NWSL IS BACK! After what felt both like a short offseason and a far too long wait, the National Women’s Soccer League has returned for the 2025 season. While you can debate whether or not this league is the best in the world, you absolutely cannot debate this league is the most chaotic. For Angel City FC, this will mark the fourth year they’ve existed as club competing in this league, and in year four the club face a very critical season. While fans may be anxious for playoff appearances and trophy lifts, the club understand it first needs to establish a proper foundation. One that doesn’t just get them competing for silverware right away, but a foundation that finally sets them up as a club superstars and fans around the world alike, all want to flock to.
T-minus 3 days until our home opener against San Diego Wave!
Go off in chat if you’re Matchday ready!!! ⬇️— Angel City FC (@angelcity.com) March 13, 2025 at 9:33 AM
2025 NWSL Schedule and Theme Nights
Not much changes to the schedule this year. There are no expansion teams being thrown in to the mix, yet, so aside from the when, we already know who Angel City play, getting one home and one away against the rest of the field. That said, it’s always fun to talk storylines and rivalries as we circle and look ahead to the matches we are looking forward to the most. Those who want to check out the full Angel City FC schedule can do so HERE.
3/16, 8/9: San Diego Wave
We start where all sports schedules start, rivalries and opening day. For Angel City FC this season, it’s a case of two birds with one stone as they open up the 2025 season against their Southern California rivals, San Diego Wave. The Wave come into the season with a ton of changes. Their roster has seen a lot of turnover, they have lost a hefty amount of their star talent with the departures of Jaedyn Shaw and Naomi Girma, as well as a brand new head coach in former Arsenal manager, Jonas Eidevall. Angel City also come into the season having made changes (more on that later), so starting the season with a home win over the rivals would be a massive boost for the club going forward.
3/30, 8/1: Seattle Reign
Another set of rivalry matches, though this one has been far more one-sided. Seattle have a very healthy 8-1-2 (W-D-L) record over Los Angeles, with Angel City getting their first win over the PNW club just this past season. 2024 was a rebuilding/transitional year for the Reign, but 2025 is shaping up to be their big bounce-back season. Seattle had a sneakily good offseason having traded for the services of forward Lynn Williams and lured away rising Angel City rookie, defender Madison Curry, in free agency. The first meeting between these two will be the third match of the season, with Angel City playing host. A great opportunity for LA to really set the tone for how they want to look this season.
4/25, 8/21: Orlando Pride
The defending champions, should really be all that’s said. This will be a pair of matches that really test just how strong Angel City will be this season. Another team that LA struggles against, having just one win over Orlando since arriving in the NWSL. Last year they were able to steal an early-season point off the eventual champions, and this season, they look for much more. It also provides a chance to see Marta and Banda up close, though here’s hoping our defense spends more time stopping and less time watching them when these two meet.
On this #InternationalWomensDay, we acknowledge and celebrate those who have paved the road for generations to come. 🖤
— Angel City FC (@angelcity.com) March 8, 2025 at 8:03 AM
Theme Nights:
One thing about American sports, we are going to have our theme nights. Nights where matches are more than just the game on the pitch, but a chance to celebrate, acknowledge, show respect, or give love to a person, people, or moment. Angel City have already given a schedule of their theme nights for 2025, so we decided to take a look at a few of those matchups.
3/30 vs Seattle Reign: Women’s History Celebration
As March wraps up, Angel City take the chance to celebrate Women’s History as they take on the Seattle Reign. In a lot of ways a very appropriate opponent, as the Reign do serve as NWSL royalty as an original and club with some of the richest history in the league.
6/7 vs Chicago Stars: Pride Night
In the short history of Angel City, Pride Night celebrations have always been one of the more fun theme nights. Usually a sellout crowd, with the atmosphere at its peak, buzzing with people veteran and new to soccer alike, all looking to cheer on the LA side while having a great time. This year, that match is against a Chicago side that also looks to establish a foundation this season.
6/14 vs Carolina Courage: Juneteenth
Another one of the more popular and atmospheric theme nights, Juneteenth is a celebration of Black history, Black freedom, and with the Courage coming into town, we have a chance to celebrate football heritage. The Courage don’t win in Los Angeles, as this match is on Juneteenth we must insist that Angel City not embarrass us in front of company this year.
9/1 vs Bay FC: LA Day
Full disclosure from the writer, I am actually a native of the Bay Area (Oakland). As a native, a totally understand this rivalry runs far deeper than sports teams and touches cultures, music, food, all of it. As an agent of chaos, having LA Day fall on the day you host Bay FC is, chef’s kiss. This will be a fun night indeed, and Angel City would love nothing more than to add yet another reason why LA is just, better.
There’s a place for everyone in LA 🌇 Our Los Angeles jersey pays homage to the communities that built the foundations of the city we know and love today.
Grab yours: shop.angelcity.com?srsltid=AfmB…
— Angel City FC (@angelcity.com) March 10, 2025 at 12:47 PM
2025 Roster and the Path Forward
Now, let’s get into the real gritty of this season preview. Earlier this week Angel City dropped the final roster for the club as they head into the 2025 campaign. If you want to check out the full roster and get some of our thoughts, you can do so HERE. While a majority of the players we saw last year are returning, with many signing extensions and new contracts for the next few years, there are some new faces within the club. Most notably, former Bay FC defender Savy King, who was acquired via trade this offseason. Having lost rookie sensation Madison Curry during free agency, there was a bit of a hole to fill for a defender that could play both sides of the pitch in defense, as well as a player that can utilize pass and ball handling to help push the attack up the pitch. King is also an LA native that doesn’t mind playing physical, and with the likes of MA Vignola and Sarah Gorden as her teammates, expect that physicality to increase and be fine-tuned.
Another big bit of news for the roster, Christen Press has had a full and healthy offseason for the first time since her arrival. After suffering the injury that kept her sidelined the better part of two seasons, the forward has returned fully and is ready to lead this team forward. Speaking of leading, there is one bit of roster/staff news that remains a mystery and it is a big piece of the puzzle for any club but especially for one in the position that Angel City FC are in, and that is, head coach. Los Angeles will be coming into the season under the guidance of Interim Head Coach Sam Laity, with Angel City FC Sporting Director Mark Parsons having come out and stated a permanent hire will be made around June of this year. “We’ve been very impressed with Sam, and his ability to come in short notice, understanding the vision and philosophy of what we want here at Angel City” said Angel City FC Sporting Director Mark Parsons when speaking to media during the last week of preseason training. “What that also provides confidence for is taking the process of finding our new head coach, the ability to take our time, find the right person, and the best person for Angel City. Sam is our Interim Head Coach and will remain so until June, that is the reality of our process.”
The one thing Parsons is not wrong about, the club need to get this hire correct. This is next hire will make it three head coaches in three years, four if you count Sam as Interim at the moment, but this is a club that came into the league with massive expectations and while its one thing to fall shorty of the lofty goals you set for yourself, its another thing completely to face another season where you once again are without a coach, an identity, or vision for how you will look this upcoming season. “It’s still the honeymoon period isn’t it?” Said Interim Head Coach Sam Laity when speaking to media. “As most preseasons are, everyone has a plan until you get punched in the face, and that will be next week when the NWSL games really start going.” You may not be able to win an NWSL season in the first month, but you can absolutely find yourself losing it quickly, and with the tough opponents Angel City have to open up the season, they will need to avoid getting hit in the face as much as possible.
Expectations vs Reality
“We have a very clear idea of wanting to get to the top” said Mark Parsons. “Not just get there, stay there. We want to be a team that is fighting for trophies every year, that means its my primary responsibility to be clear on how we are going to play, and how our culture is in this organization and when you’re clear on that, you can go find people that can help, and join, raise our levels and compliment the qualities we currently have.” Music to an LA sorts fan’s ears. A team that wants to be the best, however, it’s the what the club has always claimed to have wanted. A club that always says they want to compete at the highest level, but far too often we’ve yet to see actions match those words. Perhaps now, under new ownership, new management, a new fire lit under themselves, perhaps this time it really is the start of a new era for the young club.
Going from one of the worst, to one of the best teams, practically overnight isn’t new in the NWSL, just ask Orlando Pride. This league is as fluid as it is chaotic on a yearly basis and in terms of rosters on paper, Angel City actually have a very solid one. A nice mix of veterans and young players with incredibly high ceilings. They just need to find a way to put it all together consistently enough to be a contender. The biggest issue facing the team, is a lack of coach. Having all the faith in the world in Sam Laity is nice, but in the end he’s a coach that knows come June, he will be out of a job. The team know, come June, there will be a new system to learn and a new coach to get familiar with. That said, the goal for the team early on this season will be to just stay as close to the playoff line as possible. Sure, to think about playoff position before match one has even been played is insane, but going into the season without knowing who your next coach is, with the hope they will be available in June, also seems a bit out of the box.
Trophies are always the goal for any team at the start of the season. For a team in Los Angeles, that goal is more an inherent expectation on a yearly basis, a tradition of sorts. That said, this is a team that is still a step or two, at the moment, off the top. Playoffs should be bare minimum for this team, regardless of who is the coach. Anything more will be a bonus. Most importantly for Angel City, they need to really find themselves this year. The club need to get this next coaching hire right. They need to establish a proper identity in terms of who they are as a team and how they want to play. They need consistency. We can’t find ourselves back here next year, going through a fourth head coach and wondering what the future looks like. This is a club that has done so well in building up its community, done so well at getting fans in the city excited about women’s soccer, now it just needs to follow through on the pitch. All the pieces are there, time to find someone with the vision enough to put it all together.
Thoughts going into the 2025 season? Leave a comment below!