2014 National Women's Soccer League season

National Women's Soccer League
Season2014
ChampionsFC Kansas City
NWSL ShieldSeattle Reign FC
Matches played108
Goals scored328 (3.04 per match)
Top goalscorerKim Little (16 goals)
Biggest home winPOR 7–1 KC (July 13)
Biggest away winPOR 0–5 WNY (June 7)
WAS 1–6 POR (June 21)
NJ 0–5 KC (July 6)
Highest scoringPOR 6–3 BOS (July 20)
Highest attendance19,123 – POR 1–0 HOU (August 3)[1]
Lowest attendance582 – NJ 0–2 SEA (April 30)[2]
Total attendance446,820 (August 20)
Average attendance4,137
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2015 →

The 2014 National Women's Soccer League season was the second season of the National Women's Soccer League, the top division of women's soccer in the United States. Including the NWSL's two professional predecessors, Women's Professional Soccer (2009–2011) and the Women's United Soccer Association (2001–2003), this was the eighth overall season of FIFA and USSF-sanctioned top division women's soccer in the United States. The league was operated by the United States Soccer Federation and received major financial backing from that body. Further financial backing was provided by the Canadian Soccer Association and the Mexican Football Federation. All three national federations paid the league salaries of many of their respective national team members in an effort to nurture talent in those nations.

The regular season began the weekend of April 12–13 and ended August 20, with the championship game played on August 30.[3] FC Kansas City defeated the NWSL Shield winners Seattle Reign FC 2–1 to win the NWSL title.[4]

The league had announced it would not expand for the 2014 season[5] and was not expected to contract.[6] However, after a push from the Houston Dynamo, the league approved the expansion of the Houston Dash.[7]

  1. ^ "THORNS FC DEFEAT DASH, 1–0, IN FRONT OF RECORD CROWD". nwslsoccer.com. August 3, 2014. Archived from the original on August 17, 2014. Retrieved August 5, 2014.
  2. ^ "REIGN FC SHUT OUT SKY BLUE FC, 2–0". nwslsoccer.com. April 30, 2014. Archived from the original on July 29, 2014. Retrieved August 5, 2014.
  3. ^ Lauletta, Dan (December 12, 2013). "NWSL expansion: mad dash from here to April". EqualizerSoccer.com. Retrieved December 13, 2013.
  4. ^ "2014 NWSL CHAMPIONS: FC KANSAS CITY". NWSL. August 31, 2014. Archived from the original on March 17, 2015. Retrieved September 1, 2014.
  5. ^ Murray, Caitlin (August 25, 2013). "Exclusive: Gulati confirms no NWSL expansion for 2014". SoccerWire.com. Archived from the original on September 28, 2013. Retrieved September 1, 2013.
  6. ^ Giase, Frank (August 20, 2013). "On Soccer: National Women's Soccer League on solid ground". The Star-Ledger. Retrieved September 1, 2013.
  7. ^ Goff, Steve (December 11, 2013). "NWSL expanding to Houston in 2014". Washington Post. Retrieved December 11, 2013.