Edge Of The Area

Back when I started watching the NWSL there were only 8 teams in the league flash forward to this season and thanks to the latest expansion there are now 16 teams competing in the league which shows the massive growth of women's football within the country. With the addition of more teams we should be seeing an even more competitive league, something that keeps on improving season after season. With some leagues across the globe you see one team constantly running away with the league (Chelsea we are looking at you) however, the NWSL really does have an air of unpredictability around it. We have seen over the years how easily the league can change week after week plus with the NWSL we get the added bonus of once the league ends the play-offs of the top teams starting. Therefore you might win the league but you might not win the Championship, adding even more entertainment for the fans.

Looking ahead to this season we should be in for another action packed league with teams adding to their roster in the off season whilst also retaining some of the standouts from last season. Unfortunately over the past few years due to timings and licensing I haven't got to watch anywhere near as much of the league as I would have liked but this changes this season. The plan is to really delve into the world of the NWSL this season so what better way to start than to do our predictions before the kick off. With me not knowing much from the past couple of seasons this is a bit of a shot in the dark in terms of where I think teams will be finishing as it is mainly based off highlights I have seen & moves made in the transfer window. So here are my predictions at the start of the season...

As I say with me not following the league as closely these could really be way off but with the start of any season things could go either way as teams need to settle new recruits and get to the correct standard that coaches expect from them. After seeing Gotham in the recent Women's Champions Cup I think they could just about pip the other teams to winning the league but I feel as though it could be a close call with not many points in it. Down at the other end of the table I think the Royals could end up struggling but it really is all to play for.

I am really looking forward to seeing how this season plays out as I should be able to watch so many more games over the course of the season due to the timings being better for us UK fans and the NWSL + showing them all. With the WSL running down to the business end of the season the addition of the NWSL just means women's football is going to be on the TV all year round which is perfect for our household.

I can't wait to get stuck into the league and create plenty of content around the upcoming season, it really does feel like I am going back to my roots by delving into the league so let's see how it all plays out. Will these predictions be way off or will I have got a few right? I guess we will find out at the start of November before those all important playoffs begin.

How do you think the league will look by the end of the season?

Here we go the 2026 NWSL is almost ready to kick off and it is safe to say here at Edge of the Area we are excited to delve into the NWSL world once more. What better way to kick off the 2026 coverage than with a post about our top 10 favourite shirts (or jerseys) for the upcoming season. It is no secret that we love a good shirt and the NWSL clubs this year have pulled it out of the bag with some brilliant designs which some may find questionable whilst we actually like how unique they are. What we like is how most of the shirts have meaning behind them not just some random template design you often see these days.

It was quite difficult to narrow this list down to our final placements and some great shirts have missed out however, here are our top 10 shirts for this season...

10. North Carolina Courage Away

This shirt is one of the simplest on this list but it just works really well. The thing that helped this shirt make it into our top 10 is how the club badge blends into the shirt really well, with some simple shirts the badge sticks out too much where as with this one it blends in but thanks to the rest of the shirt being a blank canvas you are drawn to the badge and sponsor logo which again flows with the shirts design.

9. Bay FC Third

The Bay FC third shirt has combined colours really well and the black & poppy colour works really well together. The club have added in the bridge design which is a nod to the community of the Bay area which is always a nice touch when others are represented through the design, it just brings the fan base a bit closer to the club.

8. Racing Louisville Third

Racing Louisville have also captured the local community within their third shirt. The bold design is unique just like the local community and the colours are a true stand out which we can't wait to see on the field this season. Even the sponsors logo seems to flow really well within the design with the lighter green standing out from the darker shirt design.

7. Chicago Stars Home

This shirt was very nearly in the top 5 but it slipped down the rankings last minute due to the sponsor block breaking down the shirts design a little too much although it does make a little more sense when you see the back of the shirt which is obviously blank to allow for easy reading of the name set. The bold stripes on this shirt is what has led it to being in the top 10 it is a standout for sure and has a bit of a classic shirt feel to it. The badge of the white stripe just makes it that bit more of a standout too rather than being hidden in the design.

6. Angel City Home

How are Angel City entering their fifth year in the league? This seems to have flown by. What I love about Angel City is they don't go too out their with their shirt designs but they always look great. This seasons flare kit looks brilliant as it all focuses around the main part of the shirt... the club badge which is how shirt design should be considered. The pattern of the shirt bursts out of the badge in the clubs colours which on the black works really well.

5. Portland Thorns Home

I am so used to Portland being in red for their home kit from when I have watched before however, I am loving this change as the colours work so well together. Named the electric boom kit this is exactly that, bright colours with the roses print perfect for the Thorns. This kit really reminds me of the England 2019 kit which incorporated the flowers on a red shirt. The small rose detail in the corner is a nice little bonus on this shirt too just adding more of the Thorns philosophy into the design.

4. Kansas City Current Third

The storm kit this year is another well worked kit for Kansas City Current. The bold current running through this captures the community of Kansas and the way the design flows through the whole shirt is absolutely brilliant. The way the different blues work together on this shirt is what has got it ranked so high on the list and the fact the current even runs along the back.

3. Orlando Pride Home

I will admit I am a bit biased on this one as the Pride are my team in the NWSL but I just love their purple home shirts, simple but not too simple all the time. Somehow it has already been 10 years since the Pride made their debut and this shirt incorporates the best bits from home shirts across those 10 years. I feel you can't beat a central logo on a football shirt too and this just works really well. The little hint of blue to tie in the past & future is also a very nice touch.

2. Utah Royals Third

This Utah third shirt is very unlucky not to make it into the top spot however, it will have to settle for second. The swarm shirt incorporates the beehive state around the bold Lioness and with the dark colours alongside the gold logo and sponsorship this shirt looks a little bit smarter than other shirts this season. Whilst some teams have gone bold in terms of colour and design the Royals have gone darker but kept it bold, different but impressive.

1. Orlando Pride Away

Taking the top spot we have the Orlando Pride away shirt which has such a special meaning behind it. The unity shirt has been designed to commemorate the 10 year remembrance of the Pulse nightclub tragedy. This is something the club has never let be forgotten in the passed and this shirt is a very touching tribute to those whole lost their lives and those who were deeply effected by the incident. The intertwined ribbons show a community coming together and being unbroken which again is a nice touch to a shirt honoring a tragedy in a tasteful and respectful way.

So there you have it those are our top 10 shirts for this seasons NWSL season. What we are loving the most though is that due to Foudy's here in the UK it is much easier to get our hands on the shirts at long last, no paying silly shipping and customs charges like we once had to. I guess this could be a bit of a dangerous thing for us too as we love to grow out football shirt collection with our favourites. At least one of these shirts is going to be purchased to add into the collection but it wouldn't be a surprise if over time even more get added.

Which shirt is your favourite for this upcoming NWSL season?

How I think the NWSL will look at the end of the season

Our top 10 NWSL shirts for the 2026 season