As the growth of the women’s game continues to skyrocket, the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) seems to have found a reliable and beneficial partner in Prime Video. Not only do they air NWSL matches but they’ve now prepared an incredible four-part docuseries following the NWSL Playoffs, giving incredible access to players, personnel, and a glimpse of what life is like off the pitch for the league’s brightest stars.
Directed by Marie Margolius and executive produced by Eli Manning and Alex Morgan, For the Win: NWSL starts with a bang. The Orlando Pride just won their first-ever NWSL Championship, which was no doubt the crowning achievement for women’s soccer legend Marta. From there, the series dives into the work, grit, and drama that surrounds the playoffs and shines a huge light on the up-and-coming stars of the league.
In the first episode, “Chaos League”, we get firsthand commentary from stars like Lynn Biyendolo (Gotham FC), Marta (Orlando Pride), Trinity Rodman (Washington Spirit), and Alex Morgan (formerly San Diego Wave). Unique perspectives came on behalf of journalists like Roger Bennett (Men in Blazers), Tamerra Griffin (freelance), and NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman. One of the craziest stats from the series opener was learning that superstar Trinity Rodman has been in the league for four years but is younger than some of the rookies on her team (she joined the Washington Spirit at age 18).
The name “chaos league” encompasses so many things. For example, at one point you see NC Courage win so many years in a row and think they’re an untouchable dynasty until they fall off hard and are left scrambling for answers. Another example is Gotham FC. They won the championship in 2023, absolutely gutted the team, then went on a signing spree and found the biggest names in UEFA and U.S. Soccer. Portuguese star Jessica Silva signing with the club was a huge deal, as were Rose Lavelle and Emily Sonnett; two mainstays on the U.S. Women’s National Team. I haven’t even mentioned the big names that the league lost to Europe (Naomi Girma, Kerolin, Jenna Nighswonger, etc). Director Marie Margolius, a former college soccer player at Harvard, was the perfect person to tell the story of and celebrate the success of the league and what sits beyond the horizon.
After attending the Washington Spirit’s Spirit Fest this past weekend, I know for a fact fans will be elated when they see this series. The DMV club is featured in every episode of the series and every player tells a different tale. I caught up with Spirit favorites Croix Bethune and Hal Hershfelt to see how they enjoyed taking part in the series. “It was cool, it was a lot of fun. I like how they wanted to focus on me as a person and not just the athlete,” said Bethune. An enthusiastic Hal Hershfelt felt similarly about her experience recording the docuseries. “It was cool! That was my first time ever doing something like that (laughs). I was a little nervous.”
The series didn’t shy away from any drama either. Knowing that NWSL fans are “all in” and fully invested in this league, they would’ve done fans a disservice by glancing over the infamous “Yates Report”. In October of 2022, the Yates Report, named after lead investigator Sally Yates, uncovered a laundry list of abuse and harassment throughout the league. Several players addressed the scandal that rocked the league and saw many coaches, personnel, and even owners out the door. It would’ve been remiss of Margolius & Co. not to address a matter that affected the league at large in a series documenting its journey. Acknowledging the mistakes and mentioning plans for the future was the right thing to do. In another spot of transparency, Spirit player and USWNT superstar Trinity Rodman didn’t shy away from her relationship with her father. In a touching segment with her mother, the superstar spoke on her meteoric rise in the league and how her mother is, and has been, her rock.
Fans of the NWSL and sports docs alike should enjoy how they’re introduced to a swath of fresh faces. If you follow women’s soccer, then you’d be familiar with Trinity Rodman or Lynn Biyendolo (formerly Williams) because they play for the USWNT. But with the league growing so quickly, the series does a bang-up job introducing us to players on that upward trajectory, or, simply play key roles for their respective clubs. Chicago’s Ally Schlegel and Courage’s Meredith Speck and Denise O’Sullivan offered their perspectives on the challenges that lay ahead for their clubs. One of the more eye-opening stories came from Orlando’s Kylie Strom as she detailed her not-so-typical path to playing in the NWSL. These are the types of exclusive stories you want to learn and see in documentaries and give further credence to why Margolius was the right choice to steer this ship.
Hearing excitement from owners was nice to see. They juxtaposed what a franchise was worth 10 years ago compared to now and that truly reflects the growth of the game. KC Current owners Brittany Mahomes and Angie Long talked about their loyal fanbase and building the first women’s soccer stadium in the country. World Cup winner Abby Dahlkemper joined Bay FC investor and USWNT legend Brandi Chastain in discussing the importance of the Bay Area’s first NWSL franchise. For Gotham FC, minority owner Elie Manning discussed how his opportunity to invest in women’s soccer came about and how his children are more excited for their games than the NFL’s.
For the Win truly gives the players a platform to talk about what’s important to them. The introduction to new players is the best part about this and gives new fans a player to support and a full background on the league. Seb Hines made history as the first Black head coach to win the NWSL Championship and seeing his players sing his praises so boldly was a welcome sight. The popularity of the league and sport have never been higher and this high-quality project is the perfect companion to the start of the season.
For the Win: NWSL gets a 9.5 out of 10. It’s so good that I didn’t want it to end. Even if you’re not a fan of women’s soccer, you’ll enjoy it if you like sports docs. I loved the balance of superstars, rookies, and young players that made up the series and how it conveyed the message that no player was more important than another. There’s an extremely long list of appearances and firsthand commentary but I’ll leave that for you to discover. The series was a joy to watch.
For the Win: NWSL premieres on Prime Video on March 6th.
-Jon Jones
Genre: Documentary
Rating: Unrated; but uses explicit language
Runtime: Four Episodes; 48 mins.
Trailer: Watch
U.S. Release Date: March 6, 2025.