| Season | 2021 |
|---|---|
| Champions | Washington Spirit (1st title) |
| NWSL Shield | Portland Thorns FC (2nd shield) |
| Challenge Cup | Portland Thorns FC (1st cup) |
| Matches played | 120 |
| Goals scored | 278 (2.32 per match) |
| Top goalscorer | Ashley Hatch (10 goals) |
| Biggest home win | POR 5–0 CHI (May 16) NC 5–0 LOU (May 28) |
| Biggest away win | LOU 0–4 HOU (Sept 26) |
| Highest scoring | RGN 5–1 HOU (Aug 7) |
| Longest winning run | 4 games NC (June 19 - July 4) POR (July 7 - Aug 26) WAS (Oct 9 – Oct 31) |
| Longest unbeaten run | 8 games NJY (June 5 – Aug 7) POR (July 3 – Aug 26) RGN (Aug 14 - Oct 13) NJY (Sept 4 – Oct 31) |
| Longest winless run | 13 games KC (May 15–Aug 15) |
| Longest losing run | 6 games KC (May 26–July 27) |
| Highest attendance | 27,278 RGN vs. POR (August 29, 2021) (NWSL Record) |
| Lowest attendance | 1,929 HOU vs. POR (July 24, 2021) |
| Total attendance | 592,074 |
| Average attendance | 5,104 |
← 2020 2022 →
All statistics correct as of June 23, 2024. Attendance at 2 matches were not reported. | |
The 2021 National Women's Soccer League season was the ninth 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), it is the 15th overall season of FIFA and USSF-sanctioned top division women's soccer in the United States.
This season was the first in which the NWSL has been fully self-governing. After the 2020 season, the league terminated its management contract with the United States Soccer Federation (USSF or U.S. Soccer), which nonetheless continues to provide major financial support to the NWSL.[1] Further financial backing is provided by the Canadian Soccer Association. Both national federations pay the league salaries of many of their respective national team members in an effort to nurture talent in those nations and take a major financial burden off of individual clubs.
On November 18, 2020, the NWSL announced new competition formats for the 2021 season.[2] The Challenge Cup became a league cup competition played before the start of the regular season. The Cup was followed by the 24-match regular season, which began on May 15 and concluded on October 31. The playoffs were expanded to include the six teams, with the top two seeds receiving a first-round bye. Playoffs started on November 6 and concluded with the NWSL Championship on November 20.[3]
In the 2021 NWSL Challenge Cup, Portland Thorns FC and NJ/NY Gotham FC won the West and East Divisions, respectively, earning the right to play in the final. As Portland had the better record, they hosted the final, which was played on May 8 in Providence Park in Portland, Oregon. The game was a 1–1 draw after 90 minutes; Portland won the ensuing penalty shootout 6–5 to win the cup.[4]
In the regular season, the Portland Thorns won the most points and thus earned the NWSL Shield.
In the playoffs, the Washington Spirit and Chicago Red Stars progressed to the final, which was played on Nov. 20, 2021 in Louisville, Kentucky. The Spirit prevailed 2–1 in overtime, winning the NWSL Championship.
The season was also marked by a sexual misconduct controversy that erupted on September 30, when The Athletic published an investigation into North Carolina Courage head coach Paul Riley that accused him of a pattern of sexual coercion and abuse, and also alleged numerous inappropriate comments about players' physical appearance and sexuality. More than a dozen players from every team Riley had coached since 2010 spoke to the publication, and two named players went on the record with allegations against him. The Courage fired Riley that day, and U.S. Soccer immediately suspended his coaching license.[5] The next day, the NWSL called off all of its scheduled matches for that weekend, both FIFA and U.S. Soccer announced they were starting their own investigations into Riley, league commissioner Lisa Baird resigned, and league general counsel Lisa Levine was dismissed. Further reporting revealed systemic failure by NWSL leadership to investigate allegations against Riley, including some made in the 2021 season.[6][7]