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The National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) is a professional women's soccer league owned by the teams, and under a management contract with 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 itself 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 (Chicago Red Stars, Boston Breakers, Sky Blue FC (NJ), Western New York Flash). With the addition of three expansion teams in Houston (2014), Orlando (2016), Salt Lake City (2018) and the loss of FC Kansas City and Boston Breakers, it now has nine teams throughout the United States.
Since the league's inaugural 2013 season, four clubs have been crowned NWSL Champions, awarded to the playoff winner, and four clubs have claimed the NWSL Shield, awarded to the team in first place at the end of the regular season. The current champions are the North Carolina Courage. The current shield winners are also the Courage, who in 2018 became the first team to claim both the NWSL Championship and the NWSL Shield in the same season.