Chicago Red Stars: A newbie’s guide and 2019 season preview

Rest of the NWSL

Another important thing for a new fan to learn is who the other teams are and the Chicago Red Stars’ relation to them. I’ll try to do it quickly and go through all of the eight other teams in just a couple sentences:

North Carolina Courage: Generally considered to not only be the best team in the league, but one of the best teams in the world, the Courage are the favorites to repeat this year as both Shield and Cup winners. However, they may see a bit of a drop with their large amount of national team players.

Portland Thorns: The absolute best supported team in the NWSL, Portland has a history of making some of the bigger signings in the league. While the World Cup will gut the Thorns of their biggest stars, they have the sort of depth to carry through.

Seattle Reign: Megan Rapinoe’s team. The Reign are one of those teams that you don’t really think about but are kind of always pretty good. I can say that they might get a dip from the World Cup, but they’re surprisingly consistent and I wouldn’t be surprised if they push on.

Orlando Pride: Alex Morgan and Marta’s team. The club’s rivalry with the Red Stars is mostly based on the two fanbases, but the Pride can still show up in a game against the Red Stars. With a large number of national team players, they may struggle during the summer.

Utah Royals: The recent expansion team, led by Becky Sauerbrunn, Christen Press, Kelly O’Hara, and Canadian favorite Diana Matheson. The team has a lot of talent in terms of their depth players, but probably not enough to stand out during the World Cup stretch.

Houston Dash: Led by USWNT Kealia Ohai and English international, Rachel Daly, the Dash are usually a middle of the pack team. On the other hand, the NWSL is a very competitive league and, with the World Cup, there may be some shake-ups that can go their way.

Washington Spirit: Although featuring great young USWNT players like Rose Lavelle and Mallory Pugh, the Spirit are seen as the NWSL basement dwellers. There’s some speculation as to why this team finds trouble in getting players, but don’t expect too much from them this season.

Sky Blue FC: Seen as one of the most troubled teams in the league, the New Jersey-based team is led by Carli Lloyd. An image of last season would be a dumpster fire, with a nearly winless season and reports of horrendous conditions for players. Another team that probably won’t make noise.

So that should help anyone new to the Chicago Red Stars get caught up with pretty much everything you need to know for the 2019 season. It’s my hope to continue coverage for the Red Stars throughout the season here for MLS Multiplex, so make sure to come back once the games start.