Five NWSL Records That Will Fall in 2025 | OneFootball

The old adage goes that records were made to be broken. And, in the National Women's Soccer League that is certainly true.

One of the highlights of the 2024 season was watching MVP Temwa Chawinga break Sam Kerr's record for most goals in a single NWSL season (18) that had stood since '19. Chawinga scored 20 regular season goals (0.84 per match), scoring at least once against every opponent, in one of the greatest individual seasons in U.S. soccer memory.

As the 2025 NWSL campaign approaches, let's brace ourselves for more records to fall. Here are five NWSL records that could tumble this season.

Most goals in a game

The 2024 NWSL season kicked off with an instant classic 5–4 Kansas City Current win over the Portland Thorns, which also served as the first match at the Current's CPKC Stadium. That game equaled the record for the most goals in a league match with nine.

The question becomes, will we see the first 10-goal game in 2025?

There have been five nine-goal matches since the NWSL began in 2013 (three 5–4 scorelines and two 6–3 outings). The most recent occurrences involved the Current, with Kansas City beating Chicago Stars FC 6–3 in '23.

No NWSL team has scored more than seven goals in a match (Western New York Flash in 2017 and Portland Thorns in '14). If we're going to see an unprecedented 10-goal game, then it'll likely be a shootout rather than a one-sided thrashing.

Curiously enough, the Current will open the 2025 season at home against the Thorns again. So perhaps on opening day, against a Portland backline missing the retired Becky Sauerbrunn and Marie Müller due to a knee injury, Kansas City will produce some fireworks and deliver a record-breaking goal-fest.

Utah Royals make playoffs for the first time

Ah, the Royals. Established in 2018, taken away in '21 and reborn in '24. In none of the Royals' three seasons has the club made it to the playoffs.

In 2018, Utah finished fifth just two points behind Chicago in the final playoff spot. Then in '19, the Royals dropped to sixth, four points behind Seattle Reign and the playoff cutoff. In 2024, the club had its worst performance, finishing 11th and seven points outside the postseason.

However, an impressive run of results under head coach Jimmy Coenraets in the second half of the 2024 season has created some optimism in Salt Lake City. It is beginning to feel like it will be fourth-time lucky for Utah, and an innaugural playoff run beckons.

Lauren Barnes becomes first player to 250

One of the NWSL's true legends, and already the record holder for most regular season appearances with 232, Lauren Barnes could etch her name into the record books again this upcoming season.

In 2024, Barnes made 21 appearances. So, she can drop that number a bit in '25 and still become the first NWSL player to reach 250 regular season appearances.

Of course, it is worth mentioning that including playoffs and Challenge Cup appearances, Barnes has technically totaled 257 appearances over 12 years with the Reign. But most NWSL records only include regular season data.

Lynn Biyendolo breaks the all-time assist record

The NWSL's ultimate winner, Lynn Biyendolo, is already the league's all-time leading goalscorer with 80 goals. But, she is also sneaking up on becoming the record holder for assists too. The 31-year-old currently sits on 28 assists, three behind Sofia Huerta and Jess Mcdonald, who share the record with 31 each.

Biyendolo only notched two assists in each of the 2023 and '24 seasons with NJ/NY Gotham FC. So, she'll need to find herself in a slightly more creative role with her new team, Seattle Reign, if she is going to break the record this year.

League average attendance shatters again

In 2024, the NWSL's average attendance was 11,250, a 6% increase from '23, per Sports Business Journal, and a record for the league.

Excluding the COVID-19-impacted 2020 and '21 seasons, year on year the NWSL has continued to break its average attendance record over the past half decade. Therefore, it's not a hugely outrageous suggestion to say it will happen again.

If the San Diego Wave and Seattle Reign can inspire more fans to come to their larger stadiums, then this number could shoot up by more than just a few hundred. There is also the swell of interest around the Washington Spirit that could help create a bump. Chicago Stars FC have also announced a double-header match with Major League Soccer's Chicago Fire at Soldier Field.