For the first time in club history, the Washington Spirit are NWSL Champions! The Spirit claimed the 2021 league title with a 2-1 come-from-behind victory in extra-time over the Chicago Red Stars on Saturday, Nov. 20 in front of a crowd of 10,360 at Lynn Family Stadium in Louisville, Kentucky. The viewership of the title match also broke all the previous records.


Though Chicago took the lead in the first half, Washington came back to tie the game thanks to a penalty kick from Spirit captain Andi Sullivan and then Spirit's defender and two-time World Cup champion Kelley O’Hara scored the match-winning goal in the 97th minute to lift the Spirit to their first-ever league championship, becoming the fifth different club to hoist the NWSL trophy.

Spirit goalkeeper Aubrey Bledsoe was named "Most Valuable Player".

The Washington Spirit got a massive shoutout after they won the National Women’s Soccer League Championship. President Joe Biden congratulated the team on Twitter after they won their first-ever championship.

Washington's win comes after a turbulent season for the team and the league as a whole. In September, former head coach Richie Burke was fired by the NWSL after an investigation into allegations of harassment and toxic work culture.

The championship returned this season after the COVID-19 pandemic forced the NWSL to suspend its typical schedule in 2020 in favour of a one-off "Challenge Cup" tournament.

Washington is now in good hands for the years to come on the player side. Now, it’s up to management to deliver well on its' part!