NWSL's Record-Setting Saturday 🏟️

Plus, another history-making transfer fee.

August 26, 2025

Happy Tuesday, TWG readers!

There were TONS of headlines this weekend in NWSL action, including a new attendance record courtesy of Bay FC at Oracle Park, movement in the Golden Boot race as Temwa Chawinga scored her 11th goal of the season, a new all-time assist leader in Sofia Huerta who notched the 32nd of her career… and ANGEL CITY WON! So much to talk about, so keep reading for all the details and make sure to tune in to Good Vibes today so Lynn and I can break it all down with you.

Coming up later this week, we have an interview with Angel City’s Sveindis Jonsdottir. Sveindis is an Icelandic forward who has brought so much to Angel City since joining the team after the Euros, including an incredible long throw-in that is such a game changer. I loved chatting with her and can’t wait for you all to hear her perspective on moving to LA.

I had a mini weekend away with Pat and the dogs in Stowe, Vermont to celebrate Pat starting law school this week! We hiked, read books, made s’mores, and hit up a few breweries. It was an awesome last weekend before a big transition, but I’m really excited for Pat to start school. I’m proud of him for taking a leap and luckily, I have lots of soccer to watch while he studies this fall!

Thank you all so much for being here.

Love,
Sam

NWSL Matchday 17: A Record-Setting Day in San Francisco 🏟️

Bay FC 2-3 Washington Spirit

Bay FC made history Saturday after hosting Washington Spirit at Oracle Park (home of the San Francisco Giants) in front of 40,091 fans — a new NWSL record. The two clubs provided a high-caliber clash rife with goals to suit the occasion. While it took just seven minutes for the visitors to score, Bay FC dished out plenty in attack, and nearly drew level throughout. In the words of Bay FC manager Albertin Montoya, “When you get football like that, I think every single person that watched that game can leave and say 'Hey, I'd do this again,' because it was entertaining. It was good quality football all around." 

  • Sam's Take 🗣️: Despite Bay's loss, this was such an incredible moment for the league! We chatted with Bay FC co-founder, Leslie Osborne, last week on Friendlies and she told us about how this game at Oracle Park came to be. The idea that there are so many passionate fans in the Bay area makes me even more excited about the NWSL Championship being hosted there in November!

Angel City 1-0 Orlando Pride

Thursday night in Los Angeles, the reigning NWSL champions, Orlando Pride, continued their six-game winless run with a last-minute loss to Angel City. The Pride were absent Zambian forward Barbra Banda, who’s been placed on the season-ending injury list after suffering a hip injury in Orlando’s 0-0 draw with Kansas City Current last week. While tragically without their top scorer (Banda’s notched eight of the team’s 22 goals this season, five more than the next highest on the team), the visitors were out-possessed and outshot 23 to eight. English goalkeeper Anna Moorehouse’s six saves helped stymie LA’s advance, but in the 86th minute, USWNT winger Alyssa Thompson sealed the W with her sixth goal of the season. While battling to break into the playoff positions, Thursday’s seismic victory marks Angel City’s first win since May 9.

San Diego Wave 0-1 Racing Louisville

Racing Louisville picked up a massive road win on Sunday in San Diego, handing the Wave their first league loss since June 6. USWNT forward Emma Sears scored the decisive goal, marking her seventh of the season. With the loss, San Diego finished the weekend in third, while seventh-place Racing made progress in their quest to make their first playoffs. 

More: In Seattle’s 1-1 draw with Houston, Jess Fishlock (who scored three goals in three games the past three weekends) broke her goal streak. But USWNT right-back Sofia Huerta assisted Canadian striker Jordyn Huitema in Seattle’s lone goal, which made Huerta NWSL’s all-time assist leader with her record 32nd.

📬 Enjoying The Women’s Game? Check out our other Men in Blazers newsletters:

🐦‍⬛ The Raven: Our Monday and Friday newsletter where we preview the biggest matches around the world (and tell you where/how to watch them) and recap our favorite football moments from the weekend.

🔍 The Correspondent: Rory Smith’s thoughts on the world of soccer, culture, food, and how they all connect – every Thursday.

🇺🇸 USMNT Only: Your weekly update on the most important topics in the U.S. men’s game, all leading up to next year’s World Cup.

The Good Vibes FC x OLIPOP Collection — Your New Summer Staples ☀️

Summer may be winding down, but the vibes are eternal. That’s why we teamed up with our friends at Olipop to create a limited-edition Good Vibes FC jersey, built for those who live for soccer, community, and celebrating the game we love.

From the pitch to the patio, this jersey is pure joy: bright, bold, and made to rep the Good Vibes FC spirit everywhere you go. Pair it with your favorite Olipop flavor (we’re partial to Root Beer on matchday) and you’ve got yourself the perfect match. Pair it with the bucket hat, and you’re ready for anything.

✨ Available now while supplies last. Once they’re gone, they’re gone.

The Women’s Transfer Fee Record Broken AGAIN 💰

As interest and investment continues to grow around women’s football, the world transfer record has been broken for a remarkable third time since January. This time, it was set by Mexico’s prolific 25-year-old goalscorer from Aguascalientes, Lizbeth Ovalle, who is moving to NWSL’s reigning champions Orlando Pride for $1.5 million from Mexican juggernauts Tigres. 

Ovalle has long dominated play in Liga MX Femenil, helping Tigres to multiple titles while scoring memorable goals like this one:

USWNT fans may also remember Ovalle’s performance in the 2024 Concacaf W Gold Cup, where she was named to the tournament’s Best XI and scored the opening goal in Mexico’s historic 2-0 win over the U.S. 

  • Sam's Take 🗣️: The Ovalle signing comes at a great time for Orlando. With Barbra Banda now out with a season-ending injury and the Pride struggling since the summer break, a goal-scoring threat could be just what they need to turn the energy around.

Over the past few years, the women’s transfer record has been broken repeatedly at a sprinter’s pace. In 2025 alone, U.S. center-back extraordinaire Naomi Girma raised it when she signed for Chelsea for $1.1 million. This summer, Canadian forward Olivia Smith set the bar again when she moved to Arsenal for $1.3 million. Ovalle’s move makes history on multiple fronts (she’s also the first Mexican footballer in the men or women’s game to set the world transfer record) as yet another sign of growth for the sport.

Across the Sea: Pre-Season Friendlies 🌍

Lyon 3-1 London City Lionesses 🇫🇷 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

The battle of Washington Spirit owner Michelle Kang’s overseas clubs saw French giants Lyon beat the newly promoted English side, London City Lionesses. Lily Yohannes scored her first goal for OL Lyonnes after transferring to the French side from Ajax in the Netherlands this summer. 

Arsenal 3-4 Tottenham 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

As the new WSL season looms near, two of England’s top-flight teams tested their pre-season mettle in a high-scoring friendly. The reigning Champions League winners and last season’s second-place WSL team, Arsenal, debuted multiple new signings in their tuneup, including Anneke Borbe, Taylor Hinds and last season’s Young Player of the Year, Canadian forward Olivia Smith.

Barcelona Femeni 2-2 (4-3) Liga MX All Stars 🇪🇸 🇲🇽

Barcelona took on a team of Liga MX Femenil All Stars over the weekend at Tigres’ home stadium in Monterrey, Mexico. The two sides finished with a 2-2 tie in regulation time (watch all four goals here), with the Spaniards sealing a 4-3 win in penalties. Orlando Pride’s new history making forward, Lizbeth Ovalle, played in the match as she bid an emotional farewell to her former home crowd at Tigres’ stadium.

Goals of the Weekend, Presented by New Balance 💥

🥤 Olipop power everything we do here at The Women’s Game. You can use code TWG20 for 20% off your first order at drinkolipop.com/TWG20.

News and Notes 🗞️

  • U.S. goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce (Manchester United) and right-back Emily Fox (Arsenal) were named to the England WSL Team of the Year at the annual PFA Awards. The XI included four Arsenal players from the Champions League winning squad, two Chelsea players from the treble-winning team, three Manchester United players, and two from Manchester City. 

  • Also at the PFA Awards, 29-year-old Spanish midfielder/forward and Arsenal star Mariona Caldentey was named the WSL Player of the Year, with 21-year-old Canadian forward Olivia Smith (who transferred to Arsenal from Liverpool this summer) winning WSL Young Player of the Year. The USWNT’s gold-medal-winning manager and former Chelsea boss Emma Hayes was also honored with the PFA Merit Award for her contributions to the game. 

  • Next up: Alex Morgan’s tennis era. The two-time World Cup champion teamed up with two-time Grand Slam winner Coco Gauff in the Stars of the U.S. Open exhibition.

It’s TWG Trivia Time 🤔

Welcome back to our weekly trivia game!

This week’s question: At the annual PFA Awards, there have been 13 total Women’s Player of the Year accolades doled out, starting with Scottish midfielder Kim Little, who won it while playing for Arsenal in the 2012/13 season. This week, Arsenal’s Mariona Caldentey became the third Arsenal player to collect the prize. Who is the other Gunner that was previously named PFA Player of the Year?

Respond to this email (or reply here) for a chance to win a coveted TWG patch.

Last week’s answer: The first USWNT player to score for a Première Ligue side was Lindsay Heaps (née Horan).

This week’s trivia winner is Tess Weinberg. Thanks to everyone who replied!

Good Reads 👩‍💻

Moment of Joy 🤸

Our moment of joy this week happened outside the soccer world but is something we want to highlight. The Rugby World Cup is currently taking place in England and is set to be a record-shattering tournament. Friday’s opening match between hosts England and Ilona Maher’s USA saw 42,723 fans in attendance at the Stadium of Light in Sunderland. And tickets for the final at Twickenham Stadium, which holds 82,000 fans, have already sold out! File this under: Things we love to see! Read more about the tournament here.

📝 Want to be featured in next week’s TWG newsletter? Send Sam an email! All your questions, comments, and dog (or wedding) photos can be sent to [email protected]