What we know about each NWSL team at the 2024 Olympic break

Let's start with the championship information, which is billed as the "Road to the Shield":

The 2024 NWSL Championship, presented by Google Pixel, will be hosted at CPKC Stadium, home of the Kansas City Current and the world’s first soccer stadium purpose built for a women’s professional team.

So where do teams stand while the 2024 Paris Olympics have pulled the world's best players (56 of them) from NWSL action and what else do teams do during this break?

Here's at least one note about each team, shown in the order they sit at the table through 16 matches played.

Orlando Pride (11-0-5, 38 points)

The team hasn't lost, earning 38 points (one for each year of Marta's life). They've posted 32 goals (for a clean 2 per game avg.), while conceding only 12. Anna Moorhouse anchors the defense at keeper and is ranked No. 2 in shutouts.

Led by Barbra Banda (12 goals, one each per game she has played), the ageless one Marta (Brazil, competing in her 6th and final Olympic Games) has chipped in with 5 goals. Banda competes for Zambia and is one of 7 total players from the Orlando Pride in Paris. (Emily Sands is a USWNT alternate, Adriana, Rafaelle, Marta, and Angelina, compete for Brazil, while Banda is joined on Zambia's squad by Grace Chanda.)

Kansas City Current (10-1-5, 35 points)

The Current have sold out every home match (11,500) and because they built it, the NWSL will come to them for the championship. Their only loss was to the Orlando Pride (2-1) on July 6.

Temwa Chawinga, who has started all 16 matches, has 12 goals and is currently ranked No. 3 in assists with 6. If you know only one player for KC, there she is. (If you're reading this blog, you likely want to know more than that, of course.) KC Current players are represented at the Games by Lauren (Brazil) and Nichelle Prince and Desiree Scott (Canada).

Washington Spirit (11-4-1, 34 points)

Rookie phenom Croix Bethune leads the league in assists, with 9, feeding Trinity Rodman for five goals. Rodman starts for the USWNT and she is joined on the squad by Bethune, Hal Hershfelt who are alternates.

NJ/NY Gotham FC (9-3-4, 31 points)

After getting off to a slower than expected start, (the team won their first match but then their next win didn't come until week 7) the NJ/NY Gotham FC are the only other NWSL franchise (Orlando Pride) to have 7 players at the Games and for the U.S. that contingent is Tierna Davidson, Crystal Dunn, Rose Lavelle, Jenna Nighswonger, Emily Sonnett and Lynn Williams along with Ann-Katrin Berger who competes for Germany.

Portland Thorns FC (8-5-3, 27 points)

Sophia Smith leads the attack and is currently No. 3 in NWSL regular-season action with 10 goals. Her 6 assists are second only in league play to Bethune.

Smith is joined by Sam Coffey on the USWNT, and MacKenzie Arnold (Australia), Janine Beckie (Canada), Jessie Fleming (Canada), and Nicole Payne (Nigeria) represent their countries in Paris.

North Carolina Courage (8-7-1, 25 points)

A balanced and steady team, the squad has struggled on the road winning only one match while away. Kaleigh Kurtz leads the league in total passes, having controlled it and dishing the ball 1,178 times.

There are five players representing different countries in Paris, Sydney Collins (Canada), Kerolin (Brazil), Casey Murphy (USA), Feli Rauch (Germany) and Cortnee Vine (Australia).

Chicago Red Stars (7-7-2, 23 points)

One of the surprise teams of the 2024 seasons thus far, the Red Stars have also been one of the best away, with four of their wins having come on the road. Led in the attack by the return of Mallory Swanson (USWNT, with 7 NWSL goals thus far) and on the backline by Team USA starting goalkeeper, Alyssa Naeher, midfielder Julio Grosso also competes for Canada at the Games.

Bay FC (6-10-0, 18 points)

A front office change (Lucy Rushton, GM, replaced by Matt Potter on July 18), may be the most interesting note for the team, we'll see when league play resumes in August. Bay FC are balanced with three wins each at home and on the road.

Lysianne Proulx (Canada), Asisat Oshoala (Nigeria) and Racheal Kundananji (Zambia) are Olympics-bound.

Racing Louisville FC (3-6-7, 16 points)

Draws earn a team a point. That's it, that's the note for the team through 16 matches. Milly Chegg (New Zealand) and Uchenna Kanu (Nigeria) represent Racing Louisville FC in Paris.

San Diego Wave FC (3-7-6, 15 points)

That San Diego Wave FC is this far down the table at the break, may be the biggest disappointment of the league. (This note will repeat.)

Naomi Girma and Jaedyn Shaw represent Team USA, Kaitlyn Torpey and Kailey Sheridan compete for Australia and Canada, respectively.

Angel City FC (4-9-3, 15 points)

That Angel City FC is this far down the table at the break, may be the biggest disappointment of the league. (This note will repeat.)

Houston Dash (3-8-5, 14 points)

That Jane Campbell is an alternate for Team USA in Paris, speaks to the overall health of American goalkeeping. She again leads the NWSL in saves (77 of them, egad) and her goals-against average ranks No. 2. Let me be frank: There is no other reason to watch the Houston Dash at this point. Tarciane (Brazil) and Michelle Alozie (Nigeria) are also in Paris.

Seattle Reign FC (2-9-5, 11 points)

That Seattle Reign FC is this far down the table at the break, may be the biggest disappointment of the league. (This note has repeated.) Jordyn Huitema and Quinn compete for Team Canada.

Utah Royals FC (2-11-3, 9 points)

While it's tough to be an expansion team—even one that existed, went away and then returned—that the team has managed only 9 points may shock ardent fans of the league because their roster features solid talent. Oh right, we're in the pros, among the world's best so that note applies to all these teams.

Utah Royals FC players at the Games: Macey Fraser (New Zealand), Amandine Henry (France), Ify Onumonu (Nigeria), and Mina Tanaka (Japan).

So, what are the teams and the rest of the players doing during this break? Hosting a debut event, the Summer Cup 2024.

It's a a groundbreaking collaboration between two leagues, the NWSL x LIGA MX Femenil. The Summer Cup kicked off July 19 featuring all 14 NWSL clubs and the six teams with the most points achieved in LIGA MX Femenil Clausura and Apertura during 2023, including Tigres UANL, Club América, Chivas de Guadalajara, Rayadas de Monterrey, Pachuca and Tijuana.

Learn more here.

And, here is the leagues' take on what you need to know about the "second" half.