2020 National Women's Soccer League season
Season | 2020 |
---|---|
Champions | Canceled[1] |
NWSL Shield | Canceled[1] |
Challenge Cup | TBD |
← 2019 2021 →
All statistics correct as of May 27, 2020. |
The 2020 National Women's Soccer League season will be the eighth 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 will be the 14th overall season of FIFA and USSF-sanctioned top division women's soccer in the United States.
The league is operated by the United States Soccer Federation and receives major financial backing from that body. 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 the financial burden of individual clubs.
The season was scheduled to start on April 18 and end on October 18, though the start date was later delayed.[2] The top four teams will advance to the NWSL Playoffs. The two semifinal matches will be on November 8 and the 2020 NWSL Championship will be played on November 14.[3]
On March 12, 2020, the preseason match schedule was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.[4] As a result, the NWSL announced on March 20 that the regular season start will be delayed.[2]
On May 27, 2020, the NWSL announced that the 2020 Challenge Cup will mark the return to action following the COVID-19 pandemic.[5] The 25-game tournament, to be held from June 27 to July 26, will be hosted by the owner of Utah Royals FC Dell Loy Hansen.
On June 22, 2020, the NWSL announced the full rules and regulations for the 2020 Challenge Cup.[6] In conjunction, the NWSL also canceled the 2020 NWSL regular season and playoffs.[1]
Teams, stadiums, and personnel
Stadiums and locations
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Personnel and sponsorship
Note: All teams use Nike as their kit manufacturer.
Coaching changes
Team | Outgoing manager | Manner of departure | Date of vacancy | Incoming manager | Date of appointment | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
OL Reign | ![]() |
Resignation | October 28, 2019 | ![]() |
January 17, 2020 | [15][16] |
Sky Blue FC | ![]() |
End of interim period | December 17, 2019 | ![]() |
December 17, 2019 | [17] |
Utah Royals FC | ![]() |
Mutual separation | January 6, 2020 | ![]() |
January 6, 2020 | [18] |
Utah Royals FC | ![]() |
End of interim period | February 7, 2020 | ![]() |
February 7, 2020 | [19] |
Regular season
Template:2020 National Women's Soccer League season
Tiebreakers
The initial determining factor for a team's position in the standings is most points earned, with three points earned for a win, one point for a draw, and zero points for a loss. If two or more teams tie in point total, when determining rank and playoff qualification and seeding, the NWSL uses the following tiebreaker rules,[20] going down the list until all teams are ranked.
- Head-to-head win/loss record between the teams (or points per game if more than two teams).
- Greater goal difference across the entire season (against all teams, not just tied teams).
- Greatest total number of goals scored (against all teams).
- Apply #1–3 to games played on the road.
- Apply #1–3 to games played at home.
- If teams are still equal, ranking will be determined by a coin toss.
NOTE: If two clubs remain tied after another club with the same number of points advances during any step, the tiebreaker reverts to step 1 of the two-club format.
Attendance
Average home attendances
Ranked from highest to lowest average attendance.
Team | GP | Attendance | High | Low | Average |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chicago Red Stars | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Houston Dash | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
North Carolina Courage | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
OL Reign | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Orlando Pride | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Portland Thorns FC | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Sky Blue FC | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Utah Royals FC | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Washington Spirit | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Total | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Updated through end of regular season on January 5, 2020.[21]
Highest attendances
Regular season
Rank | Home team | Score | Away team | Attendance | Date | Stadium |
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Statistical leaders
- As of October 5, 2019[22]
Top scorers
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Top assists
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Shutouts
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Hat-tricks
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Playoffs
The top four teams from the regular season compete for the NWSL Championship.
Challenge Cup
Hosted by Dell Loy Hansen, owner of Utah Royals FC, the 2020 NWSL Challenge Cup will feature a preliminary round and a knockout round.[5] In the preliminary round, all nine teams will each play four games to determine seeding. The top eight teams based on results from the preliminary round will advance to a single-elimination knockout round.
Preliminary round
Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | North Carolina Courage | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 1 | +6 | 12 |
2 | Washington Spirit | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 7 |
3 | OL Reign | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | −1 | 5 |
4 | Houston Dash | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 6 | −1 | 4 |
5 | Utah Royals FC (H) | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 5 | −1 | 4 |
6 | Chicago Red Stars | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 | −1 | 4[a] |
7 | Sky Blue FC | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 | −1 | 4[a] |
8 | Portland Thorns FC | 4 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | −1 | 3 |
Knockout round
Quarter-finals | Semi-finals | Final | ||||||||
TBD | ||||||||||
Q1 | ||||||||||
TBD – Rio Tinto Stadium | ||||||||||
Q8 | ||||||||||
TBD | ||||||||||
Q5 | ||||||||||
July 26 – Rio Tinto Stadium | ||||||||||
Q4 | ||||||||||
TBD | ||||||||||
Q3 | ||||||||||
TBD – Rio Tinto Stadium | ||||||||||
Q6 | ||||||||||
TBD | ||||||||||
Q7 | ||||||||||
Q2 | ||||||||||
Individual awards
- As of October 16, 2019
Monthly Awards
Player of the Month
Month | Player of the Month | Club | Month's Stateline |
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Team of the Month
Month | Goalkeeper | Defenders | Midfielders | Forwards | Ref |
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Weekly awards
Week | Player of the Week | Goal of the Week | Save of the Week | Reference | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Player | Club | Player | Club | Player | Club |
Annual awards
References
- ^ a b c "2020 Champions Cup Presented by P&G and Secret Roster Rules" (PDF). NWSL. Retrieved 22 June 2020.
The "2020 NWSL Season" will be defined by the NWSL as the number of games played by a team in the tournament. [...] There will be no "NWSL postseason/playoffs" in 2020...
- ^ a b "COVID-19 resources and updates for NWSL fans". NWSL. Retrieved March 21, 2020.
- ^ "NWSL Announces Full 2020 Season Schedule". NWSL Media Staff. February 25, 2020.
- ^ "All preseason matches have been canceled" (Press release). National Women’s Soccer League. March 12, 2020. Retrieved March 12, 2020.
- ^ a b Levine, Matthew (27 May 2020). "NWSL announces 2020 Challenge Cup presented by P&G and Secret". Retrieved 27 May 2020.
- ^ Levine, Matthew (22 June 2020). "NWSL announces 2020 NWSL Challenge Cup presented by P&G and Secret rules and regulations and awards". NWSL. Retrieved 22 June 2020.
- ^ Levine, Matthew (November 18, 2019). "Washington Spirit to split home games between Audi Field, Segra Field, and Maryland SoccerPlex in 2020". National Women's Soccer League. Retrieved November 19, 2019.
- ^ "Meijer Announced as New Front-Of-Jersey Sponsor for Chicago Red Stars". Chicago Red Stars. 25 June 2020. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
- ^ "Jane Campbell and Rachel Daly named Dash 2020 captains". Houston Dynamo. 18 June 2020. Retrieved 19 June 2020.
- ^ "Houston Dash join Dynamo, MD Anderson in Making Cancer History". Houston Dynamo. February 19, 2020. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
- ^ "Sky Blue FC Announces Partnership with Hackensack Meridian Health". Sky Blue FC. June 23, 2020. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
- ^ Van Dyk, Meg (March 9, 2020). "All Rise: The Queens are Back". Real Salt Lake. Retrieved March 10, 2020.
- ^ "Soleil Energy to Don the Front of URFC's Home and Away Jerseys Through the 2022 Season". Real Salt Lake. June 17, 2020. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
- ^ "Washington Spirit announce CVS Health as Presenting and Official Health and Wellness Sponsor for the 2020 Season". Washington Spirit. 25 June 2020. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
- ^ "ANDONOVSKI DEPARTS REIGN FC; NAMED USWNT HEAD COACH". Reign FC. October 28, 2019. Retrieved January 3, 2020.
- ^ "FARID BENSTITI APPOINTED HEAD COACH OF REIGN FC". Reign FC. 17 January 2020. Retrieved 17 January 2020.
- ^ "Sky Blue FC Names Freya Coombe Head Coach". Sky Blue FC. December 17, 2019. Retrieved January 3, 2020.
- ^ "UTAH ROYALS FC PARTS WAYS WITH HEAD COACH LAURA HARVEY". Real Salt Lake. January 6, 2020. Retrieved January 6, 2020.
- ^ "Utah Royals FC Appoints Craig Harrington as Head Coach". Real Salt Lake. February 7, 2020. Retrieved February 7, 2020.
- ^ "Rules & Regulations". NWSL.
- ^ "Schedule". NWSLsoccer.com. Retrieved October 12, 2019.
- ^ "NWSL Stats". NWSLsoccer.com. Retrieved October 5, 2019.