The 2025 Chicago Stars FC season was the team's seventeenth as a professional women's soccer team, and twelfth in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL), the top tier of women's soccer in the United States. Based in Bridgeview, Illinois, and formerly known as the Chicago Red Stars, the club rebranded to Chicago Stars FC prior to the 2025 season.
Background
Under head coach Lorne Donaldson, the Red Stars finished in eighth place and advanced to the 2024 postseason. However, Chicago was quickly eliminated in the first round after eventual champions Orlando Pride flattened the Red Stars in a 6–1 victory. The Red Stars also participated in the inaugural version of the NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup, but failed to advance past the group stage.
Branding changes In October 2024, the club rebranded to Chicago Stars FC, unveiling a new crest along with the name. Chicago continued as the Red Stars through the end of 2024, at which point they executed the rebrand prior to the 2025 season.
As part of a league-wide refresh, the Stars announced a new secondary kit in February 2025. The club's new jersey consists of a black background with liquid metal patterns meant to "[symbolize] the relentless intensity that lies within and the team's ability to adapt to any challenge."
Stadium and facilities For the tenth season in a row, the Stars used SeatGeek Stadium as its primary home venue. The club continued to find difficulty selling tickets and ranked as the least successful NWSL team in terms of attendance through the first eight games of the year. In September 2025, the Stars announced that the club would be playing at the lakefront Martin Stadium on the campus of Northwestern University for 2026. Chicago played one 2025 match at Martin Stadium, a 5–2 victory over the Orlando Pride that set a second-highest season attendance marker for the Stars. The attendance numbers were only less than in Chicago's match against Seattle Reign FC at Soldier Field in June.
Team Coaching staff
Coaching
Current squad
NameDate of birth (age)Previous teamNotesGoalkeepers1Alyssa Naeher2016 Boston Breakers–19Mackenzie Wood2023 Notre Dame Fighting Irish–22Halle Mackiewicz2025 Trelleborgs FF–27Stephanie Sparkowski2025 Michigan WolverinesRRCDefenders2Sam Angel2025 IFK Norrköping–3Sam Staab2024 Washington Spirit–6Kathrin Hendrich2025 VfL WolfsburgINT12Natalia Kuikka2024 Portland Thorns FCINT30Camryn Biegalski2024 Washington Spirit–32Taylor Malham2023 Racing Louisville FC–41Hannah Anderson2024 Texas Tech Red Raiders–Midfielders4Cari Roccaro2023 Angel City FC–10Shea Groom2024 Chicago Red Stars11Meg Boade2025 Gotham FC–13Leilanni Nesbeth2024 Florida State Seminoles–16Manaka Hayashi2025 Santa Clara BroncosINT20Bea Franklin2024 Arkansas Razorbacks–21Julia Grosso2024 JuventusINT77Maitane López2025 NJ/NY Gotham FCINTForwards7Ava Cook2022 Michigan State Spartans–8Jameese Joseph2024 NC State Wolfpack–9Mallory Swanson2021 Sky Blue FCML14Ludmila2024 Atlético MadridINT18Ivonne Chacón2025 Levante UDINT23Micayla Johnson2025 Michigan HawksU1824Jenna Bike2023 NJ/NY Gotham FC–26Nádia Gomes2024 San Francisco Glens–34Ally Schlegel2023 Penn State Nittany Lions–
Competitions
Preseason Chicago Stars FC played in four closed-door preseason friendlies prior to kicking off the NWSL regular season in March.
Regular season
Regular-season standings
Statistics
Appearances and goals Starting appearances are listed first, followed by substitute appearances after the + symbol where applicable.
! colspan=14 style="background:#072743; color:#FFFFFF; " width:110px;" text-align:center|Goalkeepers
! colspan=14 style="background:#072743; color:#FFFFFF; " width:110px;" text-align:center;" |Defenders
! colspan=14 style="background:#072743; color:#FFFFFF; " width:110px;" text-align:center;" |Midfielders
! colspan=14 style="background:#072743; color:#FFFFFF; " width:110px;" text-align:center;" |Forwards
|colspan=14 style="background:#072743; color:#FFFFFF; " width:110px;" |Players who left the club during the season:
Assists Name 134FWAlly Schlegel523DFSam Staab4321MFJulia Grosso348FWJameese Joseph226FWNádia Gomes277MFMaitane López2514FWLudmila116MFManaka Hayashi118FWIvonne Chacón120MFBea Franklin130DFCamryn Biegalski132DFTaylor Malham1Total24
Clean sheets Name 11Alyssa Naeher1Total1
Disciplinary record Name 3DFSam Staab2004MFCari Roccaro2007FWAva Cook1008FWJameese Joseph20010MFShea Groom10011MFChardonnay Curran10013MFLeilanni Nesbeth50014FWLudmila30016MFManaka Hayashi10018DFJustina Gaynor10020MFBea Franklin40021MFJulia Grosso10026FWNádia Gomes10030DFCamryn Biegalski20032DFTaylor Malham40034FWAlly Schlegel20077MFMaitane López100Total3400 Transactions
Contract operations DatePlayerNotesDecember 10, 2024 Camryn BiegalskiRe-signed to a one-year extension through 2025. Nádia GomesRe-signed to a short-term contract through March 25, 2025.January 14, 2025 Sarah GriffithRe-signed to a short-term contract through June 30, 2025.March 28, 2025 Nádia GomesExtended through June 30, 2025.April 10, 2025 Catherine BarryRe-signed to a short-term contract through June 30, 2025.June 24, 2025 Taylor MalhamRe-signed to a two-year contract extension through 2027 with a mutual option for 2028.June 25, 2025 Mackenzie WoodRe-signed to a two-year contract through 2027.July 1, 2025 Jameese JosephRe-signed to a three-year contract extension through 2028 with a mutual option for 2029. Nádia GomesExtended through July 31, 2025. Stephanie SparkowskiExtended through July 29, 2025.July 25, 2025 Bea FranklinRe-signed to a two-year contract through 2027.August 1, 2025 Nádia GomesExtended through the end of the 2025 NWSL season.September 18, 2025 Halle MackiewiczRe-signed to a one-year contract through 2026.October 8, 2025 Meg BoadeExtended through November 22, 2025.October 23, 2025 Sam StaabRe-signed to a four-year contract through 2029.October 24, 2025 Stephanie SparkowskiRe-signed to a roster relief contract.
Loans out DatePlayerDestination clubFee/notesMarch 27, 2025 Sarah Griffith Calgary Wild FCLoaned through June 30, 2025.
Transfers in DatePlayerPrevious clubFee/notesDecember 5, 2024 Maitane López NJ/NY Gotham FCFree agent signed to a two-year contract through 2026.December 9, 2024 Halle Mackiewicz Trelleborgs FFFree agent signed to a one-year contract through 2025.January 15, 2025 Manaka Hayashi Santa Clara BroncosRookie signed to a three-year contract through 2027.January 24, 2025 Micayla Johnson Michigan HawksUnder-18 player signed to a three-year contract through 2027.March 12, 2025 Justina Gaynor Michigan State SpartansRookie signed to a one-year contract through 2025 with a mutual option for 2026.March 13, 2025 Catherine Barry South Carolina GamecocksRookie signed to a roster relief contract.June 3, 2025 Stephanie Sparkowski Michigan WolverinesRookie signed to a roster relief contract.June 11, 2025 Kathrin Hendrich VfL WolfsburgAcquired on a free transfer and signed to a two-year contract through 2026 with a mutual option for 2027.June 23, 2025 Sam Angel IFK NorrköpingAcquired in exchange for an undisclosed transfer fee and signed to a two-year contract through 2027 with a mutual option for 2028.August 25, 2025 Meg Boade Gotham FCFree agent signed to a roster relief contract.August 28, 2025 Ivonne Chacón Levante UDAcquired in exchange for an undisclosed transfer fee and signed to a two-year contract through 2027.
Transfers out DatePlayerDestination clubFee/notesDecember 10, 2024 Julia Bianchi SC InternacionalOut of contract. Ally Cook Spokane Zephyr FC Sophie Jones Sporting Club Jacksonville Tatumn Milazzo Utah Royals Maximiliane Rall VfB Stuttgart Sydney Schneider Tampa Bay Sun FCJune 30, 2025 Sarah Griffith Lexington SCOut of contract. Catherine Barry Lexington SCOut of contract. Justina Gaynor Lexington SCMutual contract termination.July 29, 2025 Chardonnay Curran Rio AveMutual contract termination.
Preseason trialists Trialists are non-rostered invitees during preseason and are not automatically signed. The Stars released their preseason roster on January 27, 2025. Midfielder Cassie Rohan was added to the Stars' preseason squad on February 19. PlayerPrevious clubStatus Catherine Barry South Carolina GamecocksSigned to roster relief contract. Justina Gaynor Michigan State SpartansSigned to standard contract. Peyton McNamara Ohio State BuckeyesNot signed. Cassie Rohan Sundsvalls DFFNot signed. Sydney Schneider Chicago Stars FCNot signed. Macy Schultz Arkansas RazorbacksNot signed. Stephanie Sparkowski Michigan WolverinesSigned to roster relief contract. Dasia Torbert Georgia BulldogsNot signed.
References