During the first full week of 2025, several NWSL players signed new contracts with their respective clubs.
Leading the signings is Brazilian legend Marta, who inked a new two-year deal that should keep her with the Orlando Pride through the 2026 season.
The Washington Spirit’s converted center-back Tara McKeown has been mutually optioned for the 2028 season. Meanwhile, Utah Royals goalkeeper Mandy McGlynn is now under contract through the 2029 NWSL season.
McGlynn’s Royals teammate, forward Paige Monaghan, re-signed through the 2027 season.
Japanese forward/midfielder Manaka Matsukubo signed a new contract with the North Carolina Courage that should keeper in the NWSL through the 2026 season.
Additionally, backup goalkeepers Marisa Bova of the North Carolina Courage and Jordyn Bloomer of Racing Louisville signed extensions through 2027 and 2026, respectively.
Orlando Pride: Marta re-signs for two more seasons
On Thursday, January 9th (press release), the Pride announced that Marta, who was a free agent, has signed a new contract that should keep her in Orlando purple through the 2026 NWSL season.
Marta, who will turn 39 in February, captained the Orlando Pride to its first NWSL Shield and NWSL Championship during the 2024 season.
In 2024, the Brazilian legend started most matches for the Pride, including all three playoff matches where she scored two goals, including the game-winner in Orlando’s 3:2 semifinal victory over the Kansas City Current. During the regular season, Marta netted nine goals.
Marta has been with the Orlando Pride since April 2017.
Marta’s fiancée, Orlando Pride defender Carrie Lawrence, retired after the 2024 NWSL season.
Washington Spirit: Tara McKeown under contract through 2028 after exercising of mutual option
On Tuesday, January 7th (press release), the Spirit announced that the club and converted center-back Tara McKeown had each exercised their halves of a mutual option for the 2028 NWSL season on McKeown’s current contract, which was signed in September 2024.
During the 2024 NWSL season, McKeown played all possible minutes for the Spirit during the regular season and the postseason playoffs (NWSL stats profile).
McKeown recently received her first call-up to senior United States Women’s National Team for its upcoming training camp in Florida, which was relocated from Carson, California, due to the Los Angeles wildfires.
Up until 2023, McKeown was primarily utilized as a forward. She played four seasons at the University of Southern California from 2017 to 2021 (Spring), where she scored 33 goals and tallied 28 assists in 76 total matches (player profile).
Utah Royals: USWNT goalkeeper Mandy McGlynn signed through 2029
On Thursday, January 9th (press release), the club announced that McGlynn had been signed to a new five-year contract that runs through the 2029 NWSL season. McGlynn’s previous contract would have expired after the 2026 season (December 2024 press release).
McGlynn was first called up to the senior United States Women’s National Team in October 2024 after Jane Campbell was withdrawn due to injury. McGlynn earned her first senior cap and first clean sheet for the USWNT on October 30, 2024, against Argentina (U.S. Soccer match report).
McGlynn was previously profiled in the write-up for the October 2024 USWNT roster release.
Utah Royals: Forward Paige Monaghan extends through 2027
On Tuesday, January 7th (press release), the Royals announced that 2024 team captain Paige Monaghan has signed a new contract that should keep her in Utah through the 2027 NWSL season. Monaghan’s previous contract would have expired at the end of the 2025 season (April 2024 feature).
In 2024, Monagahan started 20 of 22 matches and scored two goals (NWSL game log): The first was in Utah’s 2:1 home victory over Bay FC on August 23rd and the second was the following week’s 3:1 away win against the Houston Dash. Monaghan missed the final four matches of the season due to a hip injury sustained in Utah’s September 28th match against Louisville (x.com post).
Monaghan was acquired by the Utah Royals from Racing Louisville via the expansion draft ahead of the 2024 season. In 2023, she scored three regular season goals and one goal in the Challenge Cup.
Monaghan began her professional career with Gotham FC in 2019, back when it was still known as Sky Blue FC. During her rookie season, Monaghan scored a both goals in Sky Blue’s 2:1 victory over the Chicago Red Stars on August 14, 2019.
Monaghan was traded to Racing Louisville ahead of the 2023 NWSL Draft in exchange for Racing’s first-round draft pick, an international slot, and $150,000 in allocation money (January 2023 press release).
Before being drafted into the NWSL, Monaghan played four seasons of NCAA soccer at Butler University in Indiana. In 80 matches, Monaghan scored 22 goals and registered 18 assists (player profile). In 2018, Monaghan netted a brace and tallied an assist in Butler’s 4:1 upset win over Notre Dame.
At the youth international level, Monaghan was called into five United States Under-23 Women’s Youth National Team camps, including for the 2019 Nordic Tournament.
North Carolina Courage: 2024 FIFA U-20 WWC Silver Ball winner Manaka Matsukubo signs new two-year contract
On Friday, January 10th (press release), the club announced that Japanese forward/midfielder Manaka Matsukubo had been signed to a contract extension through the 2026 NWSL season.
Matsukubo joined the Courage in July 2023 on loan from Mynavi Sendai. At the end of the loan, the Courage exercised its option to sign Matsukubo outright. That contract would have expired at the end of the 2025 NWSL season (June 2024 press release).
At the 2024 FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup, Matsukubo scored three goals during Japan’s run to a second-place finish. Two of the goals were netted in the Young Nadeshiko’s 2:nil semifinal victory over the Netherlands (FIFA highlights video). Matsukubo was recognized as the second-best player in the tournament, receiving the Silver Ball trophy. (The third-place version of that award went to Utah Royals forward Ally Sentnor.)
Matsukubo received her first call-up to Japan’s senior team in October 2024 (jfa.jp), but was not named to the gameday roster (jfa.jp) for their friendly against the Korea Republic.
North Carolina Courage: Backup Goalkeeper Marisa Bova extends through 2027
On Wednesday, January 8th, the Courage announced that Maria Bova has inked a new three-year contract that should keep her in Courage Country through the 2027 NWSL season. This contract replaces a prior one that would have expired after the 2025 season (November 2023 press release).
The 6’2″ Bova, who is nicknamed “Mo”, made her professional debut in the 2024 Summer Cup, where she started all four of the Courage’s matches while starting goalkeeper Casey Murphy was with the United States Women’s National Team at the 2024 Summer Olympics. During the Summer Cup, Bova was in goal for two penalty shoot-outs, which were both won by the Courage, thanks in part to Bova making three saves across both shoot-outs.
Bova was the fourth goalkeeper selected in the 2022 NWSL Draft, behind fellow Wisconsin native Jordyn Bloomer and current teammate Hensley Hancuff, who was originally selected by Gotham FC.
Before turning pro, Bova played four season of NCAA soccer for Purdue (player profile), where she was the starting goalkeeper for the Boilmakers during her final three seasons, starting all 52 matches. During her final season, Bova set a program record of 113 saves.
Racing Louisville: Backup Goalkeeper Jordyn Bloomer agrees to new two-year contract
On Friday, January 10th, Racing announced that Jordyn Bloomer has signed a new two-year contract that runs through the 2026 NWSL season (press release). Back in August, her previous contract was automatically extended through the 2025 season via a contingent option.
The 27-year-old Bloomer is entering her fourth season in the NWSL and her fourth with Racing. In 2022, she was the second goalkeeper selected in the draft, behind the Reign’s Claudia Dickey.
During 2024, Bloomer had two appearances in the Summer Cup. Previously, she also had one Summer Cup appearance.
After Bloomer’s rookie season, she was loaned to the Western Sydney Wanderers, for whom she started 14 matches and posted four shutouts.
Prior to the NWSL, Bloomer played collegiately in her home state for the Wisconsin Badgers, where she was the starting goalkeeper in all 80 matches during her final four seasons (UW Badgers player profile).
Bloomer has one known call-up to a United States youth national team: An October 2015 Under-19 camp.
Racing now has four goalkeepers under contract for the 2025 season:
- Katie Lund (started all 26 regular season matches in 2024)
- Jordyn Bloomer (on bench for 17 regular season matches in 2024)
- Olivia Sekany (on bench for 4 regular season matches in 2024; currently loaned to the Brisbane Roar)
- Madison White (on bench for 3 regular season matches in 2024, currently loaned to USL Super League side Dallas Trinity)
Of the four, Bloomer is the only goalkeeper Racing has under contract beyond 2025. Lund’s current contract is for three seasons and was signed back in January 2023 (press release). Sekany and White both signed one-year extensions in 2024.
Trivia
All three of the North Carolina Courage’s goalkeepers are 6’1″ or taller: Casey Murphy, 6’1″; Marisa Bova, 6’2″; and Hensley Hancuff, 6’3″.
North Carolina Courage goalkeeper Marisa Bova and Racing Louisville goalkeeper Jordyn Bloomer share the same hometown, Hartland, Wisconsin, and graduated from the same high school. Bova is older by three years.
Women's Soccer Express 