The 2025 Gotham FC season was the team's 16th as a professional women's soccer team and their 12th participating in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL), the top tier of women's soccer in the United States. Finishing 8th in the regular season, they entered the playoffs as the lowest-ranked contender. They went on to win their second NWSL championship in three years.
In continental play, they won the 2024–25 CONCACAF W Champions Cup. In the 2025–26 competition, they qualified for the knockout phase by finishing second in their group. By winning the 2025 NWSL championship, they qualified for the 2026–27 edition.
Background
In 2024, Gotham FC finished the NWSL season in 3rd place and with a record. The team advanced past the quarterfinals stage of the playoffs with a 2–1 win over Portland Thorns FC before being eliminated in the semifinals by the Washington Spirit.
Gotham competed in three other competitions, kicking off 2024 with a defeat to 2023 shield winners San Diego Wave FC in the one-match NWSL Challenge Cup. The team later competed in the first edition of the NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup, where they made it to the championship match before falling at the hands of the Kansas City Current. Finally, Gotham FC advanced to the knockout stage of the CONCACAF W Champions Cup, played in May 2025.
Preseason Gotham FC began preseason by announcing a flurry of departures in early December 2024, including defender Sam Hiatt and midfielders Maitane López and Delanie Sheehan. All three players later signed with fellow NWSL clubs as free agents. On December 10, 2024, the club announced its end-of-year contract statuses. Five players were listed as out of contract: Michelle Betos, Mandy Freeman, McCall Zerboni, and forwards Svava Rós Guðmundsdóttir, Midge Purce, and Jéssica Silva. While Freeman and Silva both re-signed with Gotham, the club announced that veteran midfielder Zerboni would not be returning to Gotham in 2025.
Gotham continued to make roster moves in the form of trades as the new year approached. On December 20, the club executed a trade with Seattle Reign FC, involving the move of Lynn Williams and Cassie Miller to Seattle while also obtaining midfielder Jaelin Howell. Another attacking departure occurred one week later, with Yazmeen Ryan being traded to the Houston Dash in exchange for a record-high sum of allocation money.
Several players were subsequently signed, filling in the gaps left behind by the club's departures. As part of the NWSL's transition from a college draft to free agency, Gotham signed Sarah Schupansky, Lilly Reale, Khyah Harper, and Ryan Campbell to their first professional contracts. The club also signed international players Stella Nyamekye and Gabi Portilho in late December. On January 17, the club traded goalkeeper Abby Smith to the Houston Dash for $20,000 in intra-league transfer funds.
Team
Current squad
NameDate of birth (age)Previous teamNotesGoalkeepers1Shelby Hogan2025 Portland Thorns FC12Ryan Campbell2025 UCLA Bruins26Tyler McCamey2025 Princeton TigersIRP30Ann-Katrin Berger2024 ChelseaINT33Michelle Betos2025 Gotham FCIRPDefenders3Bruninha2022 SantosINT4Lilly Reale2025 UCLA Bruins6Emily Sonnett2024 OL Reign15Tierna Davidson2024 Chicago Red Stars22Mandy Freeman2017 USC Trojans24Emerson Elgin2025 North Carolina Tar HeelsIRP27Jess Carter2024 ChelseaMidfielders7Jaelin Howell2025 Seattle Reign FCINT8Taryn Torres2021 Virginia Cavaliers14Nealy Martin2023 Racing Louisville FC16Rose Lavelle2024 OL Reign21Sofia Cook2025 UCLA Bruins90Stella Nyamekye2025 Dreamz LadiesINT—Josefine Hasbo2025 Harvard CrimsonINTForwards9Esther González2023 Real MadridINT10Geyse2025 Manchester United W.F.C.INT11Sarah Schupansky2025 Pittsburgh Panthers13Ella Stevens2024 Chicago Red Stars17Mak Whitham2024 Slammers FC HB KøgeU1818Gabi Portilho2025 CorinthiansINT20Jéssica Silva2024 BenficaINT23Midge Purce2020 Portland Thorns FCINT34Khyah HarperAugust 15, 2002 (aged 23)2025 Minnesota Golden Gophers
Technical staff
+ Technical staff Role Name General managerHead of soccer operations Yael Averbuch West Head coach Juan Carlos Amorós Assistant coaches Jennifer Lalor Shaun Harris Ak Lakhani Goalkeeper coach Brody Sams Head of sports science Phillip Congleton Strength and conditioning coach Adrián Benítez Jiménez Head of medicalPhysical therapist Erin Morton
Competitions
Friendlies
Regular season
Regular-season standings
NWSL playoffs Bracket
Results
Championship
2024–25 CONCACAF W Champions Cup
Group stage
Semifinals
Final
2025–26 CONCACAF W Champions Cup
Group B
Results
Squad statistics
Appearances and goals
Transactions
Contract operations DatePlayerNotesDecember 19, 2024 Mandy FreemanDFRe-signed to a two-year contract.December 31, 2024 Jéssica SilvaFWRe-signed to a short-term contract through June 30, 2025.February 5, 2025 Midge PurceFWRe-signed to a one-year contract.May 15, 2025 Esther GonzálezGKRe-signed through the 2027 NWSL season.June 23, 2025 Jaelin HowellMFExtended through the 2027 NWSL season.July 16, 2025 Tierna DavidsonDFRe-signed through the 2027 NWSL season.July 18, 2025 Taryn TorresMFExtended through the 2027 NWSL season.July 30, 2025 BruninhaDFExtended through the 2027 NWSL season.August 8, 2025 Kayla DuranDFExtended through February 2026.August 12, 2025 Ryan CampbellGKExtended through the 2028 NWSL season.September 15, 2025 Sarah SchupanskyMFExtended through the 2027 NWSL season.September 19, 2025 Khyah HarperFWExtended through the 2026 NWSL season. Loans in DatePlayerPrevious clubFee/notesMarch 24, 2025 GeyseFW Manchester UnitedLoaned through the 2025 NWSL season. Includes an option for a permanent transfer.
Loans out DatePlayerDestination clubFee/notesAugust 28, 2025 Stella NyamekyeMF Fort Lauderdale United FCLoaned through the end of 2025. Includes a mutual option to extend through the end of the 2025–26 USL Super League season.September 9, 2025 Princess AdemiluyiFW
Transfers in DatePlayerPrevious clubFee/notesDecember 20, 2024 Jaelin HowellMF Seattle Reign FCTraded, along with $70,000 in allocation money and a 2025 international roster spot, in exchange for Cassie Miller and Lynn Williams.December 23, 2024 Sarah SchupanskyFW Pittsburgh PanthersFree agent rookie signed to a two-year contract with a club option.December 24, 2024 Stella NyamekyeMF Dreamz Ladies F.C.Acquired in exchange for an undisclosed transfer fee and signed to a three-year contract with a mutual option.December 30, 2024 Gabi PortilhoFW CorinthiansSigned to a two-year contract with an option.December 31, 2024 Shelby HoganGK Portland Thorns FCTraded, along with $40,000 in allocation money, in exchange for $10,000 in intra-league transfer funds and a 2025 international roster spot.January 3, 2025 Lilly RealeDF UCLA BruinsRookie signed to a three-year contract.January 8, 2025 Khyah HarperFW Minnesota Golden GophersRookie signed to a one-year contract.January 10, 2025 Ryan CampbellGK UCLA BruinsRookie signed to a one-year contract.January 29, 2025 Sofia CookMF UCLA BruinsRookie signed to a two-year contract with a mutual option.April 12, 2025 Michelle BetosGK Gotham FCSigned to a short-term injury replacement contract. Emerson ElginDF North Carolina Tar HeelsApril 17, 2025 Tyler McCameyGK Princeton TigersJune 10, 2025 Josefine HasboMF Harvard CrimsonSigned to a three-year contract through 2027.July 14, 2025 Meg BoadeMF UCLA BruinsSigned to national team replacement player contracts. Kayla DuranDF USC TrojansJuly 31, 2025 Katie StengelFW Crystal PalaceAcquired in exchange for an undisclosed transfer fee and signed through February 2026.September 1, 2025 Princess AdemiluyiFW West Ham UnitedAcquired in exchange for an undisclosed transfer fee.September 11, 2025 Jaedyn ShawMF North Carolina CourageAcquired in exchange for an NWSL-record $1.25 million in intra-league transfer funds.
Transfers out DatePlayerDestination clubFee/notesDecember 4, 2024 Delanie SheehanMF Houston DashFree agent.December 5, 2024 Maitane LópezMF Chicago Stars FCFree agent.December 6, 2024 Sam HiattDF Portland Thorns FCFree agent.December 10, 2024 Michelle BetosGK Gotham FCOut of contract. Svava Rós GuðmundsdóttirFWRetirement McCall ZerboniMFDecember 20, 2024 Cassie MillerGK Seattle Reign FCBoth players traded in exchange for $70,000 in allocation money, a 2025 international roster spot, and Jaelin Howell. Lynn WilliamsFWDecember 27, 2024 Yazmeen RyanMF Houston DashTraded, along with $80,000 in intra-league transfer funds, in exchange for $400,000 in allocation money and a 2025 international roster spot.January 17, 2025 Abby SmithGK Houston DashTraded in exchange for $20,000 in intra-league transfer funds.January 31, 2025 Crystal DunnFW Paris Saint-GermainMutual contract termination.April 17, 2025 Cece KizerFW Utah RoyalsMutual contract termination.June 20, 2025 Emerson ElginDF Boston Legacy FCOut of contract. Tyler McCameyGK Kansas City Current Jéssica SilvaFW Al HilalAugust 22, 2025 Meg BoadeMF Chicago Stars FCOut of contract.
References