 | |||
| Founded | 2012; 13 years ago (2012) asD.C. United Women | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Stadium | Audi Field(Washington, D.C.) | ||
| Capacity | 20,000 | ||
| Owner | Michele Kang | ||
| General manager | James Hocken and Nathan Minion (acting) | ||
| Head coach | Adrián González | ||
| League | National Women's Soccer League | ||
| 2025 | Regular season: TBDPlayoffs: TBD | ||
| Website | washingtonspirit.com | ||
 Current season | |||
TheWashington Spirit are an American professionalsoccer team based inWashington, D.C. that competes in theNational Women's Soccer League (NWSL). It is a continuation of theD.C. United Women of theW-League and continues to field both an amateurWomen's Premier Soccer League (WPSL) team[1] and a youth team, both under the Spirit name. The team has reached theNWSL Championship three times (2016, 2021, 2024), winning once in 2021.
The foundation of theNational Women's Soccer League was announced on November 21, 2012, with Washington selected as a host for one of the eight teams selected for the inaugural season.[2] In December 2012, the team's name was announced as the Washington Spirit.D.C. United Women head coach Mike Jorden was kept on as well as assistant coach Cindi Harkes.[3] Bill Lynch, the original Washington Spirit's owner when the National Women's Soccer League launched in 2013,[4] sold the majority of the team to tech executive Steve Baldwin in late 2018.[5][6] Several other minority investors have since been added to the ownership group—Jenna Bush Hager andChelsea Clinton, daughters of U.S. presidents; Olympic gold medal-winning gymnastDominique Dawes; and most recently (May 2021)Washington Capitals starAlexander Ovechkin.[disputed –discuss][7]
On January 11, 2013, as part of theNWSL player allocation, goalkeeperAshlyn Harris (USA), defenderAli Krieger (USA), midfielderLori Lindsey (USA), defenderRobyn Gayle (CAN), midfielderDiana Matheson (CAN), defenderAlina Garciamendez (MEX) and midfielderTeresa Worbis (MEX) were named to the team.[8][9][10] During the February 7,2013 NWSL Supplemental Draft, the team selectedStephanie Ochs,Tori Huster,Jordan Angeli,Natasha Kai,Megan Mischler andHeather Cooke.[11][12]
The Spirit played their first competitive match on April 14, 2013, drawingBoston Breakers 1–1 withTiffany McCarty scoring the team's first goal assisted byStephanie Ochs.[13]
The inaugural season saw the Spirit stumble out of the gate under Mike Jorden, who was fired after the first eleven games having won only once in that time. Jorden was replaced byMark Parsons, who finished the season in 8th (last) place registering only 2 more wins over the season.[14]
After a poor inaugural season, the Spirit would much improve in the2014 making some key acquisitions includingJodie Taylor andChristine Nairn, both who would finish as the team's tops scorers with 11 and 8 goals, respectively. Finishing 4th, the Spirit made their firstNWSL Playoff appearance. They would lose atSeattle Reign.
The Spirit finished the2015 season with a record of 8–6–6 and repeating their 4th place league position.[15] The playoff result, again, ended in an away loss to Seattle in the semifinals.[16] The season would be the breakout year forCrystal Dunn who was awarded the2015 NWSL Golden Boot Award, scoring 15 goals during the campaign.[17] At the conclusion of the season, Mark Parsons stepped down as head coach and general manager to take over as coach ofPortland Thorns FC.[18]
Building off the successes of the 2014 and 2015 seasons, the Spirit hired formerSky Blue FC head coach,Jim Gabarra ahead of the2016 season.[19] The Spirit had their most successful season to date in 2016, being league leaders in the standings throughout most of the season. Only in the final week would the Spirit's loss finalize them as league runners-up. Earning their first post-season victory againstChicago Red Stars, the Spirit would lose the2016 NWSL Final in penalties toWestern New York Flash.[20]
In the aftermath of finishing 2016 runners-up, the Spirit saw a series of key departures including captainAli Krieger (traded toOrlando Pride),Christine Nairn andDiana Matheson (both traded toSeattle Reign), andCrystal Dunn leaving forChelsea, while retaining her contracting rights. Unable to adequately replace these players, the Spirit struggled to compete throughout the2017 season ultimately finishing last (10th) for the first time since the inaugural season.[21] However, building for the future, Gabarra was able to recruitU.S. national team prospect,Mallory Pugh mid-season.[22] Pugh would go on to lead the team in scoring, registering 6 goals in 16 games.[23]The2018 season continued the Spirit's pursuit of young talent, but also continued the struggle for results. On August 21, after eight straight losses and being eliminated from playoff contention, the Spirit fired head coach,Jim Gabarra, and appointed assistant coach, Tom Torres as interim head coach.[24] Torres lead the Spirit through the final three matches of the season at home, including the Spirit's debut at newly openedAudi Field againstPortland Thorns FC on August 25. The match set a new club record for home attendance with 7,976 fans.[25] The season ended with the Spirit finishing in 8th place, just ahead ofSky Blue FC. During the offseason, the Spirit appointedRichie Burke as the new head coach while retaining Torres on the technical staff. The announcement also noted local tech executive Steve Baldwin had become the Spirit's new majority owner.[26]
The2019 Washington Spirit season marked several changes for the Spirit organization. Owner Steve Baldwin outlined several planned improvements including theme nights for fans, pride night, a gear store in the stadium, and a mascot.[27] The 2019 season also featured major changes on the field; fifteen new players were added to the Spirit roster including Australian national team membersChloe Logarzo andAmy Harrison.[28] The Spirit surpassed their point total from the previous season on May 18 after the 5th game of the season against Portland Thorns FC. They would go on to surpass their past season's point total the next week against theChicago Red Stars. They ultimately finished 5th in the 2019 NWSL standings.
In September 2021, Burke was fired as head coach following an investigation into allegations of harassment and abusive behavior toward players.[29][30] CEO Steve Baldwin was also accused of nepotism and retaliatory behavior, leading to fellow co-ownerMichele Kang to call for him to step down and sell his ownership interest in the team.[30] Fans and Spirit players alike echoed this sentiment.[31] On October 14, 2021, theWashington Post reported that Steve Baldwin had announced to club investors that he intended to sell the club.[32] Kang officially became majority owner of the Spirit on March 30, 2022.[33][34]
The Spirit won their first NWSL Championship on Saturday November 20, 2021, when they defeated theChicago Red Stars, 2–1 in extra-time at Lynn Family Stadium in Louisville, Kentucky.[35]
On December 20, 2021, the Spirit announced that interim head coach Kris Ward would become the team's permanent head coach.[36] On August 22, 2022, the Spirit fired Ward after a1–6–9 record to start the2022 season.[37] Assistant coach Angela Salem managed the team's match in Houston on August 27 before the club hired Albertin Montoya as interim head coach for the remainder of the season.[38] The Spirit posted a2–3–0 record in its final five matches under Montoya.
On November 21, 2022, the Spirit announced Mark Parsons as the club's next head coach. Parsons previously served in the role for the Spirit's first three seasons of existence from 2013 through 2015.[39]
The Spirit started the season strong, collecting a league-high 23 points through their first 12 games. However, they would go on to win only 1 of their remaining 10 games (1–5–4), landing them in eighth place at the end of the season, one point below the playoff line. DefenderSam Staab collected her record-tying 3rd (and second consecutive) iron women season, playing every minute of the Spirit's 22 game season.[40] On October 17, 2023, two days following the team's final defeat againstNorth Carolina Courage, Mark Parsons was relieved of his duties[41] as the Spirit's head coach after one season.[42]
On January 9, 2024, the club announced the hiring of FC Barcelona Femeni'sJonatan Giráldez Costas as their new head coach.[43]
On March 24, 2025, the club announcedMark Krikorian, general manager and president of soccer operations, was stepping down after his contract expired in February 2025. Krikorian was widely credited for the successes of the Spirit's2024 season after the club suddenly traded away key playersSam Staab andAshley Sanchez leading into the2024 NWSL Draft.[44] These accomplishments included converted forwardTara McKeown being named a2024 NWSL Defender of the Year contender,[45][46] signing a highly regarded head coach inJonatan Giráldez, drafting2024 NWSL Midfielder and Rookie of the Year inCroix Bethune,[47] and the Spirit making a run to the2024 NWSL Championship before losing toOrlando Pride in the final match.[48]
On June 2, 2025, the Washington Spirit announced that Giráldez would become the head coach ofOL Lyonnes in time for the start of the2025-26 Première Ligue.[49] Both the Spirit and OL Lyonnes are owned by Michelle Kang. Assistant coachAdrián González will be taking over.
Michele Kang has been the Spirit's majority and managing owner since March 30, 2022, after joining the ownership group in December 2020.[33][50]
On May 16, 2023, Kang and OL Groupe, the holding company ofOlympique Lyonnais, announced the formation of a separate entity that would be composed of the Spirit and French women's top-division clubOlympique Lyonnais Féminin. OL Groupe would retain a 48% stake in the resulting new entity, and Kang would become the club's majority owner and CEO, pending the approval of the NWSL and French regulators. To avoid conflicts of interest, OL Groupe would sell its NWSL club,OL Reign.[51][52][53][54]
In January 2013, the team unveiled its new colors and badge. The badge was designed to resemble a torch reflecting the notion of "Burning with Spirit." It also contains a crown that holds 11 stars to represent the 11 players on the field and a ball with a single star to represent the 12th player (the team's fans) placed where the fuel for the torch would be representing how the fans "fuel the spirit." All of the components of the badge are "wrapped in the Banner of Spirit for a patriotic theme honoring our flag and all of those who have given their lives and sacrificed much so we can enjoy the freedoms we have."[55]
The logo was designed by freelance designer Pete Schwadel and incorporates the team colors of navy, red, and white, further reinforcing the patriotic theme woven throughout the team's imagery. It also features both "Washington" and "DC" to represent the team's connection with the District and the greater Washington metropolitan area.[56]
In March 2023, the team unveiled a new chrome crest and new colors of black and white for the season.[57] The updated visual identity is part of a rebrand in progress.[58]
TheMaryland SoccerPlex, located inGermantown, Maryland, was home to the Washington Spirit beginning with the inaugural 2013 season.[59] The facility was also home to the Washington Spirit Reserves in theWPSL.
Starting during the 2018 season, the Spirit began coordinating withD.C. United to play home matches atAudi Field inBuzzard Point inWashington D.C. The Spirit played their first match on August 25 that season, hosting thePortland Thorns FC. The match registered the team's highest attended game and was viewed as a means to generate more interest in the team.[60] During the 2019 season, the team announced it would host two home matches at Audi Field.[61]
On November 12, 2019, the team announced that in the2020 season, the Spirit reached an agreement with D.C. United that will split the team's home games between three stadiums, theMaryland SoccerPlex,Audi Field andSegra Field inLeesburg, Virginia for four games each. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the Spirit played two home matches at Segra Field in 2020. Beginning in 2021, the Spirit split all home matches between Audi Field and Segra Field.[62] although the club still planned to hold at least one preseason game a year at the SoccerPlex after 2020.[63]
In 2021, the club temporarily trained at theEpiscopal High School in Alexandria, Virginia due to disputes withD.C. United.[64]
On December 6, 2022, the club announced it had reached a deal with D.C. United to become a full-time tenant at Audi Field, playing its full home schedules at the Buzzard Point venue starting with the 2023 season. In addition, the team has relocated its training facilities to United Performance Center in Leesburg, Virginia.[65]
| Season | Stadium | Location | Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013–2019 | Maryland SoccerPlex | Germantown, Maryland | 4,000[59] |
| 2018–present | Audi Field | Washington, D.C. | 20,000[66] |
| 2020–2022 | Segra Field | Leesburg, Virginia | 5,000 |
The Spirit Squadron is the name of the supporter's group for the Spirit. The group was started by friends Ashley Nichols, Megan Wesson and Tory Johnson.[67] Of the group's founding, Nichols said, "... with a new league we needed to show the team as much support as possible because we really want a women's pro league to stay here in the United States. So between that and wanting to also provide a fun experience for fans, we decided to create the Spirit Squadron."[68]
Rose Room Collective is an independent supporter group for the Washington Spirit andD.C. United by and for people of color (POC). They were founded on a strong desire to have a supporter group in the D.C. area with a more targeted approach to including and amplifying the voices of POC.[69]
In February 2021,The Washington Post reported thatChelsea Clinton,Jenna Bush Hager,Dominique Dawes andBrianna Scurry were part of an investment group investing in the team.[70][71]
In 2016, the Spirit'sNWSL Playoff game against theChicago Red Stars was broadcast onFox Sports 1 and was available for streaming on the company's online streaming platform,Fox Sports Go.[72]
As of April 2017, Washington Spirit games are streamed exclusively byGo90 for American audiences and via the NWSL website for international viewers.[73] For the 2017 season, the Spirit will be featured in three nationally televisedLifetimeNWSL Game of the Week broadcasts on April 22,[74] June 17, and August 19, 2017.[75]
At the beginning of the 2019 season the Spirit announced a broadcast partnership with NBC Sports Washington and Monumental Sports Network.[76]
In 2020, broadcast rights for NWSL matches was consolidated at the league level. Initially, Washington Spirit matches were broadcast onCBS Sports Network,Paramount+ andTwitch. International streaming began in 2021 via geolocked feeds on Twitch. Leading up to the 2024 season, the NWSL negotiated a series of four-year domestic agreements withCBS Sports,ESPN,Prime Video, andScripps Sports to broadcast most league games. The remaining matches will be made available on NWSL+, the league's streaming service, with clubs permitted to sign agreements with stations or networks to broadcast these remaining matches in their own markets.[77][78]
Starting in 2023, the Spirt have partnered withMonumental Sports Network to broadcast select matches on the regional sports network, reviving the partnership from 2019.[79] This partnership started with nine matches in 2023, before moving to ten matches in 2024,[80] and five matches in 2025.[81] In 2025, these broadcasts are being supplemented with dedicated postgame shows following all five matches broadcast on Monumental Sports Network.[81]
In 2024, the Spirit addedESPN 630 as an additional broadcast partner, providing live radio broadcasts of select Spirit matches throughout the season.[82]
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
|---|---|---|---|
| — | FW |  BRA | Tamara Bolt(loaned toDallas Trinity FC) |
| — | FW |  USA | Emma Gaines-Ramos(loaned toTampa Bay Sun FC) |
| — | DF |  UGA | Shadia Nankya(loaned toDallas Trinity FC) |
| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| Head coach |  Adrián González |
| Assistant coach |  Vacant |
| Director of player personnel and assistant coach | Mike Bristol |
| Player development coach |  Morinao Imaizumi |
| Assistant coach and player development coach | Mami Yamaguchi |
| Goalkeeping coach | Nicole Barnhart |
| Name | Nat. | Tenure | M | W | D | L | Win % | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mike Jorden | | April 6, 2012 – July 1, 2013 | 11 | 1 | 3 | 7 | 9.1% | First head coach[14][85] |
| Mark Parsons |  | July 1, 2013 – September 30, 2015 | 57 | 20 | 13 | 24 | 35.1% | [14][18] |
| Jim Gabarra | | October 14, 2015 – August 21, 2018 | 65 | 19 | 11 | 31 | 29.2% | [24] |
| Tom Torres | | August 21, 2018 – December 27, 2018 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0.0% | Interim head coach[26][24] |
| Richie Burke | | December 27, 2018 – August 10, 2021 | 50 | 19 | 14 | 17 | 38.0% | [26][86] |
| Kris Ward | | August 10, 2021 – August 22, 2022 | 36 | 12 | 17 | 7 | 33.3% | Interim head coach until December 21, 2021[36][37] |
| Angela Salem | | August 27, 2022 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.0% | Acting head coach for one game[87] |
| Albertin Montoya | | September 2, 2022 – November 21, 2022 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 40.0% | Interim head coach[88][89] |
| Mark Parsons (2) | | November 21, 2022 – October 17, 2023 | 28 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 035.71% | [89] |
| Adrián González | | January 23, 2024 – July 5, 2024 | 15 | 10 | 1 | 4 | 66.7% | Interim head coach[90][91] |
| Jonatan Giráldez | | July 6, 2024 – present | 20 | 13 | 1 | 6 | 65.0% | [92][91] |
Most Valuable Player
Golden Boot
Goalkeeper of the Year
Rookie of the Year
Best XI First Team
Best XI Second Team
| Year | League | Regular season | P | W | D | L | Pts | Playoffs | Challenge Cup | Top scorer | Avg. attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | NWSL | 8th | 22 | 3 | 5 | 14 | 14 | did not qualify | — |  Diana Matheson (8) | 3,620 |
| 2014 | 4th | 24 | 10 | 5 | 9 | 35 | Semi-finals | Jodie Taylor (11) | 3,335 | ||
| 2015 | 4th | 20 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 30 | Semi-finals | Crystal Dunn (15) | 4,087 | ||
| 2016 | 2nd | 20 | 12 | 3 | 5 | 39 | Final |  Estefanía Banini (5) | 3,782 | ||
| 2017 | 10th | 24 | 5 | 4 | 15 | 19 | did not qualify | Mallory Pugh (6) | 3,491 | ||
| 2018 | 8th | 24 | 2 | 5 | 17 | 11 | did not qualify | Ashley Hatch (4) | 3,892 | ||
| 2019 | 5th | 24 | 9 | 7 | 8 | 34 | did not qualify | Ashley Hatch (7) | 6,138 | ||
| 2020 | 3rd | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 7 | N/A | Quarterfinals | Bayley Feist (1) | N/A[a] | |
| 2021 | 3rd | 24 | 11 | 7 | 6 | 39 | Champions | 4th East Division | Ashley Hatch (10) | 4,096 | |
| 2022 | 11th | 22 | 3 | 10 | 9 | 19 | did not qualify | Runner-up | Ashley Hatch (9) | 6,222 | |
| 2023 | 8th | 22 | 7 | 9 | 6 | 30 | did not qualify | 3th East Division | Ashley Hatch (9) | 10,886 | |
| 2024 | 2nd | 26 | 18 | 2 | 6 | 56 | Runner's-up | Trinity Rodman | 13,934 | ||
| 2025 | TBD | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Champions | 0 |
| Current teams | |
|---|---|
| Future teams |
|
| Former teams |
|
| Seasons | |
| Competition | |
| Personnel | |
| Awards | |
| Related articles | |
