KC Current: 2025

A lot is still to be determined between now and the first competitive kick for the Kansas City Current in the new year. For one thing, the team’s roster presently sits at just 19.

Goalkeepers (0):
Defenders (7): Alana Cook, Hailie Mace, Gabrielle Robinson, Izzy Rodriguez, Kayla Sharples, Regan Steigleder, Ellie Wheeler
Midfielders (6): Debinha, Vanessa DiBernardo, Bayley Feist, Claire Hutton, Jereko, Lo’eau LaBonta
Forwards (6): Temwa Chawinga, Michelle Cooper, Alex Pfeiffer, Nichelle Prince, Bia Zaneratto, Opeyemi Ajakaye

There will likely be about nine names added to that list by the time the season begins. There has already been some discussion about biggest positions of need for the squad, mostly obviously in goal though Schult and/or Franch could return. With the possible departures of both Ball and Ballisager (and Robinson likely still unavailable to begin the season), adding depth in the middle of the defense will be important.

Coach Andonovski mentioned that he’d like to find a replacement for recently retired Desi Scott in defensive mid and additional depth at the forward spot saying, “We never really needed that because, in almost all the games, we were ahead throughout the season until the last game, when we felt like, ‘OK, we could use another forward.’” The return of a fully healthy Bia will be impactful at the #9 spot and Pfeiffer was proving valuable last season until her injury.

Additions (and possible departures) will be coming. The league’s trading window opened Friday, and free agency is already underway. This is uncharted territory for the NWSL as this is the first offseason since the new CBA went into effect, eliminating the draft and creating a bigger free agent marketplace. Unlike last year’s upheaval, the Current would appear to be returning most of their core contributors, so most of the signings will likely be for depth. Of course, this front office hasn’t been shy about making aggressive moves, so there could be a surprise or two in store. (Free agent) Marta to KC? Unlikely but not impossible.

But the real question to tackle here is what would constitute success for Kansas City in 2025. This past year was an incredible journey for the club and its fans. Emerging from the disappointments of 2023, the team christened CPKC Stadium with a wild 5-4 win over the Thorns and never looked back. It was July before the team tasted defeat and set many scoring records along the way. The team won two in-season tournaments and was part of an historic group of four teams that separated themselves from the field, dominating in a way never seen before. 2024 also introduced Temwa Chawinga to an American audience and the fleet footed goal scorer earned the club their first ever MVP.

What does an encore to that season look like? The most obvious answer is that the team builds on its success and achieves one or both of the honors it missed out on to Orlando: the Shield and the Championship. In NWSL play, only two teams have ever gotten to celebrate a victory on the CPKC pitch: the Current (many times) and the Orlando Pride (twice). Kansas City fans were left with a sour taste when Pride players danced across the field after handing KC their first defeat last July. In November, those same fans could only lament what could have been when watching Orlando take down Washington in the title match. A win over the 10-woman Pride team in July likely would have meant KC earning the Shield (for best record) and hosting the semifinal match that then could have led to a berth in the Championship–hosted by KC.

A “Championship or bust” mentality? That can be tricky as anything short of being the very best team ends in feelings of disappointment. Kansas City area fans of the other local “football” team, the Chiefs, are currently being spoiled as Mahomes is allowing that type of mentality to feel reasonable. Perhaps Chawinga can help lead the Current to a similar sort of dynasty. How entertaining would it be if Temwa could somehow earn enough money to become part owner of the Chiefs like Patrick is of the Current? Yes, I know, women’s sports have a long way to go before anyone signs a half-billion-dollar contract.

The other challenge with only being satisfied by winning it all is that would logically be the goal for the other 13 teams–especially the other three who finished ahead of KC on points. Orlando, Gotham, and Washington are all retooling right now believing they have a legitimate shot at finishing atop the standings. And in a league with as much parity as the NWSL, the notion that a team from outside that top four could make a run to the title isn’t at all farfetched. After all, neither Orlando nor Kansas City even made the playoffs in 2023.

While the goal will clearly be to take a step forward and bring home a trophy, perhaps Kansas City and its fans will be excited as long as the team delivers at least more of the same. The Current entertained us by winning shootouts to begin the year and low-scoring affairs to finish the season. The fans helped build CPKC into a fortress that sold out every match and the team responded by winning or tying all but one on home soil. There may be more non-league tournaments (perhaps a Women’s Cup championship) and almost certainly a lot more goals.

A significant step backwards would be a disappointment, but more of the same? Sign me up.