Halfway through the 2025 NWSL Regular Season, here’s a look at how different teams evolved through the offseason and how it impacted the first half of the season:

On average, teams had 80% of their 2024 playing minutes returning to the squad in 2025, and so far an average of 73% of minutes per team are coming from players who were with their teams in 2024. 

At the top of the scale, San Diego had 90% of their playing minutes returning for 2025 but they only account for roughly 71% of the minutes played this year. The Wave also had a T-1st 13 new additions to their roster, and have made the biggest swing in terms of performance, going from 10th at the end of 2024 to currently sitting third. 

The Houston Dash finished the 2024 season at the bottom of the table, had 90% of their playing minutes returning but the eight new additions have actually accounted for more than half of the playing minutes. Unfortunately, even with the talent coming in, the Dash have only moved up two spots—sitting in 12th at the midseason break. 

The 2024 NWSL Championship and Shield winning Orlando Pride had 20 players returning in 2025—only accounting for roughly 75% of their 2024 playing minutes—however, those 20 players now account for an NWSL high 92% of their 2025 playing minutes. The Pride are currently in second place in the NWSL table, eight points behind leader Kansas City.  

Kansas City’s 17 returning players was the average of returners across the league, but in combination with the eight additions, have started to separate themselves at the top of the table. The Current had 77% of their 2024 minutes returned this season, with those players accounting for 84% of their playing minutes. Of the 16% of minutes by newcomers, 9% of that is the fact that newly signed Brazilian goalkeeper Lorena has played every minute for Kansas City this year. 

The Portland Thorns had the fewest number of returning players (along with Gotham), and even with those players accounting for 71% of their playing minutes, a number of pre-season injuries and maternity leaves meant that only 51% of the 2024 playing minutes would even be available for the 2025 season. That being said, the Thorns have been able to lean on their returners and their young additions—three of five of their top goal scorers are rookies— and maintain fifth place going into the summer break. 

With the smallest percentage of 2024 playing minutes returning in 2025, in addition to a below the average number of new additions, the Reign have been able to find their groove in the first half of the season and went from second to last at the end of 2024 to currently above the playoff line and sitting in sixth.