The NWSL kick-off weekend is just around the corner! We can’t wait to see our favorite teams and players come back to the pitch and do what they do best. Who will rise? Who will fall? And most importantly, who will be leading the way? Take a look at the NWSL team captains for the 2025 season!
Red Stars – Alyssa Naeher
Around here, we follow some simple words, “in Naeher we trust.” The Chicago Red Stars has been Naeher’s team for nearly a decade, so she is the obvious choice for the 2025 captain. She’s a world-class keeper who leads from the back line and knows how to carry a shutout.
Angel City – Ali Riley
Ali Riley is the heart and soul of Angel City and has been since the club started in the 2022 season. Riley is an enthusiastic defender who brings positivity to her team. Whether she’s captaining for Angel City or playing on the national stage with New Zealand, she is a fiery player.
Houston Dash – Jane Campbell
Another team putting themselves in the hands of their keeper, the Dash, named Jane Campbell as their captain. Campbell has been with Dash since the very beginning of her professional career and has played over 150 games for this team. For the past two seasons, she has been leading the league in saves.
NC Courage – Denise O’Sullivan
Irish midfielder Denise O’Sullivan has been crushing it for Courage since 2017. With her, Courage won the NWSL Shield three consecutive times. As a player referred to as “the glue” of the team, she’s a natural pick for captain.
Pride – Marta
You can’t follow women’s soccer and not know who Marta is. This season, she’s still the captain of the Pride. She is an absolute legend. Her accolades include being named FIFA Player of the Year six times, NWSL MVP, and three-time silver medalist at the Summer Olympics.
San Diego Wave – Kailen Sheridan
Sheridan is the Waves’ first keeper and has been the only one they’ve needed since the club’s start. Voted Keeper of the Year during the club’s first season, Sheridan was nominated again in 2023 and won the NWSL Shield.
Seattle Reign – Lauren Barnes
Barnes has been a mainstay on the Reign’s defensive line—when she’s not on loan abroad. She is a stellar leader from the back and knows how to shift the field. Reign is the one and only NWSL team she has played for in her over a decade-long career.
Utah Royals – Paige Monaghan
The Royals are back, and Paige Monaghan is leading their charge. After returning to the league last season, the Royal had a lot of ground to make up, and Monaghan was part of that master plan. A reliable goal scorer for Gotham before her transfer, Monaghan is a forward who can put the team on her back.
Washington Spirit – Aubrey Kingsbury
Kingsbury came to the Spirit after a transfer brought her out from Ashlyn Harris’s shadow, and she has truly thrived. She is an NWSL Champion, Championship MVP, and a two-time Goalkeeper of the Year winner. The Spirit is in good hands once again this season.
KC Current – Lo’eau LaBonta
There’s a stereotype that captains must be the no-nonsense tough gal to get the job done, but that’s not what Lo’eau LaBonta is about. The Celly Queen led Current to the semi-finals and their best record in franchise history last season. The Current and LaBonta have a lot of momentum to build on this coming season.
Thorns – Sam Coffey and Mackenzie Arnold
The Thorns seem to have named co-captains this season! Defensive midfielder Sam Coffey and keeper Mackenzie Arnold will keep the Thorns scoring third locked down this season. While Coffey has been a Thorn for a few seasons, Arnold is relatively new to the squad, joining up just last season. These two work well together in moving the ball from the back to the front, and we’re excited to see this co-captain dynamic play out.
Racing Louisville – Arin Wright
This will be Wright’s second season with Racing, and she has already made captain. She is a stone wall of a defender that the team has clearly come to rely on. Last season wasn’t a great one for Racing but maybe Wright can turn things around on the pitch this year!
Gotham – Tierna Davidson
According to Instagram, Gotham will be led this year by star defensive player Tierna Davidson. Davidson has been with the league for seven years this season, but with Gotham for only one. Lately, Davidson’s leadership prowess has been getting more attention, being named captain during the SheBelieves Cup as well. Jess Carter, Rose Lavelle, Nealy Martin, and Mandy Freeman will also be a part of the team’s leadership group.
Bay FC – Emily Menges
As far as we can tell, Emily Menges will serve as captain for another season at Bay FC. She’s a Defender of the Year nominee and has done excellent work developing and leading Bay’s backline.
Featured image via Getty Images
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