<P> The National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) is a professional women's soccer league, run by the United States Soccer Federation . At the top of the United States league system, it represents the sport's highest level in the United States . The NWSL was established in 2012 as a successor to Women's Professional Soccer (2007--2012) which was the successor to Women's United Soccer Association (2001--2003). The league began play in 2013 with eight teams; four of which were former members of Women's Professional Soccer . With the addition of two expansion teams in Houston and Orlando since the league's founding, it now has 9 teams based throughout the United States . </P> <P> Since the league's inaugural 2013 season, three clubs have been crowned NWSL Champions and three clubs have claimed the NWSL Shield . The most recent shield - winners are the North Carolina Courage, who relocated to Cary, North Carolina during the 2016--2017 offseason from New York, where they were known as the Western New York Flash . The current champions are Portland Thorns FC, who claimed their second championship in 2017 after being the inaugural champions in 2013 . </P> <P> The NWSL season runs from April--September with each team scheduled for 24 regular season games, 12 each of home and road . At the end of the regular season, the team with the highest point total is awarded the regular season title . The four clubs with the most points from the regular season standings qualify for the NWSL playoffs, which consist of two semifinal single knockout matches (top seed hosts fourth; second hosts third), with the semifinal winners advancing to the championship final hosted by the team with most regular season points . </P> <P> After Women's Professional Soccer (WPS) officially folded in April 2012, the United States Soccer Federation (USSF) announced a roundtable for discussion of the future of women's professional soccer in the United States . The meeting, which included representatives from USSF, WPS teams, the W - League (ceased operation in 2015), and the Women's Premier Soccer League (WPSL), was held in June and resulted in the planning of a new league set to launch in 2013 with 12--16 teams, taking from each of the three leagues . Compared to WPS, the teams would have a relatively low salary cap of $500,000, though this was later lowered to $200,000 . </P>

When does the national women's soccer league start