Spectacular Things

The US Women’s National Soccer Team (USWNT) represents the United States in international women’s soccer competition. While the International Federation of Association Football, or FIFA, is soccer’s international governing body, the US Women’s National Team is governed by the United States Soccer Federation (USSF). The Women’s National Team was established in 1985 and claimed victory in the very first Women’s World Cup, held in 1991. Eight years later, the 1999 Women’s World Cup became a turning point for the team and for women’s professional sports as a whole when the US team hosted, drew record crowds, and won. Brandi Chastain’s winning penalty shot and the celebratory moments that followed have become iconic in sports history (“About the United States Women’s National Soccer Team.” Soccernovo, 28 June 2023).

The continued success of the Women’s National Team in the following years increased the sport’s popularity, which led to the formation of the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) in 2013 with eight teams. As of 2025 the league has 14 active teams and two more—Denver Summit and Boston Legacy—slated to join. The NWSL features a single-division structure, a season that runs from February to October, and a playoff system leading to the league championships (