indicated that FCKC was the unintended victim of issues that Sporting was facing with its <a href="/wiki/United_Soccer_League" title="United Soccer League">United Soccer League</a> reserve team, <a href="/wiki/Swope_Park_Rangers" class="mw-redirect" title="Swope Park Rangers">Swope Park Rangers</a>. Kansas City's place in the NWSL was immediately filled by a new franchise to be operated by another MLS club, <a href="/wiki/Real_Salt_Lake" title="Real Salt Lake">Real Salt Lake</a>, which was soon unveiled as <a href="/wiki/Utah_Royals_FC" class="mw-redirect" title="Utah Royals FC">Utah Royals FC</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-55" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-55"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>55<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Shortly thereafter, the <a href="/wiki/Boston_Breakers" title="Boston Breakers">Boston Breakers</a> folded, dropping the league to 9 teams for the 2018 season.<sup id="cite_ref-56" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-56"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>56<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>The NWSL has since expanded to 12 teams. Utah Royals FC folded after the 2020 season, with its player-related assets being acquired by a new Kansas City ownership group. The new Kansas City side played its first season in 2021 as Kansas City NWSL before adopting its permanent identity of <a href="/wiki/Kansas_City_Current" title="Kansas City Current">Kansas City Current</a> at the end of that season. <a href="/wiki/Racing_Louisville_FC" title="Racing Louisville FC">Racing Louisville FC</a> also started play in 2021, and the Los Angeles-based <a href="/wiki/Angel_City_FC" title="Angel City FC">Angel City FC</a> and <a href="/wiki/San_Diego_Wave_FC" title="San Diego Wave FC">San Diego Wave FC</a> started play in 2022. </p> <table class="wikitable"> <tbody><tr> <th>Team </th> <th>Stadium </th> <th>City </th> <th>Founded </th> <th>Joined NWSL </th></tr> <tr> <td><b><a href="/wiki/Angel_City_FC" title="Angel City FC">Angel City FC</a></b> </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Banc_of_California_Stadium" class="mw-redirect" title="Banc of California Stadium">Banc of California Stadium</a> </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Los_Angeles" title="Los Angeles">Los Angeles, California</a> </td> <td>2020 </td> <td>2022 </td></tr> <tr> <td><b><a href="/wiki/Chicago_Red_Stars" title="Chicago Red Stars">Chicago Red Stars</a></b> </td> <td><a href="/wiki/SeatGeek_Stadium" title="SeatGeek Stadium">SeatGeek Stadium</a> </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Bridgeview,_Illinois" title="Bridgeview, Illinois">Bridgeview, Illinois</a> </td> <td>2007 </td> <td>2013 </td></tr> <tr> <td><b><a href="/wiki/Houston_Dash" title="Houston Dash">Houston Dash</a></b> </td> <td><a href="/wiki/PNC_Stadium" class="mw-redirect" title="PNC Stadium">PNC Stadium</a> </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Houston" title="Houston">Houston, Texas</a> </td> <td>2013 </td> <td>2014 </td></tr> <tr> <td><b><a href="/wiki/Kansas_City_Current" title="Kansas City Current">Kansas City Current</a></b><sup id="cite_ref-57" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-57"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>a<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Children%27s_Mercy_Park" title="Children's Mercy Park">Children's Mercy Park</a> </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Kansas_City,_Kansas" title="Kansas City, Kansas">Kansas City, Kansas</a> </td> <td>2020 </td> <td>2021 </td></tr> <tr> <td><b><a href="/wiki/NJ/NY_Gotham_FC" title="NJ/NY Gotham FC">NJ/NY Gotham FC</a></b><sup id="cite_ref-58" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-58"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>b<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Red_Bull_Arena_(New_Jersey)" title="Red Bull Arena (New Jersey)">Red Bull Arena</a> </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Harrison,_New_Jersey" title="Harrison, New Jersey">Harrison, New Jersey</a><sup id="cite_ref-59" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-59"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>c<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </td> <td>2007 </td> <td>2013 </td></tr> <tr> <td><b><a href="/wiki/North_Carolina_Courage" title="North Carolina Courage">North Carolina Courage</a></b> </td> <td><a href="/wiki/WakeMed_Soccer_Park" title="WakeMed Soccer Park">WakeMed Soccer Park</a> </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Cary,_North_Carolina" title="Cary, North Carolina">Cary, North Carolina</a> </td> <td>2017<sup id="cite_ref-60" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-60"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>d<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </td> <td>2017<sup id="cite_ref-61" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-61"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>e<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </td></tr> <tr> <td><b><a href="/wiki/Orlando_Pride" title="Orlando Pride">Orlando Pride</a></b> </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Exploria_Stadium" class="mw-redirect" title="Exploria Stadium">Exploria Stadium</a> </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Orlando,_Florida" title="Orlando, Florida">Orlando, Florida</a> </td> <td>2015 </td> <td>2016 </td></tr> <tr> <td><b><a href="/wiki/Portland_Thorns_FC" title="Portland Thorns FC">Portland Thorns FC</a></b> </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Providence_Park" title="Providence Park">Providence Park</a> </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Portland,_Oregon" title="Portland, Oregon">Portland, Oregon</a> </td> <td>2012 </td> <td>2013 </td></tr> <tr> <td><b><a href="/wiki/Racing_Louisville_FC" title="Racing Louisville FC">Racing Louisville FC</a></b> </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Lynn_Family_Stadium" title="Lynn Family Stadium">Lynn Family Stadium</a> </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Louisville,_Kentucky" title="Louisville, Kentucky">Louisville, Kentucky</a> </td> <td>2019 </td> <td>2021 </td></tr> <tr> <td><b><a href="/wiki/San_Diego_Wave_FC" title="San Diego Wave FC">San Diego Wave FC</a></b> </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Snapdragon_Stadium" title="Snapdragon Stadium">Snapdragon Stadium</a><sup id="cite_ref-62" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-62"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>f<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </td> <td><a href="/wiki/San_Diego" title="San Diego">San Diego, California</a> </td> <td>2021 </td> <td>2022 </td></tr> <tr> <td><b><a href="/wiki/Seattle_Reign_FC" title="Seattle Reign FC">Seattle Reign FC</a></b><sup id="cite_ref-64" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-64"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>g<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Lumen_Field" title="Lumen Field">Lumen Field</a> </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Seattle" title="Seattle">Seattle, Washington</a><sup id="cite_ref-65" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-65"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>h<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </td> <td>2012 </td> <td>2013 </td></tr> <tr> <td rowspan="2"><b><a href="/wiki/Washington_Spirit" title="Washington Spirit">Washington Spirit</a></b> </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Audi_Field" title="Audi Field">Audi Field</a><sup id="cite_ref-66" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-66"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>i<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Washington,_D.C." title="Washington, D.C.">Washington, D.C.</a> </td> <td rowspan="2">2012 </td> <td rowspan="2">2013 </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/Segra_Field" title="Segra Field">Segra Field</a> </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Leesburg,_Virginia" title="Leesburg, Virginia">Leesburg, Virginia</a> </td></tr></tbody></table> <dl><dt>Notes</dt></dl> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1239543626">.mw-parser-output .reflist{margin-bottom:0.5em;list-style-type:decimal}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .reflist{font-size:90%}}.mw-parser-output .reflist .references{font-size:100%;margin-bottom:0;list-style-type:inherit}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-2{column-width:30em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-3{column-width:25em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns{margin-top:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns ol{margin-top:0}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns li{page-break-inside:avoid;break-inside:avoid-column}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-alpha{list-style-type:upper-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-roman{list-style-type:upper-roman}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-alpha{list-style-type:lower-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-greek{list-style-type:lower-greek}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-roman{list-style-type:lower-roman}</style><div class="reflist reflist-lower-alpha"> <div class="mw-references-wrap"><ol class="references"> <li id="cite_note-57"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-57">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Played its first season in 2021 under the placeholder name of Kansas City NWSL.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-58"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-58">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Known as Sky Blue FC from 2013 to 2020.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-59"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-59">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Played home games at <a href="/wiki/Yurcak_Field" title="Yurcak Field">Yurcak Field</a> in <a href="/wiki/Piscataway,_New_Jersey" title="Piscataway, New Jersey">Piscataway, New Jersey</a> through the 2019 season before moving permanently to Red Bull Arena in 2020. Since the 2021 season, Gotham has played one home game per season at <a href="/wiki/Subaru_Park" title="Subaru Park">Subaru Park</a> in <a href="/wiki/Chester,_Pennsylvania" title="Chester, Pennsylvania">Chester, Pennsylvania</a>.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-60"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-60">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Successor to Western New York Flash, founded in 2008.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-61"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-61">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">First season as North Carolina Courage; franchise's first NWSL season was 2013 as the Flash.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-62"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-62">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Wave FC opened its first season in 2022 at <a href="/wiki/Torero_Stadium" title="Torero Stadium">Torero Stadium</a>, also in San Diego, before moving to its permanent home of Snapdragon Stadium near the end of that season.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-64"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-64">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Originally Seattle Reign FC; rebranded as Reign FC before the 2019 season and was known as OL Reign from 2020 to 2023.<sup id="cite_ref-63" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-63"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>57<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-65"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-65">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Originally based in Seattle, playing home games at <a href="/wiki/Memorial_Stadium_(Seattle)" title="Memorial Stadium (Seattle)">Memorial Stadium</a>. Moved to <a href="/wiki/Tacoma,_Washington" title="Tacoma, Washington">Tacoma</a> in 2019, playing at <a href="/wiki/Cheney_Stadium" title="Cheney Stadium">Cheney Stadium</a> before returning to Seattle in 2022.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-66"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-66">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Originally played home games at the <a href="/wiki/Maryland_SoccerPlex" title="Maryland SoccerPlex">Maryland SoccerPlex</a> in <a href="/wiki/Boyds,_Maryland" title="Boyds, Maryland">Boyds, Maryland</a>. After having played select home games at Audi Field in 2018 and 2019, the team moved permanently into the facilities of <a href="/wiki/D.C._United" title="D.C. United">D.C. United</a> in 2020, splitting home games between Audi Field and Segra Field, the latter home to <a href="/wiki/Loudoun_United_FC" title="Loudoun United FC">United's reserve side</a>.</span> </li> </ol></div></div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading4"><h4 id="Folding_of_the_W-League_and_creation_of_United_Women's_Soccer"><span id="Folding_of_the_W-League_and_creation_of_United_Women.27s_Soccer"></span>Folding of the W-League and creation of United Women's Soccer</h4><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Women%27s_soccer_in_the_United_States&action=edit&section=11" title="Edit section: Folding of the W-League and creation of United Women's Soccer"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>The <a href="/wiki/USL_W-League_(1995%E2%80%932015)" title="USL W-League (1995–2015)">W-League</a> served as a second-tier development organization and league for women's soccer in the United States for 21 seasons. However, the W-League announced on November 6, 2015, that the league would cease operations ahead of the 2016 season.<sup id="cite_ref-67" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-67"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>58<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> In response to the folding of the W-League and instability in the WPSL, another second-tier league – <a href="/wiki/United_Women%27s_Soccer" title="United Women's Soccer">United Women's Soccer</a> (UWS) – was founded as a pro-am women's soccer league in the United States. The UWS had 11 teams in two conferences for its 2016 inaugural season, with <a href="/wiki/Real_Salt_Lake_Women" title="Real Salt Lake Women">Real Salt Lake Women</a>, <a href="/wiki/New_England_Mutiny" title="New England Mutiny">New England Mutiny</a>, <a href="/wiki/Lancaster_Inferno_(WPSL)" class="mw-redirect" title="Lancaster Inferno (WPSL)">Lancaster Inferno</a>, and <a href="/wiki/Houston_Aces" title="Houston Aces">Houston Aces</a> joining from the WPSL and the <a href="/wiki/Long_Island_Rough_Riders" title="Long Island Rough Riders">Long Island Rough Riders</a>, <a href="/wiki/New_York_Magic" title="New York Magic">New York Magic</a>, <a href="/wiki/North_Jersey_Valkyries" title="North Jersey Valkyries">North Jersey Valkyries</a>, <a href="/wiki/Santa_Clarita_Blue_Heat" title="Santa Clarita Blue Heat">Santa Clarita Blue Heat</a>, <a href="/w/index.php?title=Colorado_Storm&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Colorado Storm (page does not exist)">Colorado Storm</a>, and <a href="/wiki/Colorado_Pride" title="Colorado Pride">Colorado Pride</a> joining from the W-League.<sup id="cite_ref-68" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-68"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>59<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The league doubled in size for its 2017 season, adding a Midwest Conference to go with its original East and West Conferences. </p> <table class="wikitable" style="width:100%"> <tbody><tr> <th>Team </th> <th>Stadium </th> <th>City </th> <th>Founded </th> <th>Joined UWS </th></tr> <tr> <th colspan="5">East Conference </th></tr> <tr> <td><b><a href="/wiki/Lancaster_Inferno_(UWS)" class="mw-redirect" title="Lancaster Inferno (UWS)">Lancaster Inferno</a></b> </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Pucillo_Field" class="mw-redirect" title="Pucillo Field">Pucillo Field</a> </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Millersville,_Pennsylvania" title="Millersville, Pennsylvania">Millersville, Pennsylvania</a> </td> <td>2008 </td> <td>2015 </td></tr> <tr> <td><b><a href="/wiki/Long_Island_Rough_Riders_(UWS)" class="mw-redirect" title="Long Island Rough Riders (UWS)">Long Island Rough Riders</a></b> </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Cy_Donnelly_Stadium" class="mw-redirect" title="Cy Donnelly Stadium">Cy Donnelly Stadium</a> </td> <td><a href="/wiki/South_Huntington,_New_York" title="South Huntington, New York">South Huntington, New York</a> </td> <td>2003 </td> <td>2015 </td></tr> <tr> <td><b><a href="/wiki/New_England_Mutiny" title="New England Mutiny">New England Mutiny</a></b> </td> <td><a href="/w/index.php?title=Harmon_Smith_Stadium&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Harmon Smith Stadium (page does not exist)">Harmon Smith Stadium</a> </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Agawam,_Massachusetts" title="Agawam, Massachusetts">Agawam, Massachusetts</a> </td> <td>1999 </td> <td>2015 </td></tr> <tr> <td><b><a href="/wiki/New_Jersey_Copa_FC" title="New Jersey Copa FC">New Jersey Copa FC</a></b> </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Mercer_County_Community_College" title="Mercer County Community College">Mercer County Community College</a> </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Metuchen,_New_Jersey" title="Metuchen, New Jersey">Metuchen, New Jersey</a> </td> <td>2015 </td> <td>2015 </td></tr> <tr> <td><b><a href="/wiki/New_York_Magic" title="New York Magic">New York Magic</a></b> </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Mazzella_Field" title="Mazzella Field">Mazzella Field</a> </td> <td><a href="/wiki/New_Rochelle,_New_York" title="New Rochelle, New York">New Rochelle, New York</a> </td> <td>1997 </td> <td>2015 </td></tr> <tr> <td><b><a href="/w/index.php?title=Syracuse_Lady_Knights&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Syracuse Lady Knights (page does not exist)">Syracuse Developmental Academy</a></b> </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Ted_Grant_Field" class="mw-redirect" title="Ted Grant Field">Ted Grant Field</a> </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Syracuse,_New_York" title="Syracuse, New York">Syracuse, New York</a> </td> <td>2012 </td> <td>2017 </td></tr> <tr> <td><b><a href="/wiki/North_Jersey_Valkyries" title="North Jersey Valkyries">TSF Academy Valkyries</a></b> </td> <td><a href="/wiki/DePaul_Catholic_High_School" title="DePaul Catholic High School">DePaul Catholic High School</a> </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Wayne,_New_Jersey" title="Wayne, New Jersey">Wayne, New Jersey</a> </td> <td>2009 </td> <td>2015 </td></tr> <tr> <td><b><a href="/wiki/Western_New_York_Flash" title="Western New York Flash">Western New York Flash</a></b> </td> <td>TBA </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Buffalo,_New_York" title="Buffalo, New York">Buffalo, New York</a> </td> <td>2008 </td> <td>2017 </td></tr> <tr> <th colspan="5">Midwest Conference </th></tr> <tr> <td><b><a href="/w/index.php?title=Detroit_Sun_FC&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Detroit Sun FC (page does not exist)">Detroit Sun FC</a></b> </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Ultimate_Soccer_Arenas" class="mw-redirect" title="Ultimate Soccer Arenas">Ultimate Soccer Arenas</a> </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Pontiac,_Michigan" title="Pontiac, Michigan">Pontiac, Michigan</a> </td> <td>1994 </td> <td>2016 </td></tr> <tr> <td><b><a href="/wiki/F.C._Indiana" title="F.C. Indiana">F.C. Indiana</a></b> </td> <td><a href="/w/index.php?title=Newton_Park_(indiana)&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Newton Park (indiana) (page does not exist)">Newton Park</a> </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Lakeville,_Indiana" title="Lakeville, Indiana">Lakeville, Indiana</a> </td> <td>2003 </td> <td>2017 </td></tr> <tr> <td><b><a href="/wiki/Fort_Wayne_United_Soccer_Club" class="mw-redirect" title="Fort Wayne United Soccer Club">Fort Wayne United SC</a></b> </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Hefner_Stadium" class="mw-redirect" title="Hefner Stadium">Hefner Stadium</a> </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Fort_Wayne,_Indiana" title="Fort Wayne, Indiana">Fort Wayne, Indiana</a> </td> <td>2016 </td> <td>2017 </td></tr> <tr> <td><b><a href="/wiki/Grand_Rapids_FC" title="Grand Rapids FC">Grand Rapids FC</a></b> </td> <td>Grandville High School </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Grandville,_Michigan" title="Grandville, Michigan">Grandville, Michigan</a> </td> <td>2016 </td> <td>2017 </td></tr> <tr> <td><b><a href="/w/index.php?title=Indy_Premier_SC&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Indy Premier SC (page does not exist)">Indy Premier SC</a></b> </td> <td><a href="/w/index.php?title=Trinity_Sports_Park&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Trinity Sports Park (page does not exist)">Trinity Sports Park</a> </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Noblesville,_Indiana" title="Noblesville, Indiana">Noblesville, Indiana</a> </td> <td>2017 </td> <td>2017 </td></tr> <tr> <td><b><a href="/w/index.php?title=Michigan_Legends_FC&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Michigan Legends FC (page does not exist)">Michigan Legends FC</a></b> </td> <td><a href="/w/index.php?title=Legacy_Center&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Legacy Center (page does not exist)">Legacy Center</a> </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Brighton,_Michigan" title="Brighton, Michigan">Brighton, Michigan</a> </td> <td>2017 </td> <td>2017 </td></tr> <tr> <td><b><a href="/wiki/Toledo_Villa_FC" title="Toledo Villa FC">Toledo Villa FC</a></b> </td> <td>Northview High School </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Rossford,_Ohio" title="Rossford, Ohio">Rossford, Ohio</a> </td> <td>2017 </td> <td>2017 </td></tr> <tr> <th colspan="5">West Conference </th></tr> <tr> <td><b><a href="/wiki/Calgary_Foothills_WFC" title="Calgary Foothills WFC">Calgary Foothills WFC</a></b> </td> <td><a href="/w/index.php?title=Glenmore_Athletic_Park&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Glenmore Athletic Park (page does not exist)">Glenmore Athletic Park</a> </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Calgary" title="Calgary">Calgary, Alberta</a> </td> <td>2015 </td> <td>2017 </td></tr> <tr> <td><b><a href="/wiki/Colorado_Pride" title="Colorado Pride">Colorado Pride</a></b> </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Washburn_Field" title="Washburn Field">Washburn Field</a> </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Colorado_Springs,_Colorado" title="Colorado Springs, Colorado">Colorado Springs, Colorado</a> </td> <td>1994 </td> <td>2016 </td></tr> <tr> <td><b><a href="/w/index.php?title=Colorado_Storm&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Colorado Storm (page does not exist)">Colorado Storm</a></b> </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Sports_Authority_Field" class="mw-redirect" title="Sports Authority Field">Sports Authority Field</a>, <a href="/w/index.php?title=Adams_12_Five_Star_Stadium&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Adams 12 Five Star Stadium (page does not exist)">Adams 12 Five Star Stadium</a> </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Parker,_Colorado" title="Parker, Colorado">Parker, Colorado</a> </td> <td>2014 </td> <td>2016 </td></tr> <tr> <td><b><a href="/wiki/Houston_Aces" title="Houston Aces">Houston Aces</a></b> </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Sorrels_Field" class="mw-redirect" title="Sorrels Field">Sorrels Field</a> </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Houston" title="Houston">Houston</a> </td> <td>2012 </td> <td>2016 </td></tr> <tr> <td><b><a href="/wiki/Real_Salt_Lake_Women" title="Real Salt Lake Women">Real Salt Lake Women</a></b> </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Ute_Field" class="mw-redirect" title="Ute Field">Ute Field</a> </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Salt_Lake_City" title="Salt Lake City">Salt Lake City</a> </td> <td>2008 </td> <td>2016 </td></tr> <tr> <td><b><a href="/wiki/Santa_Clarita_Blue_Heat" title="Santa Clarita Blue Heat">Santa Clarita Blue Heat</a></b> </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Reese_Field" class="mw-redirect" title="Reese Field">Reese Field</a> </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Santa_Clarita,_California" title="Santa Clarita, California">Santa Clarita, California</a> </td> <td>2008 </td> <td>2016 </td></tr> <tr> <td><b><a href="/w/index.php?title=So_Cal_Crush_FC&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="So Cal Crush FC (page does not exist)">So Cal Crush FC</a></b> </td> <td>TBA </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Montrose,_California" class="mw-redirect" title="Montrose, California">Montrose, California</a> </td> <td>2017 </td> <td>2017 </td></tr></tbody></table><p><sup id="cite_ref-UWSlaunch_69-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-UWSlaunch-69"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>60<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Tier_system">Tier system</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Women%27s_soccer_in_the_United_States&action=edit&section=12" title="Edit section: Tier system"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>The U.S. Soccer Federation is heavily involved in the creation and operation of the NWSL, but it did not initially refer to the league as a sanctioned Division I league.<sup id="cite_ref-70" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-70"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>61<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> U.S. Soccer has now officially labeled the NWSL as a Division I professional league, and has added the league to its Professional Council.<sup id="cite_ref-71" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-71"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>62<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Unlike men's soccer, the USSF has not specifically designated tiers or levels below the NWSL. However, the Women's Premier Soccer League (WPSL) and United Women's Soccer (UWS) act as an unofficial lower division. </p> <table class="wikitable"> <tbody><tr> <th>Tier </th> <th colspan="2">Leagues/divisions </th></tr> <tr> <th>Division I </th> <td colspan="2"><b><a href="/wiki/National_Women%27s_Soccer_League" title="National Women's Soccer League">National Women's Soccer League</a></b> (NWSL) <p><i>14 teams</i> </p> </td></tr> <tr> <th rowspan="2">Division II </th> <td colspan="2">Sanctioned through <a href="/wiki/United_States_Adult_Soccer_Association" title="United States Adult Soccer Association">United States Adult Soccer Association</a> (USASA)<sup id="cite_ref-72" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-72"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>63<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-73" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-73"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>64<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </td></tr> <tr> <td><b><a href="/wiki/Women%27s_Premier_Soccer_League" title="Women's Premier Soccer League">Women's Premier Soccer League</a></b> (WPSL) <p><i>100+ clubs (in 15 conferences)</i><sup id="cite_ref-74" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-74"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>65<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> </td> <td><b><a href="/wiki/United_Women%27s_Soccer" title="United Women's Soccer">United Women's Soccer</a></b> (UWS) <p><i>22 clubs (in 3 conferences)</i><sup id="cite_ref-75" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-75"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>66<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> </td></tr> <tr> <th>Division III </th> <td colspan="2"><b><a href="/wiki/United_States_Adult_Soccer_Association" title="United States Adult Soccer Association">United States Adult Soccer Association</a></b> (USASA) <p><i>55 state associations in 4 regions</i> <i>See <a href="/wiki/List_of_USASA_affiliated_leagues" title="List of USASA affiliated leagues">List of USASA affiliated leagues</a> for complete list</i> </p> </td></tr></tbody></table> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Amateur_soccer">Amateur soccer</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Women%27s_soccer_in_the_United_States&action=edit&section=13" title="Edit section: Amateur soccer"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>The <a href="/wiki/United_States_Adult_Soccer_Association" title="United States Adult Soccer Association">United States Adult Soccer Association</a> (USASA) is a national organization and sanctioning body for amateur soccer in the United States. It consists of 55 state organizations as well as regional and national leagues. The USL's Premier Development League and the National Premier Soccer League are USASA-affiliated but are designed to promote a higher lever of competition than the state organizations. USASA also sanctions the Women's Premier Soccer League and United Women's Soccer league. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="USASA_National_Women's_Open"><span id="USASA_National_Women.27s_Open"></span>USASA National Women's Open</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Women%27s_soccer_in_the_United_States&action=edit&section=14" title="Edit section: USASA National Women's Open"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>The <a href="/wiki/USASA_National_Women%27s_Open" title="USASA National Women's Open">USASA National Women's Open</a> is an American women's soccer tournament run by USASA. It began in 1996, and from 2009 to 2012 it was known as the Women's Cup. Before the formation of the Women's Open, the <a href="/wiki/USASA_National_Women%27s_Amateur" title="USASA National Women's Amateur">Women's Amateur</a> was the top national cup competition. </p><p>Historically, it has been contested only by amateur and semi-pro teams, as teams from professional leagues (<a href="/wiki/Women%27s_United_Soccer_Association" title="Women's United Soccer Association">WUSA</a>, <a href="/wiki/Women%27s_Professional_Soccer" title="Women's Professional Soccer">WPS</a>, and the <a href="/wiki/National_Women%27s_Soccer_League" title="National Women's Soccer League">NWSL</a>) are not allowed to enter the competition. However, in 2012, the Chicago Red Stars – then a professional club in the WPSL Elite – entered and won the competition. Similarly, the professional Houston Aces of the WPSL won in 2013. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="USASA_National_Women's_Amateur"><span id="USASA_National_Women.27s_Amateur"></span>USASA National Women's Amateur</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Women%27s_soccer_in_the_United_States&action=edit&section=15" title="Edit section: USASA National Women's Amateur"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>The <a href="/wiki/USASA_National_Women%27s_Amateur" title="USASA National Women's Amateur">USASA National Women's Amateur</a> is an American women's soccer tournament run by the United States Adult Soccer Association. It began in 1980 and was the top-level national tournament for women's soccer in the United States until the formation of the Women's Open in 1996. It is open to all USASA-affiliated women's teams. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="US_Soccer_National_Amateur_Championships">US Soccer National Amateur Championships</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Women%27s_soccer_in_the_United_States&action=edit&section=16" title="Edit section: US Soccer National Amateur Championships"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>First held in 2014, the US Soccer National Amateur Championships are contested between the league winners of WPSL, Open Cup, and Amateur Cup. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Hardships">Hardships</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Women%27s_soccer_in_the_United_States&action=edit&section=17" title="Edit section: Hardships"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>High operating and travel costs, the lack of TV rights and sponsorship agreements and corresponding lack of funding for salaries and training and development facilities, and the lack of affiliation with profitable men's professional clubs have all hampered the growth of professional women's leagues in the United States. The NWSL, now the longest-lasting professional women's soccer league in the United States, pays salaries as low as $7,200 per year, an amount that falls beneath every government-recognized poverty line in the United States and is less than an equivalent Federal minimum wage job of 40 hours per week. When the NWSL started play, its highest-paid players who lacked a national team affiliation faced a maximum cap of $39,700 and teams were held to a salary cap of $278,000, while some players joined teams under amateur agreements where the players could not be paid even if they took the field or started the game. This was far less than the NWSL's predecessors, such as the WPS, where the average salary of $32,000 was almost double the NWSL's maximum average salary of $16,850.<sup id="cite_ref-sbn_76-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-sbn-76"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>67<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> It was also poorly competitive with European leagues, which can readily pay salaries to players of the same talent more than $100,000 per year.<sup id="cite_ref-77" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-77"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>68<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> This situation has been alleviated to some extent as the league has grown; the team salary cap in the 2022 season was $1.1 million, with minimum player salaries set at $35,000. While the maximum salary is currently $75,000, each team is granted $500,000 in "allocation money" (which can be traded) to supplement the salaries of select players. Also, the cap does not include team-provided healthcare, housing, and transportation allowances, effectively allowing even the lowest-paid players in the league a generally middle-class lifestyle.<sup id="cite_ref-78" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-78"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>69<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-79" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-79"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>70<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>The United States women's national team further highlighted pay issues, both in discrepancy with the men's national team and in fiscal hardships of low NWSL pay, in 2015 and 2016. The women's national team filed action with the <a href="/wiki/Equal_Employment_Opportunity_Commission" title="Equal Employment Opportunity Commission">Equal Employment Opportunity Commission</a> on March 31, 2016, claiming they are paid 1/4 as much as the men's team despite generating more revenue for the U.S. Soccer Federation. The women's team also claimed that they are paid only if they win, and paid less for winning than the men's team is if they were to lose every game. Also, in order for the U.S. women soccer team keep pace financially in order to keep up with the men soccer team was by performing at the world beating level and when it came to the victory tour money the women had to pay extra just to get it. However, in contrast to the men they would just get paid just for showing up. According to the recent four years and recent months in 2016 the women's national team played more games about 40 to 50 percent more and than the men and they have 88 wins and the men have 44.<sup id="cite_ref-80" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-80"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>71<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Also, the women's team said they are given inferior accommodations, with the men's team being housed in luxury hotels compared to lower-class housing for the women's team.<sup id="cite_ref-81" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-81"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>72<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> In July 2016 during preparations for the <a href="/wiki/2016_Summer_Olympics" title="2016 Summer Olympics">2016 Summer Olympics</a>, the women's national team sold T-shirts to support a NWSL player trust fund operated by the <a href="/wiki/U.S._Women%27s_National_Team_Players_Association" title="U.S. Women's National Team Players Association">U.S. Women's National Team Players Association</a> (USWNTPA).<sup id="cite_ref-82" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-82"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>73<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Six years of negotiations culminated with the signing of a new <a href="/wiki/Collective_bargaining_agreement" class="mw-redirect" title="Collective bargaining agreement">collective bargaining agreement</a> with both the women's and men's national teams guaranteeing equal pay and equalized prize money for both teams in September 2022, which team captain and USWNTPA president <a href="/wiki/Becky_Sauerbrunn" title="Becky Sauerbrunn">Becky Sauerbrunn</a> heralded as "a huge win for workers and for labor rights".<sup id="cite_ref-83" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-83"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>74<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-84" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-84"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>75<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Before the <a href="/wiki/2015_FIFA_Women%27s_World_Cup" title="2015 FIFA Women's World Cup">2015 FIFA Women's World Cup</a>, women's national team player <a href="/wiki/Abby_Wambach" title="Abby Wambach">Abby Wambach</a> and a group of other players file a complaint in Canadian court about the tournament's artificial turf playing surface. The players argued that the surface was a form of gender-based discrimination since the men's World Cup games are exclusively played on grass. The players' group abandoned the complaint before the tournament.<sup id="cite_ref-ap_85-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-ap-85"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>76<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> United States women's soccer players have also faced inferior accommodations and facilities to men's soccer at the professional club level. After a 2016 regular season NWSL game between the <a href="/wiki/Seattle_Reign_FC" title="Seattle Reign FC">Seattle Reign</a> and <a href="/wiki/Western_New_York_Flash" title="Western New York Flash">Western New York Flash</a> was played on a baseball field smaller than league regulations considered acceptable, several prominent current and former players called out the league for allowing the game to be played. Former Women's national team goalkeeper <a href="/wiki/Hope_Solo" title="Hope Solo">Hope Solo</a>, who used to play for the NWSL's Seattle Reign, published a blog post detailing several other examples of failures in hotels, facilities, and equipment while playing for the NWSL.<sup id="cite_ref-ap_85-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-ap-85"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>76<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-86" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-86"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>77<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Another contributing factor is the role of women within American society, which includes relative equality (especially rejecting hardened gender roles) for women in the United States relative to many other countries.<sup id="cite_ref-87" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-87"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>78<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> This is also reflected in official government policies regarding women in athletics, specifically <a href="/wiki/Title_IX" title="Title IX">Title IX</a>, which requires college and public school athletics programs to support men's and women's athletics equally. By contrast, youth athletics in many countries – including most European countries, where soccer development is highly competitive – is focused on <a href="/wiki/Sports_club" title="Sports club">sports clubs</a>, not on school-based programs.<sup id="cite_ref-88" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-88"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>79<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Thus, outside the United States, laws prohibiting sex discrimination in the educational system could have limited effect on sports programs. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Contributions_to_the_game">Contributions to the game</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Women%27s_soccer_in_the_United_States&action=edit&section=18" title="Edit section: Contributions to the game"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>America's approach to growing the game among women has served as a model for other countries' development programs for women at all levels.<sup id="cite_ref-89" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-89"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>80<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-90" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-90"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>81<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The relative lack of attention — and in some cases, restrictions<sup id="cite_ref-91" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-91"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>82<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> — afforded the women's game in traditional soccer-playing countries might also have contributed to the United States' early dominance of the international women's game. For example, in England, <a href="/wiki/The_Football_Association" title="The Football Association">The Football Association</a> prohibited women's soccer from being played at professional soccer fields from 1921 through 1973.<sup id="cite_ref-92" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-92"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>83<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The <a href="/wiki/German_Football_Association" title="German Football Association">German Football Association</a> banned women's soccer from 1955 through 1970,<sup id="cite_ref-93" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-93"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>84<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> and Brazil legally prohibited girls and women from playing soccer from 1941 through 1979.<sup id="cite_ref-94" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-94"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>85<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="See_also">See also</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Women%27s_soccer_in_the_United_States&action=edit&section=19" title="Edit section: See also"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Soccer_in_the_United_States" title="Soccer in the United States">Soccer in the United States</a></li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="References">References</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Women%27s_soccer_in_the_United_States&action=edit&section=20" title="Edit section: References"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1239543626"><div class="reflist reflist-columns references-column-width reflist-columns-3"> <ol class="references"> <li id="cite_note-1"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-1">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1238218222">.mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit;word-wrap:break-word}.mw-parser-output .citation q{quotes:"\"""\"""'""'"}.mw-parser-output .citation:target{background-color:rgba(0,127,255,0.133)}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-free.id-lock-free a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/65/Lock-green.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited.id-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration.id-lock-registration a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription.id-lock-subscription a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg")right 0.1em center/12px no-repeat}body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-free a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background-size:contain;padding:0 1em 0 0}.mw-parser-output .cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:none;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{display:none;color:#085;margin-left:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right{padding-right:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .citation .mw-selflink{font-weight:inherit}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}@media screen and (prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}</style><cite id="CITEREFHerrera2024" class="citation news cs1">Herrera, Sandra (June 9, 2024). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.cbssports.com/soccer/news/chicago-red-stars-set-nwsl-attendance-record-at-wrigley-field-open-door-to-future-special-events/">"Chicago Red Stars set NWSL attendance record at Wrigley Field, open door to future special events"</a><span class="reference-accessdate">. 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href="/wiki/Template_talk:Women%27s_association_football_in_North_America" title="Template talk:Women's association football in North America"><abbr title="Discuss this template">t</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-edit"><a href="/wiki/Special:EditPage/Template:Women%27s_association_football_in_North_America" title="Special:EditPage/Template:Women's association football in North America"><abbr title="Edit this template">e</abbr></a></li></ul></div><div id="Women&#039;s_association_football_in_North_America" style="font-size:114%;margin:0 4em">Women's association football in North America</div></th></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Sovereign states</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/w/index.php?title=Women%27s_association_football_in_Antigua_and_Barbuda&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Women's association football in Antigua and Barbuda (page does not exist)">Antigua and Barbuda</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=Women%27s_association_football_in_the_Bahamas&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Women's association football in the Bahamas (page does not exist)">Bahamas</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=Women%27s_association_football_in_Barbados&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Women's association football in Barbados (page does not exist)">Barbados</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=Women%27s_association_football_in_Belize&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Women's association football in Belize (page does not exist)">Belize</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Women%27s_association_football_in_Canada" class="mw-redirect" title="Women's association football in Canada">Canada</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=Women%27s_association_football_in_Costa_Rica&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Women's association football in Costa Rica (page does not exist)">Costa Rica</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=Women%27s_association_football_in_Cuba&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Women's association football in Cuba (page does not exist)">Cuba</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=Women%27s_association_football_in_Dominica&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Women's association football in Dominica (page does not exist)">Dominica</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=Women%27s_association_football_in_the_Dominican_Republic&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Women's association football in the Dominican Republic (page does not exist)">Dominican Republic</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=Women%27s_association_football_in_El_Salvador&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Women's association football in El Salvador (page does not exist)">El Salvador</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=Women%27s_association_football_in_Grenada&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Women's association football in Grenada (page does not exist)">Grenada</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=Women%27s_association_football_in_Guatemala&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Women's association football in Guatemala (page does not exist)">Guatemala</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=Women%27s_association_football_in_Haiti&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Women's association football in Haiti (page does not exist)">Haiti</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=Women%27s_association_football_in_Honduras&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Women's association football in Honduras (page does not exist)">Honduras</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Women%27s_association_football_in_Jamaica" class="mw-redirect" title="Women's association football in Jamaica">Jamaica</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Women%27s_association_football_in_Mexico" class="mw-redirect" title="Women's association football in Mexico">Mexico</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=Women%27s_association_football_in_Nicaragua&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Women's association football in Nicaragua (page does not exist)">Nicaragua</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=Women%27s_association_football_in_Panama&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Women's association football in Panama (page does not exist)">Panama</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=Women%27s_association_football_in_Saint_Kitts_and_Nevis&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Women's association football in Saint Kitts and Nevis (page does not exist)">Saint Kitts and Nevis</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=Women%27s_association_football_in_Saint_Lucia&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Women's association football in Saint Lucia (page does not exist)">Saint Lucia</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=Women%27s_association_football_in_Saint_Vincent_and_the_Grenadines&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Women's association football in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (page does not exist)">Saint Vincent and the Grenadines</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=Women%27s_association_football_in_Trinidad_and_Tobago&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Women's association football in Trinidad and Tobago (page does not exist)">Trinidad and Tobago</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Women%27s_association_football_in_the_United_States" class="mw-redirect" title="Women's association football in the United States">United States</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><div style="display: inline-block; line-height: 1.2em; padding: .1em 0;">Dependencies and<br />other territories</div></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/w/index.php?title=Women%27s_association_football_in_Anguilla&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Women's association football in Anguilla (page does not exist)">Anguilla</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=Women%27s_association_football_in_Aruba&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Women's association football in Aruba (page does not exist)">Aruba</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=Women%27s_association_football_in_Bermuda&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Women's association football in Bermuda (page does not exist)">Bermuda</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=Women%27s_association_football_in_Bonaire&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Women's association football in Bonaire (page does not exist)">Bonaire</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=Women%27s_association_football_in_the_British_Virgin_Islands&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Women's association football in the British Virgin Islands (page does not exist)">British Virgin Islands</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=Women%27s_association_football_in_the_Cayman_Islands&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Women's association football in the Cayman Islands (page does not exist)">Cayman Islands</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=Women%27s_association_football_in_Cura%C3%A7ao&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Women's association football in Curaçao (page does not exist)">Curaçao</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=Women%27s_association_football_in_Greenland&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Women's association football in Greenland (page does not exist)">Greenland</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=Women%27s_association_football_in_Guadeloupe&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Women's association football in Guadeloupe (page does not exist)">Guadeloupe</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=Women%27s_association_football_in_Martinique&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Women's association football in Martinique (page does not exist)">Martinique</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=Women%27s_association_football_in_Montserrat&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Women's association football in Montserrat (page does not exist)">Montserrat</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=Women%27s_association_football_in_Puerto_Rico&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Women's association football in Puerto Rico (page does not exist)">Puerto Rico</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=Women%27s_association_football_in_Saint_Barth%C3%A9lemy&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Women's association football in Saint Barthélemy (page does not exist)">Saint Barthélemy</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=Women%27s_association_football_in_the_Collectivity_of_Saint_Martin&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Women's association football in the Collectivity of Saint Martin (page does not exist)">Saint Martin</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=Women%27s_association_football_in_Saint_Pierre_and_Miquelon&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Women's association football in Saint Pierre and Miquelon (page does not exist)">Saint Pierre and Miquelon</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=Women%27s_association_football_in_Saba_(island)&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Women's association football in Saba (island) (page does not exist)">Saba</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=Women%27s_association_football_in_Sint_Eustatius&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Women's association football in Sint Eustatius (page does not exist)">Sint Eustatius</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=Women%27s_association_football_in_Sint_Maarten&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Women's association football in Sint Maarten (page does not exist)">Sint Maarten</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=Women%27s_association_football_in_the_Turks_and_Caicos_Islands&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Women's association football in the Turks and Caicos Islands (page does not exist)">Turks and Caicos Islands</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=Women%27s_association_football_in_the_United_States_Virgin_Islands&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Women's association football in the United States Virgin Islands (page does not exist)">United States Virgin Islands</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table></div> <div class="navbox-styles"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236075235"></div><div role="navigation" class="navbox" aria-labelledby="23x15px&#124;border&#124;link=&#124;alt=_Soccer_in_the_United_States" style="padding:3px"><table class="nowraplinks hlist mw-collapsible mw-collapsed navbox-inner" style="border-spacing:0;background:transparent;color:inherit"><tbody><tr><th scope="col" class="navbox-title" colspan="2"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1239400231"><div class="navbar plainlinks hlist navbar-mini"><ul><li class="nv-view"><a href="/wiki/Template:Soccer_in_the_United_States" title="Template:Soccer in the United States"><abbr title="View this template">v</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-talk"><a href="/wiki/Template_talk:Soccer_in_the_United_States" title="Template talk:Soccer in the United States"><abbr title="Discuss this template">t</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-edit"><a href="/wiki/Special:EditPage/Template:Soccer_in_the_United_States" title="Special:EditPage/Template:Soccer in the United States"><abbr title="Edit this template">e</abbr></a></li></ul></div><div id="23x15px&#124;border&#124;link=&#124;alt=_Soccer_in_the_United_States" style="font-size:114%;margin:0 4em"><span class="flagicon"><span class="mw-image-border" typeof="mw:File"><span><img alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/a/a4/Flag_of_the_United_States.svg/23px-Flag_of_the_United_States.svg.png" decoding="async" width="23" height="12" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/a/a4/Flag_of_the_United_States.svg/35px-Flag_of_the_United_States.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/a/a4/Flag_of_the_United_States.svg/46px-Flag_of_the_United_States.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="1235" data-file-height="650" /></span></span></span> <a href="/wiki/Soccer_in_the_United_States" title="Soccer in the United States">Soccer in the United States</a></div></th></tr><tr><td class="navbox-abovebelow" colspan="2"><div> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/United_States_Soccer_Federation" title="United States Soccer Federation">U.S. Soccer Federation</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/United_States_Adult_Soccer_Association" title="United States Adult Soccer Association">USASA</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/US_Club_Soccer" title="US Club Soccer">USCS</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/United_States_Soccer_Federation_State_Soccer_Association" title="United States Soccer Federation State Soccer Association">State Soccer Associations</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/United_States_soccer_league_system" title="United States soccer league system">League system</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/History_of_soccer_in_the_United_States" title="History of soccer in the United States">History</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/1869_Princeton_vs._Rutgers_football_game" title="1869 Princeton vs. Rutgers football game">First game</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/College_soccer" title="College soccer">College</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/National_Soccer_Hall_of_Fame" title="National Soccer Hall of Fame">Hall of Fame</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Category:American_soccer_trophies_and_awards" title="Category:American soccer trophies and awards">Awards</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_soccer_clubs_in_the_United_States" title="List of soccer clubs in the United States">Clubs</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/American_soccer_clubs_in_international_competitions" title="American soccer clubs in international competitions">International competition</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_American_and_Canadian_soccer_champions" title="List of American and Canadian soccer champions">Champions</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Category:Soccer_venues_in_the_United_States" title="Category:Soccer venues in the United States">Venues</a> (<a href="/wiki/List_of_soccer_stadiums_in_the_United_States" title="List of soccer stadiums in the United States">stadiums by capacity</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Soccer-specific_stadium" title="Soccer-specific stadium">soccer-specific stadium</a>)</li> <li><a class="mw-selflink selflink">Women's</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Men's</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"></div><table class="nowraplinks navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0"><tbody><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">National teams</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/United_States_men%27s_national_soccer_team" title="United States men's national soccer team">Senior</a> (<a href="/wiki/United_States_men%27s_national_soccer_team_results" title="United States men's national soccer team results">results</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_United_States_men%27s_international_soccer_players" title="List of United States men's international soccer players">players</a>)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/United_States_men%27s_national_under-23_soccer_team" title="United States men's national under-23 soccer team">U23</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/United_States_men%27s_national_under-20_soccer_team" title="United States men's national under-20 soccer team">U20</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/United_States_men%27s_national_under-18_soccer_team" title="United States men's national under-18 soccer team">U18</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/United_States_men%27s_national_under-17_soccer_team" title="United States men's national under-17 soccer team">U17</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/United_States_boys%27_national_under-15_soccer_team" title="United States boys' national under-15 soccer team">U15</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/United_States_men%27s_national_beach_soccer_team" title="United States men's national beach soccer team">Beach soccer</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/United_States_national_futsal_team" class="mw-redirect" title="United States national futsal team">Futsal</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/United_States_national_arena_soccer_team" class="mw-redirect" title="United States national arena soccer team">indoor soccer</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/United_States_men%27s_Paralympic_soccer_team" class="mw-redirect" title="United States men's Paralympic soccer team">Paralympic</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Outdoor leagues</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"></div><table class="nowraplinks navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0"><tbody><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Professional</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Major_League_Soccer" title="Major League Soccer">MLS</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/History_of_Major_League_Soccer" title="History of Major League Soccer">History</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/MLS_Cup_playoffs" title="MLS Cup playoffs">Playoffs</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/MLS_Cup" title="MLS Cup">MLS Cup</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/USL_Championship" title="USL Championship">USL Championship</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/USL_Championship_Final" class="mw-redirect" title="USL Championship Final">USLC Final</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/USL_League_One" title="USL League One">USL League One</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/National_Independent_Soccer_Association" title="National Independent Soccer Association">NISA</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/MLS_Next_Pro" title="MLS Next Pro">MLS Next Pro</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Amateur</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/USL_League_Two" title="USL League Two">USL League Two</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/NISA_Nation" title="NISA Nation">NISA Nation</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/National_Premier_Soccer_League" title="National Premier Soccer League">NPSL</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Cosmopolitan_Soccer_League" title="Cosmopolitan Soccer League">CSL</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Eastern_Premier_Soccer_League" title="Eastern Premier Soccer League">EPSL</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Evergreen_Premier_League" title="Evergreen Premier League">EPLWA</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Gulf_Coast_Premier_League" title="Gulf Coast Premier League">GCPL</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/The_League_for_Clubs" title="The League for Clubs">The League for Clubs</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Midwest_Premier_League" title="Midwest Premier League">MWPL</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Ohio_Valley_Premier_League" title="Ohio Valley Premier League">OVPL</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/San_Francisco_Soccer_Football_League" title="San Francisco Soccer Football League">SFSFL</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/United_Premier_Soccer_League" title="United Premier Soccer League">UPSL</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/United_Soccer_League_of_Pennsylvania" title="United Soccer League of Pennsylvania">USLPA</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Defunct</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/American_Football_Association_(1884%E2%80%931924)" title="American Football Association (1884–1924)">AFA (1884–1924)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/American_League_of_Professional_Football" title="American League of Professional Football">ALPF (1894)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/American_Premier_Soccer_League" title="American Premier Soccer League">APSL (2015–2018)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/National_Association_Football_League" title="National Association Football League">NAFL (1895–1898)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/American_Soccer_League_(1921%E2%80%931933)" title="American Soccer League (1921–1933)">ASL (1921–1933)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/American_Soccer_League_(1933%E2%80%931983)" title="American Soccer League (1933–1983)">ASL (1933–1983)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/North_American_Soccer_Football_League" title="North American Soccer Football League">NASFL (1946–47)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/United_Soccer_Association" title="United Soccer Association">USA (1967)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/National_Professional_Soccer_League_(1967)" title="National Professional Soccer League (1967)">NPSL (1967)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/North_American_Soccer_League_(1968%E2%80%931984)" class="mw-redirect" title="North American Soccer League (1968–1984)">NASL (1968–1984)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/United_Soccer_League_(1984%E2%80%9385)" title="United Soccer League (1984–85)">USL (1984–85)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Lone_Star_Soccer_Alliance" title="Lone Star Soccer Alliance">LSSA (1987–1992)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/American_Soccer_League_(1988%E2%80%9389)" class="mw-redirect" title="American Soccer League (1988–89)">ASL (1988–89)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Western_Soccer_Alliance" title="Western Soccer Alliance">WSA (1989)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/USL_Second_Division" title="USL Second Division">USL 2nd (1990–2010)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/American_Professional_Soccer_League" title="American Professional Soccer League">APSL (1990–1996)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/A-League_(1995%E2%80%932004)" title="A-League (1995–2004)">A-League (1996–2004)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/USL_First_Division" title="USL First Division">USL 1st (2005–2009)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/USSF_Division_2_Professional_League" title="USSF Division 2 Professional League">D2 Pro (2010)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Premier_League_of_America" title="Premier League of America">PLA (2015–2017)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/North_American_Soccer_League_(2011%E2%80%932017)" title="North American Soccer League (2011–2017)">NASL (2011–2017)</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Indoor leagues</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"></div><table class="nowraplinks navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0"><tbody><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Current</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Major_Arena_Soccer_League" title="Major Arena Soccer League">MASL</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Major_Arena_Soccer_League_2" title="Major Arena Soccer League 2">MASL2</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Major_Arena_Soccer_League_3" title="Major Arena Soccer League 3">MASL3</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Major_League_Indoor_Soccer_(2022-present)" class="mw-redirect" title="Major League Indoor Soccer (2022-present)">MLIS</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/National_Indoor_Soccer_League_(2021)" class="mw-redirect" title="National Indoor Soccer League (2021)">NISL</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Premier_Arena_Soccer_League" title="Premier Arena Soccer League">PASL</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Western_Indoor_Soccer_League" title="Western Indoor Soccer League">WISL</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Defunct</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/North_American_Soccer_League_(1968%E2%80%931984)" class="mw-redirect" title="North American Soccer League (1968–1984)">NASL (1975–76, 1979–1984)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Major_Indoor_Soccer_League_(1978%E2%80%931992)" title="Major Indoor Soccer League (1978–1992)">MISL (1978–1992)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/National_Professional_Soccer_League_(1984%E2%80%932001)" title="National Professional Soccer League (1984–2001)">NPSL (1984–2001)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Continental_Indoor_Soccer_League" title="Continental Indoor Soccer League">CISL (1993–1997)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Eastern_Indoor_Soccer_League" title="Eastern Indoor Soccer League">EISL (1997–98)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/World_Indoor_Soccer_League" title="World Indoor Soccer League">WISL (1998–2001)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Major_Indoor_Soccer_League_(2001%E2%80%932008)" title="Major Indoor Soccer League (2001–2008)">MISL (2001–2008)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/American_Indoor_Soccer_League" title="American Indoor Soccer League">AISL (2003–2008)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Xtreme_Soccer_League" title="Xtreme Soccer League">XSL (2008–09)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Major_Indoor_Soccer_League_(2008%E2%80%932014)" title="Major Indoor Soccer League (2008–2014)">MISL (2008–2014)</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Futsal leagues</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Major_League_Futsal" title="Major League Futsal">MLF</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Professional_Futsal_League" title="Professional Futsal League">PFL</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Cup competitions</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"></div><table class="nowraplinks navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0"><tbody><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Current</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/U.S._Open_Cup" title="U.S. Open Cup">U.S. Open Cup</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/USL_Cup" title="USL Cup">USL Cup</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/National_Amateur_Cup" title="National Amateur Cup">National Amateur Cup</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Hank_Steinbrecher_Cup" class="mw-redirect" title="Hank Steinbrecher Cup">Hank Steinbrecher Cup</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/United_States_Open_Cup_for_Arena_Soccer" title="United States Open Cup for Arena Soccer">U.S. Open (indoor)</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Defunct</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/American_Amateur_Football_Association_Cup" title="American Amateur Football Association Cup">AAFA Cup</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/American_Cup" title="American Cup">American Cup</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Lewis_Cup" title="Lewis Cup">Lewis Cup</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Women's</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"></div><table class="nowraplinks navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0"><tbody><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">National teams</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/United_States_women%27s_national_soccer_team" title="United States women's national soccer team">Senior</a> (<a href="/wiki/List_of_United_States_women%27s_international_soccer_players" title="List of United States women's international soccer players">players</a>)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/United_States_women%27s_national_under-23_soccer_team" title="United States women's national under-23 soccer team">U23</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/United_States_women%27s_national_under-20_soccer_team" title="United States women's national under-20 soccer team">U20</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/United_States_women%27s_national_under-19_soccer_team" title="United States women's national under-19 soccer team">U19</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/United_States_women%27s_national_under-18_soccer_team" title="United States women's national under-18 soccer team">U18</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/United_States_women%27s_national_under-17_soccer_team" title="United States women's national under-17 soccer team">U17</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/United_States_girls%27_national_under-15_soccer_team" title="United States girls' national under-15 soccer team">U15</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/United_States_women%27s_national_futsal_team" title="United States women's national futsal team">Futsal</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/United_States_women%27s_national_deaf_soccer_team" title="United States women's national deaf soccer team">Deaf</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Outdoor leagues</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"></div><table class="nowraplinks navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0"><tbody><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Professional</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/National_Women%27s_Soccer_League" title="National Women's Soccer League">NWSL</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/NWSL_Challenge_Cup" title="NWSL Challenge Cup">NWSL Challenge Cup</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/NWSL_Shield" title="NWSL Shield">NWSL Shield</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/NWSL_playoffs" title="NWSL playoffs">Playoffs</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/USL_Super_League" title="USL Super League">USL Super League</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/WPSL_PRO" title="WPSL PRO">WPSL PRO</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Amateur</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/USL_W_League" title="USL W League">USL W League</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Women%27s_Premier_Soccer_League" title="Women's Premier Soccer League">WPSL</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/United_Women%27s_Soccer" title="United Women's Soccer">UWS</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Ohio_Valley_Premier_League" title="Ohio Valley Premier League">OVPL</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Indoor leagues</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/National_Indoor_Soccer_League_(2021)" class="mw-redirect" title="National Indoor Soccer League (2021)">NISL</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Premier_Arena_Soccer_League" title="Premier Arena Soccer League">PASL</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Futsal leagues</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Major_League_Futsal" title="Major League Futsal">MLF</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">International competitions</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/SheBelieves_Cup" title="SheBelieves Cup">SheBelieves Cup</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Tournament_of_Nations" title="Tournament of Nations">Tournament of Nations</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Club competitions</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/USASA_National_Women%27s_Open" title="USASA National Women's Open">Women's Open</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/USASA_National_Women%27s_Amateur" title="USASA National Women's Amateur">Women's Amateur</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Defunct leagues</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/USL_W-League_(1995%E2%80%932015)" title="USL W-League (1995–2015)">W-League (1995–2015)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Women%27s_United_Soccer_Association" title="Women's United Soccer Association">WUSA (2001–2003)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Women%27s_Professional_Soccer" title="Women's Professional Soccer">WPS (2009–2011)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Women%27s_Premier_Soccer_League_Elite" title="Women's Premier Soccer League Elite">WPSL Elite (2012)</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Youth</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"></div><table class="nowraplinks navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0"><tbody><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Leagues</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/American_Youth_Soccer_Organization" title="American Youth Soccer Organization">AYSO</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Elite_Clubs_National_League" title="Elite Clubs National League">ECNL</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/National_Federation_of_State_High_School_Associations" title="National Federation of State High School Associations">NFHS</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/United_States_Youth_Soccer_Association" title="United States Youth Soccer Association">USYSA</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Super_Y_League" class="mw-redirect" title="Super Y League">Super Y League</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/MLS_Next" title="MLS Next">MLS Next</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/USL_Academy_League" class="mw-redirect" title="USL Academy League">USL Academy</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Competitions</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/US_Youth_Soccer_National_Championships" title="US Youth Soccer National Championships">US Youth Soccer National Championships</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">By city</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Soccer_in_Houston" title="Soccer in Houston">Houston</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Soccer_in_Los_Angeles" title="Soccer in Los Angeles">Los Angeles</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Soccer_in_the_New_York_metropolitan_area" title="Soccer in the New York metropolitan area">New York City</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/History_of_soccer_in_Seattle" class="mw-redirect" title="History of soccer in Seattle">Seattle</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Soccer_in_St._Louis" title="Soccer in St. Louis">St. Louis</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Other topics</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/List_of_most_expensive_American_soccer_transfers" title="List of most expensive American soccer transfers">Most expensive American soccer transfers</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Sports_broadcasting_contracts_in_the_United_States#Soccer" title="Sports broadcasting contracts in the United States">Broadcast rights</a></li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/Soccer_America" title="Soccer America">Soccer America</a></i></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><td class="navbox-abovebelow hlist" colspan="2"><div> <ul><li><span class="noviewer" typeof="mw:File"><span title="Category"><img alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/9/96/Symbol_category_class.svg/16px-Symbol_category_class.svg.png" decoding="async" width="16" height="16" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/9/96/Symbol_category_class.svg/23px-Symbol_category_class.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/9/96/Symbol_category_class.svg/31px-Symbol_category_class.svg.png 2x" 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