Full Time Newsletter ⚽| This is The Athletic’s weekly women’s soccer newsletter. Sign up here to receive Full Time directly in your inbox.
Happy New Year! We have some news about the upcoming NWSL season and head-coaching changes, plus a bittersweet update of our own.
Emily Olsen here with Meg Linehan. Meanwhile, Steph Yang joins us for one last ride — welcome to Full Time!
NWSL 2025 Footprint
‘Meg, is the schedule out?’
A question we get a lot.
The answer is: sort of. While the NWSL schedule isn’t out yet (and no, Meg doesn’t know yet when it will be), the league did share a framework today for what’s ahead, including key dates, updated roster rules and what’s going to happen this summer.
After the most recent CBA, all signed players are on guaranteed contracts and players out of contract are free agents, including incoming post-college eligible players. New in 2025, the NWSL has eliminated trade windows, meaning trades may occur any time before the Thursday, Oct. 9, roster freeze. (Per the CBA, all trades require player consent).
The NWSL is also taking two breaks this summer:
- From June 23-29 during the FIFA international window, as mandated by the CBA.
- All of July. The league will not conduct another NWSL x LIGA MX Femenil Summer Cup, leaving teams…
