A star generation of women’s soccer has retired. A new series shows who to watch next
The 2024 National Women’s Soccer League season marked a significant moment for the sport. After years of scandals and abuse, there was a run of good news stories.
The NWSL announced a historic broadcast deal. The player transfer fee was broken three times (and then again in 2025). And more young players were choosing to play in the U.S., bucking the European trend. Meanwhile, the on-field highlights from a slew of young and veteran players made the games exciting to watch.
A new docuseries from Prime Video premiering on Thursday, titled For the Win: NWSL, takes place in the final weeks of the 2024 season and highlights a league in transition.
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Three things to know:
- The docuseries highlights a changing of the guard. Players like Alex Morgan, Kelley O’Hara, Becky Sauerbrunn and Christine Sinclair all retired in 2024. Megan Rapinoe retired in 2023. It’s been a loss for both the U.S. women’s national team and the NWSL. These women were part of a golden generation that fought for equal pay and playing conditions and set a new standard for how to play the game.
- The series follows a newer generation — like Barbra Banda, Temwa Chaŵinga and Croix Collette Bethune — who are already setting a new standard. Chaŵinga, who is 26, broke the record for goals in a season in 2024. Bethune, who is 23, tied the league’s single-season assist record in 2024 and was the first player to win Rookie of the Year and Midfielder of the Year simultaneously.
- And the series offers a behind-the-scenes look at the culture building around the NWSL. This includes things like the Kansas City Current starting the 2024 season playing in the first soccer stadium in the world built for a women’s professional sports team. In the Prime Video series, players talk about how the “loud and obnoxious” fans embraced CPKC Stadium and made it a difficult place for opposing teams.
What next for the NWSL?
The 2025 season begins on March 14. Players will have a lot on the line outside of winning a championship. While there are no major international tournaments scheduled, younger players will be trying to make the case for why they belong on the national team, coached by Emma Hayes.
Dive deeper with NPR:
- If you want to learn more about big moves in the world of soccer, listen to this conversation on how Naomi Girma made history with her Chelsea transfer.
- Need more on television? Check out Pop Culture Happy Hour’s guide to the great shows on network TV.
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