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After a whirlwind free agency period highlighted by the situations of Trinity Rodman and Sophia Wilson, the 2026 NWSL regular season is nearly a month away.

While the league will welcome a new season, two expansion teams, and its first-ever 16-team, 30-game campaign, clubs will celebrate roster moves as they build during preseason camps. Expansion sides Denver Summit FC and Boston Legacy FC are obvious teams that made new player acquisitions for their inaugural seasons, while Portland Thorns FC and Washington Spirit made key signings to retain their biggest stars. 

The primary transfer window closes on March 16, leaving the door open for more announcements ahead of the regular season. NWSL clubs can also complete interleague transfers until October. The introduction of the HIP rule also presents a new financial mechanism for teams to sign marquee players who meet specific criteria.

With the new season just 37 days away, which new signings broke the internet during this offseason?

Here are the best NWSL player signings of the offseason:

Honorable mentions

Naturally, there will be plenty of perspectives that will claim that certain players should be ranked higher, or that there's someone not ranked here at all. With that in mind, let's start with a few honorable mentions. 

Ally Schlegel, North Carolina Courage: Real invested NWSL viewers will be familiar with Ally Schlegel's game. Schlegel opted into free agency, and North Carolina now have a player who can contribute in attack, is effective on aerials, and is unafraid to get physical.

Alyssa Naeher and Katie Lind, Chicago Stars FC: The longest tenured player for Chicago Stars FC is back once again on a one-year contract for her 11th season. Having an iconic goalkeeper you can trust in Alyssa Naeher, while locking in a player who can contend for a starting spot with Katie Lind, means the Stars will feel secure in net throughout the long season.

Brooklyn Courtnall, Bay FC: It'll be year three for Bay FC after joining the league in 2024. New head coach Emma Coats is already using her U23 England credentials to recruit youth internationals to the NWSL, but it might be the players with NWSL experience who need to lead the way. Bay FC made things official by making Brooklyn Courtnall's loan more permanent with a new three-year deal. 

Now on to the rankings:

10. Midge Purce (Gotham FC)

If you're the gambling type, make sure you bet on yourself with the same confidence as forward Midge Purce. 

The 30-year-old two-time NWSL champion re-signed with the club on another one-year deal after a late season comeback from an ACL injury she sustained in 2024. The 2023 NWSL Championship final MVP gets another chance to run it back with the club she's helped rebuild as the team's third leading scorer with 17 goals. 

9. Amanda Gutierres (Boston Legacy)

There's always a mix of anticipation and grace whenever an expansion side builds out its inaugural roster. When Boston Legacy FC signed Brazilian international Amanda Gutierres, it immediately placed some expectation on their attacking game ahead of their debut season.

The 24-year-old was a 2025 Ballon d'Or nominee, thanks to her proficient goal scoring. She was the co-leading goal scorer for Brazil at the 2025 Copa America Femenina and is a two-time Golden Boot winner in Brazil (2023, 2024) with Palmeiras.

8. Ludmila (San Diego Wave FC)

When news broke that San Diego Wave FC acquired Brazilian international Ludmila in a trade with Chicago Stars FC, it seemed like a mutually beneficial move that boosted the Wave's attack and sent a large fee to a rebuilding Chicago. 

San Diego then parted ways with winger Delphine Cascarino, their 2025 NWSL MVP finalist, and simmered some of the reaction. There's no use crying over what could've been, and if anything, there's still plenty to look forward to as the move reunites her with Brazilian teammate Dudinha. The 31-year-old will also be an asset to younger players coming up the ranks, as Trinity Byars is now off the season-ending list, along with midfielder Melanie Barcenas. 

7. Narumi Miura (Utah Royals FC)

Utah Royals made an early offseason move in a trade with the Washington Spirit for Japanese international
midfielder Narumi Miura. The deal was completed in exchange for $180,000 in allocation money. Miura has played in the league since 2023 and has quickly risen as a starting-caliber central midfielder. 

She often is a ball-possession player with the ability to set the tempo. With connective passing and defensive efforts, she's often the link between her defensive teammates and the attacking line. Her addition to Utah's roster could alleviate some of the playmaking responsibilities from Japan national teammate Mina Tanaka.

6. Lindsey Heaps (Denver Summit FC)

One day, we will all look back on this past offseason and laugh that the first player announced with the intent to use future HIP money was Lindsey Heaps, not Rodman. The U.S. national team captain will be with the expansion club through 2029, and it's not unrealistic to associate her return to the NWSL with the latter stage of her career.

Back when the club introduced Heaps, general manager Curt Johnson clarified that conversations with Heaps began before the HIP rule was introduced. With the player's arrival set for June and a debut potentially as late as July, the mechanism could very likely be in play. The move means they'll start life on the pitch without her, but they'll get quite a boost later this season, even if it is just for half of the season. While making the playoffs will be a tall task, she has the quality to lift them into contention.

5. Eva Gaetino (Denver Summit FC)

The Denver expansion team has made multiple roster building moves, but acquiring Eva Gaetino from Paris Saint-Germain is a pickup for the club's present and the future. There needs to be a balance between experienced veterans and promising prospects, and Gaetino will fit that mold. 

The 23-year-old defender joined PSG following a standout college career at Notre Dame and won the Coupe de France, making 45 appearances. She also made UEFA Women's Champions League history by becoming the youngest American to score in the knockout rounds at 21. Her move to NWSL comes off a stint with the U.S. women's national team programs in 2025, alternating between the U23 squad and the senior side. 

4. Hallie Mace (Orlando Pride)

Perhaps a move made ahead of a player departure, the Pride made an early offseason move and signed defender Hailie Mace on a new contract through the 2028 season. Mace was a key figure for Kansas City Current, especially during their 2025 NWSL Shield campaign. 

A versatile defensive piece who can function as both center and outside back, Mace often contributed to a historic season where Kansas City led the league and set a record for regular-season clean sheets, and she was named to the NWSL Best XI second team in 2025.

3. Emily Sams (Angel City FC)

In a major intraleague move, Angel City bolstered their backline and traded for Orlando Pride defender Emily Sams. The $650,000 intraleague transfer fee is a record for the highest fee ever paid for a defender in the NWSL and signals a clear trajectory for Angel City moving forward.

Sams signed with her new club through 2028 and had requested a trade to pursue new challenges in the league. She'll be getting one as Angel City conceded 41 goals last season (third most in the league) and struggled on set-piece defending. The move immediately pairs Sams with club captain Sarah Gorden, an NWSL veteran who is sturdy and realiable.

2. Sophia Wilson (Portland Thorns FC)

One-third of the U.S. women's national team's attacking trio, dubbed "triple espresso," Wilson has made one of the more intriguing free-agent moves this offseason. The club had periods of navigating ownership changes and rotating head coaches, but with enough talent on the roster, they have found a way into consecutive playoff appearances, and the Thorns were able to maintain that with and without Wilson.

The USWNT striker exercised her player option (a first-of-its-kind contract mechanism) and opted in for one more year with the club after she and her husband, NFL Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Michael Wilson, welcomed their daughter, Gianna, in September. She's back in training after maternity leave with the Thorns and is aiming to return in time for the club's opener in March.

1. Trinity Rodman (Washington Spirit)

No other player in the world had a contract status that captivated the globe this offseason more than Rodman. In the buildup to the postseason, during the playoffs, and through the NWSL Championship, attention on Rodman's free agency reached unprecedented heights. 

Washington Spirit were always in the mix, but European clubs were reported as interested, and in between contract vetoes and two grievances filed, a new deal was finally announced by the Spirit last month. Rodman signed with the club on a three-year deal through 2028, with a record-breaking payout, and anticipation for the next marquee signing for the league.