2021 NWSL season
10 teams · 118 regular-season matches played.
Portland Thorns lead on points. But Seattle Reign carry the widest gap in the top half between goal difference (+10) and expected goal difference (+14.1°) — running behind what the chances were worth by 4.1.
Expected goal difference is modeled. A gap of two or three goals over a half-season is well inside the noise.
Shield: Portland Thorns (41 pts) · Champion: Washington Spirit · Challenge Cup: Portland Thorns · Golden Boot: Midge Purce (9)
| 1 | Portland Thorns | 23 | 12 | 5 | 6 | 30 | 17 | 13 | 41 | 1.78 | 37.1 | 15.2 |
| 2 | Seattle Reign | 23 | 12 | 3 | 8 | 34 | 24 | 10 | 39 | 1.70 | 40.2 | 14.1 |
| 3 | Washington Spirit | 22 | 11 | 6 | 5 | 29 | 20 | 9 | 39 | 1.77 | 34.0 | 10.6 |
| 4 | Chicago Stars | 24 | 11 | 5 | 8 | 28 | 28 | 0 | 38 | 1.58 | 28.7 | -3.6 |
| 5 | Gotham FC | 24 | 8 | 11 | 5 | 29 | 21 | 8 | 35 | 1.46 | 35.0 | 7.0 |
| 6 | North Carolina Courage | 24 | 9 | 6 | 9 | 28 | 23 | 5 | 33 | 1.38 | 33.8 | 4.2 |
| 7 | Houston Dash | 24 | 9 | 5 | 10 | 31 | 31 | 0 | 32 | 1.33 | 36.0 | 1.4 |
| 8 | Orlando Pride | 24 | 7 | 7 | 10 | 27 | 32 | -5 | 28 | 1.17 | 31.6 | -7.1 |
| 9 | Racing Louisville | 24 | 5 | 7 | 12 | 21 | 40 | -19 | 22 | 0.92 | 24.9 | -22.9 |
| 10 | Kansas City Current | 24 | 3 | 7 | 14 | 15 | 36 | -21 | 16 | 0.67 | 20.2 | -18.9 |