NWSL schedule, standings, scores, top scorers and playoffs chase for 2022 soccer regular season
Arguably the most highly anticipated season in NWSL history is here. After an exciting 2021 season, a turbulent offseason, and a pair of expansion teams joining the league, there’s a flurry of talking points as the new season begins.
Angel City FC and San Diego Wave FC both join the league for their inaugural seasons in 2022, with the two teams based in close proximity in LA and San Diego. It sets up a budding rivalry, while bringing the league to 12 teams in total. Six of them made coaching changes in the wake of a rocky offseason, leaving many teams looking at 2022 as a new beginning.
Four teams made waves in the season-opening Challenge Cup and the semifinals are set: OL Reign battle reigning NWSL champs Washington Spirit, and Kansas City Current face the North Carolina Courage on May 4 with the final held on Saturday, May 7.
All 12 teams get to hit the reset button and use what they learned in the Challenge Cup to push for an NWSL title. The top half of the league table reaches the playoffs, and the winner of the tournament bracket takes home the crown.
MORE: Key dates in the 2022 NWSL season
NWSL 2022 upcoming schedule
Home teams listed first
Friday, April 29
| Time (ET) | Match | TV channel | Streaming |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10:30 p.m. | Angel City vs. NC Courage | CBSSN | Paramount+ |
Saturday, April 30
| Time (ET) | Match | TV channel | Streaming |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 p.m. | Portland Thorns vs. KC Current | — | Twitch |
| 8 p.m. | Chicago Red Stars vs. Racing Louisville | — | Paramount+ |
Sunday, May 1
| Time (ET) | Match | TV channel | Streaming |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 p.m. | Washington Spirit vs. OL Reign | — | Paramount+ |
| 7 p.m. | Houston Dash vs. San Diego Wave | — | Paramount+ |
| 7 p.m. | Orlando Pride vs. NJ/NY Gotham | — | Paramount+ |
2022 NWSL standings
As the season nears its grand opening, 12 teams prepare to contest for a playoff spot. With 12 teams in the league, there are no divisions, just a straight top-to-bottom league table.
If teams are tied on points, the first tiebreaker is head-to-head record. If teams are tied on head-to-head, then the tiebreakers will be overall season goal differential, and total goals scored. The next in the series of tiebreakers would be away goal differential and away goals scored.
| Place | Team | Points | GP | W | L | D | GD | Next Match |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Angel City FC | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Apr. 29 vs. NCC |
| 2. | Chicago Red Stars | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Apr. 30 vs. LOU |
| 3. | Houston Dash | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | May 1 vs. SDW |
| 4. | KC Current | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Apr. 30 @ POR |
| 5. | NJ/NY Gotham FC | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | May 1 @ ORL |
| 6. | NC Courage | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Apr. 29 @ ANG |
| 7. | OL Reign | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | May 1 @ WAS |
| 8. | Orlando Pride | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | May 1 vs. NJNY |
| 9. | Portland Thorns | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Apr. 30 vs. KCC |
| 10. | Racing Louisville | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Apr. 30 @ CHI |
| 11. | San Diego Wave | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | May 1 @ HOU |
| 12. | Washington Spirit | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | May 1 vs. ORL |
If the playoffs started today…
With a 12-team league, the top six advance to the playoffs, with the top two earning a first-round bye to the semifinals.
The postseason is played in a single-game knockout format beginning with the First Round. The two teams that emerge from the First Round travel to face the top two seeds in the semifinals. The last two teams left standing face off in the final in a neutral venue.
Matches that end in a draw go to extra time (30 minutes) and, if necessary, penalty kicks.
First Round
| Date | Match | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| TBD | No. 4 seed vs. No. 5 seed | TBD |
| TBD | No. 3 seed vs. No. 6 seed | TBD |
Semifinals
| Date | Match | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| TBD | No. 1 seed vs. No. 4 / No. 5 winner | TBD |
| TBD | No. 2 seed vs. No. 3 / No. 6 winner | TBD |
Final
| Date | Match | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| Sat, Oct. 29 | Semifinal 1 Winner vs. Semifinal 2 Winner | TBD |
2022 NWSL top scorers
| Goals (Pen) | Player | Team | GP | Mins |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 (0) | [Player] | [Team] | 0 | 0 |
| 0 (0) | [Player] | [Team] | 0 | 0 |
| 0 (0) | [Player] | [Team] | 0 | 0 |
2022 NWSL Challenge Cup results
Prior to the regular season’s start, the Challenge Cup pitted the teams in a spring competition.
The Challenge Cup was formatted across three regional four-team groups, with the winners plus the top runner-up advancing to a four-team mini-bracket to decide the winner.
MORE: What is the NWSL Challenge Cup? Full results & highlights
2022 NWSL Challenge Cup semifinals
| Date | Match | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| Wed, May 4 | OL Reign vs. Washington Spirit | 8 p.m. |
| Wed, May 4 | KC Current vs. NC Courage | 10 p.m. |
2022 NWSL Challenge Cup final
| Date | Match | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| Sat, May 7 | Semifinal 1 Winner vs. Semifinal 2 Winner | 1 p.m. |