Portland Thorns

14th in NWSL

Portland Thorns promote Mike Norris to technical director, name Rob Gale interim head coach

Sign up for Full Time: The biggest women’s soccer stories on the USWNT, NWSL, and more, straight to your inbox. The Portland Thorns are restructuring their technical department, making head coach Mike Norris their new technical director, following the club’s worst start to an NWSL season. Portland is currently in last place, having only managed a single point through the first four weeks of the 2024 season with a 0-1-3 record. Rob Gale has been named interim head coach. Thorns general manager Karina LeBlanc told The Athletic the team will conduct a global search for Norris’ full-time...

Meg Linehan30

Portland Thorns, Sophia Smith agree to contract extension: 'I’m in the prime years of my career'

Meg Linehan30

What San Diego Wave sale means for skyrocketing NWSL club valuations

Melanie Anzidei9

NWSL is back and so are the Chicago Red Stars: Takeaways

Meg Linehan and Steph Yang46

NWSL and Liga MX Femenil announce new Summer Cup starting this year

Alexander Abnos and Meg Linehan11

NWSL's Seattle Reign nearing $58 million sale to group including MLS's Sounders

Another NWSL team is changing ownership hands. The Seattle Reign and its owners OL Groupe announced on Monday that the team was finalizing a sale to a group headlined by the Seattle Sounders, the city’s MLS team. In its press release, OL Groupe said the sale was for $58 million. The transaction is pending final votes from the NWSL and MLS boards of governors. The sale follows news over the weekend that Ron Burkle is selling the San Diego Wave at a $120 million valuation in a deal scheduled to be completed in full after the 2024 season. Along with the Sounders, the Reign announced that...

The Athletic Staff and Steph Yang33

Alex Pfeiffer becomes youngest goalscorer in NWSL history in KC Current stadium opener

Pfeiffer beat the previous record for youngest goalscorer set by the Thorns' Olivia Moultrie in 2022.

The Athletic Staff18

A guide to watching NWSL's opening weekend amongst the league's new media rights deal

Navigating NWSL's new media rights deal on opening weekend

Meg Linehan14

W Champions Cup and Women's Club World Cup: 'Incredible' innovation or too many games?

Two new club competitions could transform the women's game. Here's what we know so far

Melanie Anzidei

How can NWSL fans watch every match this season? What to know about broadcast, schedule changes

What you need to know at the start of the 2024 NWSL season from new broadcasters to big storylines

The Athletic Soccer staff9

San Diego Wave sold at $120 million valuation, an NWSL record

The San Diego Wave will soon be under new ownership, and at a record-breaking price. Principal owner Ron Burkle has agreed to sell the club to the Levine Leichtman family at a total valuation of $120 million but a cash outlay of $113 million. Whether going by valuation or the amount spent, the sale is easily a record outlay for an NWSL club. The $120M valuation is nearly double the previous outlay of $63 million paid by the Bhathal family for the Portland Thorns in a deal finalized earlier in 2024. Burkle will remain as the principal owner through the end of the 2024 season as part of the...

Meg Linehan and The Athletic Staff34

Where does NWSL stand entering 2024 season? A focus on player health, incremental growth

Meg Linehan details what to expect from the 2024 NWSL season.

Meg Linehan18

NWSL commissioner on players getting ‘squeezed’ by calendar, World Cup momentum and more

Jessica Berman sat down with The Athletic for a candid conversation about the future of the league on the eve of its 2024 season

Steph Yang and Meg Linehan4

NWSL season preview and a new CONCACAF club tournament: Full Time

Plus, who helped their case for a USWNT Olympic roster spot

The Athletic Soccer staff6

NWSL players to watch: One key performer for every team's 2024 season

Every team has star performers, but these are the players who will truly make their teams go as they seek an NWSL Championship

Jeff Rueter6

USWNT's Sophia Smith, Alyssa Naeher vanquished World Cup demons en route to Gold Cup final

Last summer, a missed penalty and a near-save were part of the USWNT's undoing in Australia. In San Diego, there was some redemption.

Jeff Rueter5

USWNT will face South Korea for Emma Hayes’ first matches; Gold Cup semifinal preview: Full Time

Plus, Catarina Macario's Chelsea debut.

The Athletic Staff2

USWNT's 'dos a cero' defeat and 28 new NWSL kits: Full Time

Plus, exorbitant parking fees

The Athletic Staff

2024 NWSL kit tiers: The good, the okay and the yuck as every team gets two new looks

Our thoughts on a full reset of NWSL kits

Meg Linehan, Steph Yang, and Brooks Peck77

'I don't think you can Moneyball the NWSL': As teams use more data, hybrid models are key

NWSL general managers see a full-time future for data analysts in the league.

Steph Yang3

Former Portland Thorns boss Rhian Wilkinson appointed Wales head coach

Former Portland Thorns boss Rhian Wilkinson has been appointed the new head coach of the Wales Women’s national team. The role marks Wilkinson’s return to management for the first time since resigning from Thorns in December 2022 after she was investigated and cleared over her conduct. The 41-year-old self-reported text messages in which she and then Thorns defender Emily Menges expressed feelings for one another. She insisted no inappropriate relationship took place and was cleared of any misconduct, but felt she lost the confidence of the team. Wales have been without a permanent...

Ali Rampling20

Olivia Moultrie, Midge Purce lead USWNT to 5-0 Gold Cup win, Alex Morgan returns to score sheet

Olivia Moultrie scored not just her first USWNT goal but a brace in the victory over the Dominican Republic.

Meg Linehan and Steph Yang25

Alex Morgan replaces injured Mia Fishel in USWNT camp ahead of W Gold Cup: Full Time

Plus, NWSL's World Cup problem.

The Athletic Staff6

Former Portland Thorns defender Rikke Sevecke demands women's football action on heart health

Former Denmark international Rikke Sevecke has called for stronger monitoring of heart health in women’s football after being forced to end her playing career. Sevecke, who joined Portland Thorns from Everton last year, was capped 54 times by Denmark before announcing her retirement last month. The central defender participated in last year’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand but never played for NWSL side Portland Thorns, whom she joined in September after three years at Everton. The 27-year-old has now published an open letter on FIFPRO — the organisation representing 65,000...

Colin Millar3

The 2026 World Cup presents logistical issues for the NWSL

An increasingly crowded summer soccer calendar in the U.S. poses a variety of problems for the NWSL

Meg Linehan16

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