As the NWSL gears up for the final stretch of the regular season, teams are returning from the Olympic break with a renewed focus and some exciting new faces. Several squads have also bolstered their rosters by making key signings and trades that could shift the balance of power in the league. From seasoned league veterans and emerging talents poised to break through to European champions seeking new challenges, these midseason acquisitions are primed to leave their mark as the NWSL playoff race heats up.

Angel City FC

Katie Zelem

• Position: Midfielder
• Previous Club: Manchester United (FA WSL)
• National Team: England
• Fun Fact: In 2022, Zelem became the second female player in Manchester United's history to reach 100 appearances for the club.

Chicago Red Stars

Julia Grosso

• Position: Midfielder
• Previous Club: Juventus (Serie A)
• National Team: Canada
• Fun Fact: Grosso scored the decisive penalty kick that won Canada the gold medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

Ludmila

• Position: Forward
• Previous Club: Atlético Madrid (Liga F)
• National Team: Brazil
• Fun Fact: Originally a track and field star, Ludmila only started playing soccer when she was 15 years old. She won silver with Brazil in the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Kansas City Current

Alana Cook

• Position: Defender
• Previous Club: Traded from Seattle Reign FC
• National Team: United States
• Fun Fact: Cook was named to the NWSL's Best XI in 2022 and started the 2023 NWSL championship game for the Reign.

Almuth Schult

• Position: Goalkeeper
• Previous NWSL Club: Angel City FC
• Previous Club: Hamburger SV (2. Frauen-Bundesliga)
• National Team: Germany
• Fun Fact: Schult has served as an analyst on German television channel ARD and has covered games in the men’s Bundesliga. Last summer, she gave birth to her third child.

Jereko

• Position: Forward
• Previous Club: Hakkarigücü Spor (Turkish Women's Football Super League)
• National Team: Kenya
• Fun Fact: Jereko began her professional career while still in high school. With the Thika Queens, she emerged as the Kenyan Premier League’s top scorer in 2021 after an undefeated season. She’s the first Kenyan player in NWSL.

Hildah Magaia

• Position: Forward
• Previous Club: On loan from Mazatlán (Liga MX Femenil)
• National Team: South Africa
• Fun Fact: Magaia scored her first international goal for South Africa in the 2023 World Cup group stage match against Sweden,.

North Carolina Courage

Maycee Bell

• Position: Defender
• Previous Club: Traded from Gotham FC
• Fun Fact: Bell played collegiately at UNC where she was a Second Team-All American, two time First Team All-ACC and ACC Freshman of the Year throughout her career

Aline Gomes

• Position: Midfielder
• Previous Club: Ferroviária (Brazil Série A1)
• National Team: Brazil
• Fun Fact: Aline Gomes made her senior debut for Brazil at just 17 years old. She scored 9 goals in 13 games for club last season.

Charlotte McLean

• Position: Defender
• Previous Club: Sydney FC (A-League Women)
• Fun Fact: McLean helped Sydney FC win consecutive A-League Women Championships in 2021 and 2022. She was named Sydney FC's 2023-24 Player of the Year .

Cortnee Vine

• Position: Forward
• Previous Club: Sydney FC (A-League Women)
• National Team: Australia
• Fun Fact: In the 2023 World Cup quarterfinals, Vine converted the decisive penalty kick in a 7–6 shootout win over France.

NJ/NY Gotham FC

Jess Carter

• Position: Defender
• Previous Club: Chelsea (FA WSL)
• National Team: England
• Fun Fact: Carter made more than 150 appearances for Chelsea, and in her final season with the club, was named the Player’s Player of the Year. She scored her first goal for Gotham in the club’s friendly vs. Chelsea on August 19.

Jéssica Silva

• Position: Forward
• Previous NWSL Club: Kansas City Current
• Previous Club: SL Benfica (Liga BPI)
• National Team: Portugal
• Fun Fact: Silva has logged more than 100 appearances for Portugal. With Benfica, she has won the Liga BPI, the Women's Cup of Portugal, and the Portuguese Women's Super Cup.

Orlando Pride

Carson Pickett

• Position: Defender
• Previous Club: Traded from Racing Louisville FC
• National Team: United States
• Fun Fact: A two-time NWSL Best XI honoree, Pickett is a Florida-native and Florida State graduate. She was previously rostered with Orlando from 2018 to 2020.

Portland Thorns FC

Alexa Spaanstra

• Position: Forward
• Previous Club: Traded from Kansas City Current
• National Team: United States
• Fun Fact: Spaanstra has represented the USA including at both the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup and FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup.

Mackenzie Arnold

• Position: Goalkeeper
• Previous Club: West Ham United
• National Team: Australia
• Fun Fact: In the 2023 Women’s World Cup, Arnold led the entire tournament with four clean sheets with shutouts over the Republic of Ireland, Canada, Denmark and France.

Reilyn Turner

• Position: Forward
• Previous Club: Traded from Racing Louisville FC
• Fun Fact: Turner was named the 2023 PAC-12 Forward of the Year, the first such honor in UCLA history.

Racing Louisville FC

Bethany Balcer

• Position: Forward
• Previous Club: Traded from Seattle Reign FC
• National Team: United States
• Fun Fact: Balcer was the first player from the NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics) to sign with an NWSL team, and was the first undrafted player to win NWSL Rookie of the Year.

Ángela Barón

• Position: Defender
• Previous Club: Atlético Nacional (Colombia Liga Femenina)
• National Team: Colombia
• Fun Fact: Barón featured on Colombia’s squads at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup and the 2024 Olympics.

Janine Beckie

• Position: Forward
• Previous Club: Traded from Portland Thorns
• National Team: Canada
• Fun Fact: Beckie won a gold medal with Canada at the 2020 Olympics, and won the NWSL Championship with Portland in 2022.

San Diego Wave

Delphine Cascarino

• Position: Forward
• Previous Club: Lyon (Première Ligue)
• National Team: France
• Fun Fact: Cascarino boasts six UEFA Champions League titles, five Coupe de France titles and nine French league titles.

Perle Morroni

• Position: Forward
• Previous Club: Lyon (Première Ligue)
• National Team: France
• Fun Fact: Morroni played three seasons with Lyon and won three French league titles, one Coupe de France title and one UEFA Champions League title.

Seattle Reign FC

Ana-Maria Crnogorcevic

• Position: Forward
• Previous NWSL Club: Portland Thorns FC
• Previous Club: Real Madrid (Liga F)
• National Team: Switzerland
• Fun Fact: Crnogorcevic is Switzerland's all-time leading scorer and cap leader. She played the 2018 and 2019 NWSL seasons with Portland.

Jaelin Howell

• Position: Midfielder
• Previous Club: Traded from Racing Louisville FC
• National Team: United States
• Fun Fact: Howell was awarded the MAC Hermann Trophy twice, in 2020 and 2021.

Nérilia Mondésir

• Position: Forward
• Previous Club: Montpellier HSC (Première Ligue)
• National Team: Haiti
• Fun Fact: Mondésir is the first Haitian born player in the NWSL.

Utah Royals FC

Claudia Zornoza

• Position: Midfielder
• Previous Club: Real Madrid (Liga F)
• National Team: Spain
• Fun Fact: Zornoza is the fifth Royals player who has won a World Cup and the first to do so without being part of the USWNT.

Cloé Lacasse

• Position: Forward
• Previous Club: Arsenal (FA WSL)
• National Team: Canada
• Fun Fact: Lacasse was born in Canada but also holds Icelandic citizenship. She scored her first Olympic goal this summer against New Zealand.

Mina Tanaka

• Position: Forward
• Previous Club: INAC Kobe Leonessa (WE League)
• National Team: Japan
• Fun Fact: Tanaka claimed the Nadeshiko League Best Player title in both 2018 and 2019, netting 35 goals across 34 matches for Tokyo Verdy Beleza.

Washington Spirit

Esme Morgan

• Position: Defender
• Previous Club: Manchester City (FA WSL)
• National Team: England
• Fun Fact: Morgan has been a standout in England's national team system, rising through every youth level since her first call-up to the under-17 squad in 2017.

Leicy Santos

• Position: Midfielder
• Previous Club: Atlético Madrid (Liga F)
• National Team: Colombia
• Fun Fact: Santos scored two goals during the 2024 Olympics and made her debut for the Spirit during their international friendly against Arsenal on August 18.

Rosemonde Kouassi

• Position: Forward
• Previous Club: FC Fleury 91 (Première Ligue)
• National Team: Côte d'Ivoire
• Fun Fact: During her final two seasons with FC Fleury 91, Kouassi netted 15 goals and recorded 8 assists. She is the first Ivorian player in the NWSL.