The 55-day 2025 NWSL Secondary Window went from July 1st to August 25th this year. It consisted of 32 players joining the NWSL, and 4 players were traded within clubs. Even with the increase of length in the 2025 secondary window compared to 2024, there was generally a decline in the number of transactions. 

It is extraordinarily hard to join a club midseason and immediately make an impact without the connection building that comes from a two month preseason. Here’s the moves with the most impact on the back-half of the season:

 

Dudinha - Forward - San Diego Wave

Contract: Thru 2027

Midway through the Secondary Window, the Wave announced the signing of the Brazilian forward from São Paulo FC for an undisclosed transfer fee. In the back half of the season, Dudinha played in 11 matches (743 minutes) for San Diego, scoring five goals which ties her for the team’s top goalscorer but with one-third and one-quarter of the minutes with the other two Wave players with five. In the regular season, she led the league in shots on target percentage (69.2%) and Goals/Shot ratio (0.38)

Adrián González - Head Coach - Washington Spirit

As an assistant coach, he was promoted to head coach effective July 18th following the announcement that Jonatan Giráldez would transition to become the head coach of OL Lyonnes. González originally joined the Spirit in preseason ahead of the 2024 season as the Interim head coach until Giráldez’s Liga F season with Barcelona came to a close in June and he’d transition into the head coach role for the Spirit, with González returning to assistant coach. In the 16 remaining regular season matches, the Spirit only lost 3 times (and 2 of those were after the Spirit clinched 2nd in the table).

Lizbeth Ovalle - Forward - Orlando Pride

Contract: Thru 2027 with a 2028 mutual option

Only five days after Orlando striker and leading scorer Barbra Banda suffered a full thickness avulsion of her right adductor, the Pride announced the acquisition and extension of Ovalle from Tigres UANL Femenil for a (then) world record fee. The winger played in 839 minutes across 10 matches for the Pride, and scored one goal and assisted an additional two. She also held an 84% passing accuracy and found players in the box on 14 crosses. 

Katie Stengel - Forward - Gotham FC

Contract: Thru Feb 2026

Gotham acquired the forward from English club Crystal Palace for an undisclosed transfer during the Secondary Window. The signing marked Stengel’s second stint with the club since 2023 where she originally joined on a loan that became a permanent transfer and she had the stoppage-time game winning goal against Portland to send Gotham to the 2023 Championship match (that they would also end up winning). Stengel played in 552 minutes across 13 matches for Gotham with two goals and one assist. Her big impact moment was her 120+1 minute quarterfinal goal to upset NWSL Shield winning Kansas City and send Gotham to the semifinals.

Laurina Fazer - Midfielder - San Diego Wave

Contract: Thru 2027

Just five days after announcing the signing of Dudinha, the Wave announced the addition of the French midfielder to their squad following her five seasons at Paris Saint-Germain. Fazer played in 621 minutes across 10 matches for San Diego, with an 88% passing accuracy and 78% tackle accuracy. She also had 10 shot creating actions averaging 1.8 per 90 minutes.