It really depends on what you mean by "better." In European leagues, a few powerhouse teams are expected to easily defeat lower-ranked rivals. In NWSL play, every match is a contest whose outcome is impossible to predict with confidence. Chelsea, Arsenal, Man City, and Barcelona are some of the strongest teams in the world. There's no denying that. But the downside is they dominate everyone else because they have all the best players. If "better" means watching real competition week in and week out, well, maybe Europe is not the place to be.
I think the olympics highlight the toll that the euros qualifiers and champions league had on the european teams. The support and funding of adequate medical staff for the team recovery is also very obvious. I see Japan lacking physicality and having a young generation of players that haven't polished up due to lack of experience. I see columbia and brazil just riddled with injuries probably because their recovery staff team is not as good as usa and germany. Spain looked sluggish and tired probably due to having the euros qualifiers and champions league games in their legs. Just because there's some firings at the federation level doesn't mean they suddenly have top tier ancillary staff to help with recovery. On top of that they don't have a good loving relationship with their coach like usa and england. I think there's also lingering barcelona vs real madrid tension between the players. Canada got as far as they did out of sheer emotions and a new coach that put in belief for the players. You cAn see lots of cramps in brazil which put them at a disadvantage. If they had the aftercare that is the same as usa, i think they could have won gold. I don't buy into any of the nwsl vs wsl drama. I think it all boils down to amount of extra games and level of recovery provided at the international teams
You gave nice excuses for the Colombian and Brazilian National team and you assumed a lot of stuff for the Spain team also.But you failed to say the most important reason of all. Fatigue,games played and minutes played for the majority of the Spanish players at least the 7 of Barcelona who are the backbone of that Spain squad.When a player from USA starter 11 with the most minutes(Trinity 2200 min before of the Olympics)had a difference of 1100 to 1700 minutes than any of the 7 Barca players then yes you will see the differences in the pitch.We are talking here about 15 to 17 games more than any other player in that tournament the current time the Olympics begun in their legs. I think that Spain put a worthy fight until the end. There was no gas left in their tank. Colombian,Brazilian,Canadian and USA Leagues were all in the middle of their season. Players were in their top form. All the others Leagues were long finished. For me this was the real key factor and the minutes every player had in their legs. Look it up. 1000 and 1500 minutes more are a huge disadvantage. Only Lindsey Horan played around 3300 minutes before Olympic started and we watched her inside the field. She was very tired.
The Spanish league is not in the conversation because Barcelona is the only dominant team in Spain but if you look at last WSL season chelsea won it on the last day on goal difference this shows how competitive the league is
The Spanish league is in the conversation because Barça achieved this by showering players from other clubs in Spain by taking advantage of the work of others in grassroots football, and And that is not always going to work for them, among other things because now they have no money and the other clubs continue to train at the highest level.
Yes, I agree. I used Spain/Liga F mostly to highlight why I don't like people using teams that win a tournament final (e.g., Spain, USA) as justification for what is the best league. Spain won the world cup but very few said it means Liga F is the best.
11:15 They do now: the Concacaf W Champions Cup just started a few days ago. And in 2026, we'll hopefully be seeing some NWSL teams play actual matches against top European teams in the Women's Club World Cup. This was a great video, as always. I do agree that it's mostly a subjective topic, and it doesn't really matter which league is better.
Absolutely! A football team is only as good as its last game! And as such Washington and Gotham lost to the Arsenal and Chelsea! So as it stands WSL came out on top! Maybe next season Washington and Gotham could come to the UK and maybe turn the tables?…..Perhaps it could give rise to an Anglo American trophy competition, which could be played for annually?
Teams from all over North America, Central America and the Caribbean take part in the Concacaf Champions Cup. Last Tuesday, San Diego Wave played against Santa Fé from Panama, and Alajuelense from Costa Rica played against Frazsiers from Jamaica. Every confederation has an equivalent to the UEFA Champions League now, for both men's and women's clubs.
Thanks for your comment! And yes you're right there's new competitions. Tbh it will be many years before Champions cup gets to any level close to Champions league. But Club World Cup will be interesting
Those who claim Gotham was missing some players come on chelsea was missing around 7 first team players and Chelsea used many academy players so cry more Americans😂 and remember chelsea has not played for months
Yes, I agree, Chelsea was missing stars too. However Gotham finished 6th last year. They were just able to do well in the playoffs and win. So to be honest I don't think Gotham is the best team in the NWSL this year. So people saying the Chelsea win means the WSL is better than NWSL isn't a good argument to me. Personally I do actually think the WSL is better, but not because Chelsea beat Gotham in a mid-August friendly when both were missing players lol
Gotham were also missing 7 players 🤷🏻♂️ (most were starters). I’m American and I’m not “cRyInG” lmao at the end of the day I honestly enjoy watching both teams and for me it’s a whatever. Idk why people are taking this too serious 🤣
The NWSL can never be the best league, because of its structure, theres no relegation. So its like playing a bunch of friendlies and every team can just go at any team because there are no consequences to loosing, theres this weird thing of playoffs. So i think the sole purpose of that league is for entertainment, which in turn results into revenue and players are paid well i would like to believe. There great players there dont get me wrong but the league is just not it. I mean a team can loose the whole season and nothing will happen
Yes playoffs is really a North American thing, and also when it comes to football, there just hasn't been a great professional pyramid to allow for a pro/rel model we see in Europe
Currently nwsl is trying to put more tournaments in with the champions cup and summer cup but it's still less games than the european leagues. I think nwsl was the best league to prepare players for the intensity and short rest times in between games for olympics But it might not be the best when we get to the world cup format. You're not afraid to lose in nwsl since there's no relegation but WSL you have to strategize more to prevent losing so nwsl plays more with high risk high reward whereas WSL engages in a war of attrition to ultimately win a championship. This philosophy goes with that european style of valuing ball possession, which plays slower, which doesn't go for high risk play. Anyways i don't think any league is better. Seems ridiculous and contradictory to conclude nwsl is better just because the players come from nwsl but the coach, emma hayes, has been in wsl for 12 years 😂 usa won gold cus of a wsl coach
NWSL fans were talking so much shit before the games and after they got beaten they started with the excuses and now say 'why are we comparing' or friendlies don't matter🤦don't dish it if you can't take it
Too early, these leagues are being built up at the moment, the WSL is now being taken over by the Women's Professional Leagues Limited (WPLL), more money, better organisation, funded by the EPL big things are expected, I foresee similar changes in Spain and other European countries, with increasing connections to the men's teams exciting times lie ahead, the big advantage for the WSL is connection to the juggernaut premier league clubs, the plan is for Arsenal women to play matches at the Emirates stadium for example which expands the financial stream.
Thanks for watching, and yes I totally agree. The sport is still growing and every league has things to improve upon. The new WPLL is interesting. I've been thinking of making a video about it as the CEO has made a few comments that some people like and don't like!
NWSL the best league? not really, ok you won the Olympics but did nothing in the last world cup Thinking about it the WSL, Spanish, & German are probably better in depth
I think in general it is just banter, but some people don't take the banter well. When you mention the difference in crowds, where NWSL opposition fans high five, etc. I'd put that down simply to the teams being somewhat new (in the scheme of things), whereas in England, people are born into familes that might be die hard Man United, etc. It's a longer history, and it's very much a football nation where people are incredibly passionate about their team. I like watching many leagues (I'm Australian), but I personally prefer the WSL to the others. I think if America really wanted to know where their club sides are at, let them play in the Champions League.
Yes, I agree with you. The history of clubs that exist in Europe and the fact that the men and women's teams are from the same club help. But most NWSL teams are independent (no men's team), so the history is not long and has perhaps attracted newer fans who prefer to show support in different ways.
Thanks for commenting! And yes I agree, women's football needs all these leagues, and I actually think it's a good thing that people arguing about what is the best league, because it means the quality around the world is improving. And FIFA club world cup for women is coming in 2026!
It's not just the style of play, it's also the level of play. For one, as long as the NWSL has playoffs, myself that lives in the US and everyone in Europe is not going to find the NWSL interesting. Why fight to finish top when you can settle for middle of the top then give everything you got in the playoff. Since the league started in 2012, one twice did a team finish top and went on to be crown champion, North Carolina Courage. Not to mention Seattle Reign has finish top three different times and never won the chip
I fail to see how NWSL is less interesting than a league in which all but the top two teams are mathematically eliminated from winning with weeks left in a season. Last year in the NWSL, 5 or 6 teams were fighting to qualify for postseason with just two games remaining. With a postseason format, the majority of supporters can still hope for their team to win it all very late into a season. That's exciting! Conversely, no team can get way out ahead of everyone else and rest on their laurels. All but the very lowest-ranked teams have something to play for all through the season. Teams still fight to finish with the highest possible ranking because they will have more favorable seeding (i.e. be paired against ostensibly weaker teams) in the elimination matches. And what does the championship format have to do with "level of play" anyway?
I enjoy the ranking better than the play-offs. In elimination format, the only thing that matters is the champions. It doesn't matter if the team is second or third. As a fan, that hurts, and I feel that when my favorite basketball team Dallas didn't win last year. It felt as though all their efforts went into nothing. Meanwhile, the team I supported in the premier league, which is spurs, finished 5th, and that didn't hurt, didn't feel all their efforts were for nothing. Ranking based format is also more flexible. You can have another competition like an FA cup, and that works because one is a ranking based competition, while the other is elimination. You can't do that in a Playoffs type of format just like what the nba is trying to do with the Emirates cup. To sum up, in playoff format, you only have one choice which is to become a champion or have nothing, while in ranking based competition, you can look forward to finishing within 4th and call that a success, plus you add other competition like FA cup or champions league.
And for a playoff format, the preseason game is not very exciting. The NFL and NWSL did great job by having less games in preseason, so that each game has huge effect while the NBA is facing problems. In ranking based format, every single game and points matter, even goal difference. That is why I feel so much tension watching both WSL and Premier League. Plus, it is hard to form rivalries in playoffs format with preseason, because the real battle only happens in playoffs, so teams is less likely to face each other in competitive matches like what is happening between Boston and LA. In a ranking format, competitive competition between rivals is guaranteed to happen every season. And competition between rivals also occurs in their ranks. In America, there is no such thing like St Totteringham's Day.
@@JeiruzAndalan You can be just as proud of a team finishing 4th on the NWSL table as you can of one doing so in a league with no postseason. You could be proud of your team winning the Supporter's Shield (best regular season record), or for reaching postseason, or the semifinals, or the final. Obviously, you are entitled to your opinion, and you don't have to justify how a league structure makes you feel about your team's performance. I'm not here to change your mind. However, you don't seem very self-aware-your feelings are arbitrary, not inherent in a league's structure. One could as reasonably conclude that nothing but top-of-table matters in WSL or Premier. _You_ are proud of a 4th-place finish, but another might say that qualification for postseason competition is a meaningful reward for non-1st-place finish, thus in a league without playoffs 2nd or lower has no meaning.
NWSL is slightly above than WSL. There as few WSL teams that could really compete for talents, while NWSL have their best homegrown plus player from abroad, and they could retain them. But that may soon change, because as of now, female players needs to prioritize salary over legacy, and you can't devalue them for that which is not the case for men. But when time comes where they don't have to do, players would start to choose playing in Europe which have more established history and have champions league.
Well, before the Olympics, there had been quite a bit of banter about the USWNT having fallen behind the best in the world. There will be a Club World Cup in 2026. We'll see how that goes.
The USWNT is number one in the fifa rankings as a result of beating up on the minnows of international football, South Korea etc! You would not have top rating if you were playing Euro teams! I believe the USWNT have a fixture against the lionesses at the end of the year. It will prove my point!!
@DerekLangdon-w9e Bruhh the USWNT just won the Olympics undefeated that’s why they’re number 1on FIFA rankings 🤣🤦🏻♂️. I’m a huge USWNT fan but I’m looking forward to the England game because England has a lot of good players that I like 🤝
@@calc1657 my post remains valid. The USWNT are rated number one in the FIFA rankings by beating up on the minnows of international football! The Lionesses by comparison, have hardly played any Football this past year yet are rated number two in the world! And that is not a result of beating up on no hoper’s
I just have this feeling Leah Williamson's generation are going to be very tempted to move to NWSL rather than Lyon/Barca when they're ready for a change. Not sure what would tempt young US talent to move the other way? You've got the banter thing spot on. It is a cultural stress relief valve here. Some live to take it to extremes. Sweden used to have the best league and we don't even talk about them any more 🤷
I mean depends what they want doesn't it? To solidify yourself as a legend of the game you kind of have to join one of those big European squads, win uwcl, and one of the big leagues ykwim. European football just has more going for it in terms of getting glory idk if you get me. If they want money and better conditions then ye nwsl is the place
Obviously there's exceptions to this like a LOT of them, but I think in general its easier if you play for Barcelona with all their history (from the mens side too) than if you're a idk gotham player which is a newer team and such
@@milan...1940 yeah I hear that and agree about prestige. There's such a cultural explosion around the women's game I feel the pull to something really different sparks a curiosity that might rival the UWCL trophy you never won with your WSL club. England's women are making these decisions unlike generations before of having already won a major trophy.
@@milan...1940 perhaps the mens equivalent is the Saudi Pro League, playing with greats you never got a chance to in your 'regular' career. NWSL is a lot more compelling is where I'm at.
I disagree with seeing the Olympics as a down-tier tournament. (Not saying you said this but in general) The men only do U-23 because FIFA didn’t want to share the attention of a World Cup with the Olympics. It doesn’t take away how it’s a harder tournament. Secondly, the Spanish players got humiliated badly by the Brazilian players, and their terrible sportsmanship showed when they said they didn’t play "Real Football," which is typical for these Europeans to say about anyone in the Amerícas when they lose. Considering how many World Cups the continent has won from the men’s and women’s sides, it's a downgrading and incredibly stupid thing to say.
In the UK there is no interest in Olympic football! It wasn’t even shown on TV. England, Scotland, Wales cannot compete in it! Only a Great Britain team can participate and as such, there is no appetite for such a team!
Thanks for commenting! I think the history of men's football at the Olympics plays a big factor in the lack of interest. It started as only amateur players. But even once it went professional in the 80s, FIFA did not allow European and South American players who had competed in a World Cup. So those nations still weren't sending their best to the Olympics. So it's not been highly valued by people from certain countries, and I think it's affecting how people see the women's competition now.
The NWSL needs to petition for entry into the Champions League. Surely you got the qualifications for membership, let's just take it to the pitch. It can happen, there are European Leagues that play out of season in the CL.
The Champions league is a European league! (Union of European Football Associations)…If the NWSL wants to play a similar competition in North/South America do so!
There is actually a CONCACAF Champions Cup! They couldn't call it Champions League (probably for legal reasons), but it is the CONCACAF equivalent of UEFA Champions League. It is new this year. Of course, the best teams are from the NWSL and Liga MX for now, but eventually as more leagues develop, it will become a better tournament.
@@_MindfulAthlete I hope it succeeds! But US soccer will never reach the standards of European football until they embrace Pro/rel it’s not a debatable! question either! It’s a fact!
why would the Olympics be inferior to the World Cup? The exact same national teams participate in both competitions. The NWSL is the best in the world because they have many, many more paying fans going to stadiums thanks to their style of constantly attacking football which is more entertaining and exciting to watch than possession football. Also, the number of international players who choose to play here is a good indicator. Correct me if I am wrong but the only European team that won in real competition in the US was Olympique Lyonnais.
Liga F is the best league in the world not just because Barcelona but it's the League with more clubs closed to Barcelona level. They "stole" young girls from other academies that lead them to reach that level before the others clubs. And there are a lot of people saying Liga F is the best league… but they are saying in spanish. Usually spaniards share ciberspace with the rest of spanish speaker community of the world that are 22 countries
Thanks for this context! Yes my algorithm mainly shows English speakers who don't praise Liga F much. But I know Spanish people believe Liga F is the best. It's just like English think WSL is the best, or Germans think the Bundesliga is the best 😅
Both games are not serious games. The washington Spirit and Ny/nj gotem players do not attend for those games, so wsl clubs, as far as I am, consider they're not winer.
When it comes to infrastructure and sponsorship,no European league can compete with nwsl,but when it comes to football European league is better.
Interesting point and I think I lean towards the way you feel as well. Thanks for leaving a comment!
It really depends on what you mean by "better." In European leagues, a few powerhouse teams are expected to easily defeat lower-ranked rivals. In NWSL play, every match is a contest whose outcome is impossible to predict with confidence.
Chelsea, Arsenal, Man City, and Barcelona are some of the strongest teams in the world. There's no denying that. But the downside is they dominate everyone else because they have all the best players. If "better" means watching real competition week in and week out, well, maybe Europe is not the place to be.
I think the olympics highlight the toll that the euros qualifiers and champions league had on the european teams. The support and funding of adequate medical staff for the team recovery is also very obvious. I see Japan lacking physicality and having a young generation of players that haven't polished up due to lack of experience. I see columbia and brazil just riddled with injuries probably because their recovery staff team is not as good as usa and germany. Spain looked sluggish and tired probably due to having the euros qualifiers and champions league games in their legs. Just because there's some firings at the federation level doesn't mean they suddenly have top tier ancillary staff to help with recovery. On top of that they don't have a good loving relationship with their coach like usa and england. I think there's also lingering barcelona vs real madrid tension between the players. Canada got as far as they did out of sheer emotions and a new coach that put in belief for the players. You cAn see lots of cramps in brazil which put them at a disadvantage. If they had the aftercare that is the same as usa, i think they could have won gold. I don't buy into any of the nwsl vs wsl drama. I think it all boils down to amount of extra games and level of recovery provided at the international teams
You gave nice excuses for the Colombian and Brazilian National team and you assumed a lot of stuff for the Spain team also.But you failed to say the most important reason of all.
Fatigue,games played and minutes played for the majority of the Spanish players at least the 7 of Barcelona who are the backbone of that Spain squad.When a player from USA starter 11 with the most minutes(Trinity 2200 min before of the Olympics)had a difference of 1100 to 1700 minutes than any of the 7 Barca players then yes you will see the differences in the pitch.We are talking here about 15 to 17 games more than any other player in that tournament the current time the Olympics begun in their legs.
I think that Spain put a worthy fight until the end.
There was no gas left in their tank.
Colombian,Brazilian,Canadian and USA Leagues were all in the middle of their season.
Players were in their top form.
All the others Leagues were long finished.
For me this was the real key factor and the minutes every player had in their legs.
Look it up.
1000 and 1500 minutes more are a huge disadvantage.
Only Lindsey Horan played around 3300 minutes before Olympic started and we watched her inside the field.
She was very tired.
Thanks for this comment. It perfectly described a lot of how these teams functioned at these Olympics!
The Spanish league is not in the conversation because Barcelona is the only dominant team in Spain but if you look at last WSL season chelsea won it on the last day on goal difference this shows how competitive the league is
The Spanish league is in the conversation because Barça achieved this by showering players from other clubs in Spain by taking advantage of the work of others in grassroots football, and And that is not always going to work for them, among other things because now they have no money and the other clubs continue to train at the highest level.
Yes, I agree. I used Spain/Liga F mostly to highlight why I don't like people using teams that win a tournament final (e.g., Spain, USA) as justification for what is the best league. Spain won the world cup but very few said it means Liga F is the best.
11:15 They do now: the Concacaf W Champions Cup just started a few days ago. And in 2026, we'll hopefully be seeing some NWSL teams play actual matches against top European teams in the Women's Club World Cup.
This was a great video, as always. I do agree that it's mostly a subjective topic, and it doesn't really matter which league is better.
Absolutely! A football team is only as good as its last game! And as such Washington and Gotham lost to the Arsenal and Chelsea! So as it stands WSL came out on top! Maybe next season Washington and Gotham could come to the UK and maybe turn the tables?…..Perhaps it could give rise to an Anglo American trophy competition, which could be played for annually?
The champions cup is played against Mexican teams, not similar.
Teams from all over North America, Central America and the Caribbean take part in the Concacaf Champions Cup. Last Tuesday, San Diego Wave played against Santa Fé from Panama, and Alajuelense from Costa Rica played against Frazsiers from Jamaica.
Every confederation has an equivalent to the UEFA Champions League now, for both men's and women's clubs.
Thanks for your comment! And yes you're right there's new competitions. Tbh it will be many years before Champions cup gets to any level close to Champions league. But Club World Cup will be interesting
Those who claim Gotham was missing some players come on chelsea was missing around 7 first team players and Chelsea used many academy players so cry more Americans😂 and remember chelsea has not played for months
Yes, I agree, Chelsea was missing stars too. However Gotham finished 6th last year. They were just able to do well in the playoffs and win. So to be honest I don't think Gotham is the best team in the NWSL this year. So people saying the Chelsea win means the WSL is better than NWSL isn't a good argument to me. Personally I do actually think the WSL is better, but not because Chelsea beat Gotham in a mid-August friendly when both were missing players lol
Gotham were also missing 7 players 🤷🏻♂️ (most were starters). I’m American and I’m not “cRyInG” lmao at the end of the day I honestly enjoy watching both teams and for me it’s a whatever. Idk why people are taking this too serious 🤣
The NWSL can never be the best league, because of its structure, theres no relegation. So its like playing a bunch of friendlies and every team can just go at any team because there are no consequences to loosing, theres this weird thing of playoffs. So i think the sole purpose of that league is for entertainment, which in turn results into revenue and players are paid well i would like to believe. There great players there dont get me wrong but the league is just not it. I mean a team can loose the whole season and nothing will happen
Yes playoffs is really a North American thing, and also when it comes to football, there just hasn't been a great professional pyramid to allow for a pro/rel model we see in Europe
Currently nwsl is trying to put more tournaments in with the champions cup and summer cup but it's still less games than the european leagues. I think nwsl was the best league to prepare players for the intensity and short rest times in between games for olympics But it might not be the best when we get to the world cup format. You're not afraid to lose in nwsl since there's no relegation but WSL you have to strategize more to prevent losing so nwsl plays more with high risk high reward whereas WSL engages in a war of attrition to ultimately win a championship. This philosophy goes with that european style of valuing ball possession, which plays slower, which doesn't go for high risk play. Anyways i don't think any league is better. Seems ridiculous and contradictory to conclude nwsl is better just because the players come from nwsl but the coach, emma hayes, has been in wsl for 12 years 😂 usa won gold cus of a wsl coach
NWSL fans were talking so much shit before the games and after they got beaten they started with the excuses and now say 'why are we comparing' or friendlies don't matter🤦don't dish it if you can't take it
Haha yes, if you're going to banter it has to go both ways! If you can dish, have to be able to take 😂
Can’t believe people are either taking these games so seriously or making excuses 🤣
You should see the Pearl clutching from seattle reign fans at Portland chants and songs. Our songs for the thorns embody this spirit.
The banter in the WSL games is fun whereas in the men's it can be nasty
Too early, these leagues are being built up at the moment, the WSL is now being taken over by the Women's Professional Leagues Limited (WPLL), more money, better organisation, funded by the EPL big things are expected, I foresee similar changes in Spain and other European countries, with increasing connections to the men's teams exciting times lie ahead, the big advantage for the WSL is connection to the juggernaut premier league clubs, the plan is for Arsenal women to play matches at the Emirates stadium for example which expands the financial stream.
Thanks for watching, and yes I totally agree. The sport is still growing and every league has things to improve upon. The new WPLL is interesting. I've been thinking of making a video about it as the CEO has made a few comments that some people like and don't like!
NWSL the best league? not really, ok you won the Olympics but did nothing in the last world cup Thinking about it the WSL, Spanish, & German are probably better in depth
I think in general it is just banter, but some people don't take the banter well. When you mention the difference in crowds, where NWSL opposition fans high five, etc. I'd put that down simply to the teams being somewhat new (in the scheme of things), whereas in England, people are born into familes that might be die hard Man United, etc. It's a longer history, and it's very much a football nation where people are incredibly passionate about their team.
I like watching many leagues (I'm Australian), but I personally prefer the WSL to the others.
I think if America really wanted to know where their club sides are at, let them play in the Champions League.
Yes, I agree with you. The history of clubs that exist in Europe and the fact that the men and women's teams are from the same club help. But most NWSL teams are independent (no men's team), so the history is not long and has perhaps attracted newer fans who prefer to show support in different ways.
European league is the best league in the world period
Women’s football needs all these leagues. It would be nice if we had a club cup where they did play each other it might help
Thanks for commenting! And yes I agree, women's football needs all these leagues, and I actually think it's a good thing that people arguing about what is the best league, because it means the quality around the world is improving.
And FIFA club world cup for women is coming in 2026!
It's not just the style of play, it's also the level of play. For one, as long as the NWSL has playoffs, myself that lives in the US and everyone in Europe is not going to find the NWSL interesting. Why fight to finish top when you can settle for middle of the top then give everything you got in the playoff. Since the league started in 2012, one twice did a team finish top and went on to be crown champion, North Carolina Courage.
Not to mention Seattle Reign has finish top three different times and never won the chip
I fail to see how NWSL is less interesting than a league in which all but the top two teams are mathematically eliminated from winning with weeks left in a season. Last year in the NWSL, 5 or 6 teams were fighting to qualify for postseason with just two games remaining. With a postseason format, the majority of supporters can still hope for their team to win it all very late into a season. That's exciting! Conversely, no team can get way out ahead of everyone else and rest on their laurels. All but the very lowest-ranked teams have something to play for all through the season.
Teams still fight to finish with the highest possible ranking because they will have more favorable seeding (i.e. be paired against ostensibly weaker teams) in the elimination matches.
And what does the championship format have to do with "level of play" anyway?
I enjoy the ranking better than the play-offs. In elimination format, the only thing that matters is the champions. It doesn't matter if the team is second or third. As a fan, that hurts, and I feel that when my favorite basketball team Dallas didn't win last year. It felt as though all their efforts went into nothing. Meanwhile, the team I supported in the premier league, which is spurs, finished 5th, and that didn't hurt, didn't feel all their efforts were for nothing. Ranking based format is also more flexible. You can have another competition like an FA cup, and that works because one is a ranking based competition, while the other is elimination. You can't do that in a Playoffs type of format just like what the nba is trying to do with the Emirates cup.
To sum up, in playoff format, you only have one choice which is to become a champion or have nothing, while in ranking based competition, you can look forward to finishing within 4th and call that a success, plus you add other competition like FA cup or champions league.
And for a playoff format, the preseason game is not very exciting. The NFL and NWSL did great job by having less games in preseason, so that each game has huge effect while the NBA is facing problems. In ranking based format, every single game and points matter, even goal difference. That is why I feel so much tension watching both WSL and Premier League. Plus, it is hard to form rivalries in playoffs format with preseason, because the real battle only happens in playoffs, so teams is less likely to face each other in competitive matches like what is happening between Boston and LA. In a ranking format, competitive competition between rivals is guaranteed to happen every season. And competition between rivals also occurs in their ranks. In America, there is no such thing like St Totteringham's Day.
@@JeiruzAndalan You can be just as proud of a team finishing 4th on the NWSL table as you can of one doing so in a league with no postseason. You could be proud of your team winning the Supporter's Shield (best regular season record), or for reaching postseason, or the semifinals, or the final.
Obviously, you are entitled to your opinion, and you don't have to justify how a league structure makes you feel about your team's performance. I'm not here to change your mind.
However, you don't seem very self-aware-your feelings are arbitrary, not inherent in a league's structure. One could as reasonably conclude that nothing but top-of-table matters in WSL or Premier. _You_ are proud of a 4th-place finish, but another might say that qualification for postseason competition is a meaningful reward for non-1st-place finish, thus in a league without playoffs 2nd or lower has no meaning.
NWSL is slightly above than WSL. There as few WSL teams that could really compete for talents, while NWSL have their best homegrown plus player from abroad, and they could retain them. But that may soon change, because as of now, female players needs to prioritize salary over legacy, and you can't devalue them for that which is not the case for men. But when time comes where they don't have to do, players would start to choose playing in Europe which have more established history and have champions league.
The best league is where players are paid well, respected, and not grabbed by the p.....
By the what? ahahaha
Grabbed by the p... ? Police? Lol
Well, before the Olympics, there had been quite a bit of banter about the USWNT having fallen behind the best in the world. There will be a Club World Cup in 2026. We'll see how that goes.
The USWNT is number one in the fifa rankings as a result of beating up on the minnows of international football, South Korea etc! You would not have top rating if you were playing Euro teams! I believe the USWNT have a fixture against the lionesses at the end of the year. It will prove my point!!
@@DerekLangdon-w9e The US played European teams in the Olympics.
Thanks for leaving a comment, and yes, I'm excited for the Club World Cup!
@DerekLangdon-w9e Bruhh the USWNT just won the Olympics undefeated that’s why they’re number 1on FIFA rankings 🤣🤦🏻♂️. I’m a huge USWNT fan but I’m looking forward to the England game because England has a lot of good players that I like 🤝
@@calc1657 my post remains valid. The USWNT are rated number one in the FIFA rankings by beating up on the minnows of international football! The Lionesses by comparison, have hardly played any Football this past year yet are rated number two in the world! And that is not a result of beating up on no hoper’s
Nwsl teams were defeated before even the WSL started😂 sorry Americans learn more about football
I just have this feeling Leah Williamson's generation are going to be very tempted to move to NWSL rather than Lyon/Barca when they're ready for a change. Not sure what would tempt young US talent to move the other way? You've got the banter thing spot on. It is a cultural stress relief valve here. Some live to take it to extremes. Sweden used to have the best league and we don't even talk about them any more 🤷
I mean depends what they want doesn't it? To solidify yourself as a legend of the game you kind of have to join one of those big European squads, win uwcl, and one of the big leagues ykwim. European football just has more going for it in terms of getting glory idk if you get me. If they want money and better conditions then ye nwsl is the place
Obviously there's exceptions to this like a LOT of them, but I think in general its easier if you play for Barcelona with all their history (from the mens side too) than if you're a idk gotham player which is a newer team and such
@@milan...1940 yeah I hear that and agree about prestige. There's such a cultural explosion around the women's game I feel the pull to something really different sparks a curiosity that might rival the UWCL trophy you never won with your WSL club. England's women are making these decisions unlike generations before of having already won a major trophy.
@@milan...1940 perhaps the mens equivalent is the Saudi Pro League, playing with greats you never got a chance to in your 'regular' career. NWSL is a lot more compelling is where I'm at.
Williamson is a proper gunner, don't see her leaving her home soil even if Barca comes calling
I disagree with seeing the Olympics as a down-tier tournament. (Not saying you said this but in general) The men only do U-23 because FIFA didn’t want to share the attention of a World Cup with the Olympics. It doesn’t take away how it’s a harder tournament. Secondly, the Spanish players got humiliated badly by the Brazilian players, and their terrible sportsmanship showed when they said they didn’t play "Real Football," which is typical for these Europeans to say about anyone in the Amerícas when they lose. Considering how many World Cups the continent has won from the men’s and women’s sides, it's a downgrading and incredibly stupid thing to say.
Brazil women nt was a shame in all aspects
In the UK there is no interest in Olympic football! It wasn’t even shown on TV. England, Scotland, Wales cannot compete in it! Only a Great Britain team can participate and as such, there is no appetite for such a team!
Thanks for commenting! I think the history of men's football at the Olympics plays a big factor in the lack of interest. It started as only amateur players. But even once it went professional in the 80s, FIFA did not allow European and South American players who had competed in a World Cup. So those nations still weren't sending their best to the Olympics. So it's not been highly valued by people from certain countries, and I think it's affecting how people see the women's competition now.
The NWSL needs to petition for entry into the Champions League. Surely you got the qualifications for membership, let's just take it to the pitch. It can happen, there are European Leagues that play out of season in the CL.
The Champions league is a European league! (Union of European Football Associations)…If the NWSL wants to play a similar competition in North/South America do so!
There is actually a CONCACAF Champions Cup! They couldn't call it Champions League (probably for legal reasons), but it is the CONCACAF equivalent of UEFA Champions League. It is new this year. Of course, the best teams are from the NWSL and Liga MX for now, but eventually as more leagues develop, it will become a better tournament.
It can’t happen because of different schedules and different continents
@@_MindfulAthlete I hope it succeeds! But US soccer will never reach the standards of European football until they embrace Pro/rel it’s not a debatable! question either! It’s a fact!
why would the Olympics be inferior to the World Cup? The exact same national teams participate in both competitions. The NWSL is the best in the world because they have many, many more paying fans going to stadiums thanks to their style of constantly attacking football which is more entertaining and exciting to watch than possession football. Also, the number of international players who choose to play here is a good indicator. Correct me if I am wrong but the only European team that won in real competition in the US was Olympique Lyonnais.
No, the same teams do not participate. For example, England, one of the top teams in the world, did not enter a team.
@@rikmoran3963 England was eliminated when they lost to Spain and Germany in the preliminary games for the Olympics.
@@hmahdavi No it was a GB team, not England!
@@DerekLangdon-w9e It was The Lioness
Liga F is the best league in the world not just because Barcelona but it's the League with more clubs closed to Barcelona level. They "stole" young girls from other academies that lead them to reach that level before the others clubs.
And there are a lot of people saying Liga F is the best league… but they are saying in spanish. Usually spaniards share ciberspace with the rest of spanish speaker community of the world that are 22 countries
Thanks for this context! Yes my algorithm mainly shows English speakers who don't praise Liga F much. But I know Spanish people believe Liga F is the best. It's just like English think WSL is the best, or Germans think the Bundesliga is the best 😅
REAL MADRID ENDED UWCL WITH 1 POINT, IN WHICH THEY SCAMMED OUT OF CHELSEA COME ON NOW
Liga F is Barcelona! What other top teams are there? None!!! It’s a one horse race.
Both games are not serious games. The washington Spirit and Ny/nj gotem players do not attend for those games, so wsl clubs, as far as I am, consider they're not winer.
Are you trying to say Washington, and Gotham had no interest in winning their games! Grow up bud, you are talking nonsense!!
Benabe6627 no words 🥳🥳👎👎😂😂🤮🤮🤣🤣👎👎