Gotham FC exited the 2024 playoffs in the semifinals to Washington on penalty kicks after tying with the Spirit on points in the regular season table and only getting 3rd due to goal differential. In the 2025 playoffs, Gotham finished the season with a win in the Championship, the club’s second ever Championship win (and 2nd in the last three years). 

The club finished the table in 8th after two losses and two draws in the final four matches of the regular season. Only five players on Gotham were also rostered when the club won the NWSL Championship in 2023. 

Considering the number of players signed for 2026, Gotham is fairly limited in how active they can be during the offseason unless part of the activity includes loaning rostered players out.  

The Positives

The club’s defense was key throughout the season, with only 25 goals conceded across the regular season including 11 clean sheets. 

The biggest move that Gotham had throughout the season was trading for forward Jaedyn Shaw from North Carolina and the subsequent 4-year extension through 2029. On September 11th, Shaw was sent to Gotham from North Carolina in return for $1.25 million in intra-league transfer funds, marking the first seven-figure transfer fee between two NWSL clubs. 

The club was equally busy signing extensions, starting with extending head coach Juan Carlos Amoros through 2029. On the player side, they extended Esther, Jaelin Howell, Tierna Davidson, and Sarah Schupansky all through 2027. 

The Negatives

To be hypercritical, the biggest concern for the club moving forward is depth in the finishing prowess in the box. Gotham was 7th in goals scored this season (33), with 13 of those scored by Esther, and only four other players had at least 2 goals throughout the season.

The other concern is depth in the midfield, by the Championship Gotham only had five midfielders signed, although they have a lot of forwards who can drop back into an attacking midfielder role.  

Roster Flexibility 

Gotham has 25 players signed for the 2026 season — including their two 2025 season-ending injuries. Tierna Davidson’s ACL injury was early in the season, so there is a high likelihood she’ll be back in the early part of the season, Taryn Torres’s ACL wasn’t until September, so that’ll be a later intercept for a return to the active roster. 

With that many roster spots occupied, there is limited opportunity for Gotham to sign additional players in the offseason, and having six of their seven international spots occupied doesn’t help that either. 

The club has re-signed three of their free agents: goalkeeper Ryan Campbell through 2028, defender Bruninha through 2027, and forward Khyah Harper through 2026.

Offseason Priorities

In the upcoming offseason, Gotham only has two free agents in forwards Midge Purce and Ella Stevens (the club has exercised their part of Stevens’ mutual option). They also have eight players who will be free agents next July, including five who have started at least half of the regular season matches (Berger, Carter, Freeman, Lavelle, Sonnett) that they should work to extend. 

With only six defenders signed for 2026 — not including Taryn Torres who is on the 2025 season-ending injury list — the club should prioritize signing a few more defenders to build out depth.