Blair Newman

Approximately a quarter of the way into the 2026 National Women's Soccer League campaign, teams are starting to showcase their identities. Some stand out in a good way; others for all the wrong reasons. Some have made big changes, while others prioritize continuity. Here, we'll round up what's working and what isn't for all the teams, as well as the key players, surprise stories, and special roles that have made an impact thus far.

Fullback is one of those soccer terminologies that hangs around through tradition and nothing more. There really isn't much “back” about these players in the modern game; many of them spend most of their time, and are far more effective, going forward. Denver Summit, over the last few weeks, have shown just how important these players can be in an attacking sense.

Thinking of the most significant moments in the in recent years, the 2024 signings of Barbra Banda and Temwa Chawinga by the Orlando Pride and Kansas City Current, respectively, are obvious. Both players were essential in turning solid contenders into winning machines. Of the tactical tweaks, the Portland Thorns' decision to play Sophia Wilson as a lone striker in 2022 stands out — Wilson, liberated, went from good to great as the Thorns won their third NWSL Championship.

With one year to go before the 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup kicks off, it's time for an early assessment of how the favorites for the competition are looking. It goes without saying that the United States will be in the mix, but given that we at

With one year to go before the 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup kicks off, now is the time to assess the contenders. We at The Equalizer went through the favorites earlier this week, so here we shall take a look at the outsiders: Australia, Canada, Colombia, Denmark, Italy, Mexico, the Netherlands and Sweden.

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The Boston Legacy have shown a clear preference for operating with a back three in their inaugural campaign. Head coach Filipa Patão typically sets the team up with three center-backs, wing-backs on each side, two central midfielders and a fluid front three. But there is a case for them to alter their system.

The Portland Thorns may not become harder to beat when they go down to 10 players, but they are about as tough a nut to crack as it gets for any opponent with a numerical advantage.

How the off-field recruitment work of Sporting Director Kelly Cousins has paid off in Utah

“We practice on our…finishing phase, how do we want to score goals,” Lind confirmed in his introductory press conference after being appointed head coach of the Courage earlier this year. “We want to create those behaviors…so we have been practicing a lot of that.”