Gotham FC Crowned Champions Again A Victory With Harrison at Heart (Video)

On Saturday, November 22, 2025, NJ/NY Gotham FC — the team that calls Harrison, New Jersey home — stunned the women’s soccer world once again, capturing the 2025 NWSL Championship in San Jose, California. With a gritty 1–0 win over rival Washington Spirit, Gotham raised the league trophy for the second time in three seasons, cementing its rise as a powerhouse in American and global women’s soccer.

Harrison’s Team, A National Spotlight

Although the final was played nearly 3,000 miles away at PayPal Park, Gotham’s victory resonates most powerfully back home at the Sports Illustrated Stadium in Harrison. The club’s passionate local fan base has helped transform the Sports Illustrated Stadium into one of the true centers of U.S. women’s soccer, and this championship adds another proud chapter for Harrison’s identity as a soccer town.

This was more than a win. It was history:

• Most-watched match in NWSL history
• 1.184 million viewers nationwide
• First NWSL match to surpass 1 million viewers
• 22% increase over the 2024 final
• 45% increase since 2023
• Massive surge in youth viewership, including a 70% rise among ages 18–34

Harrison’s home team didn’t just succeed — they helped push the league into a new era of visibility and respect.

From No. 8 Seed to the Summit

This championship run will go down as one of the most improbable in league history:

Gotham is now the lowest seed ever to win the NWSL Championship — a testament to their grit and belief.

Their postseason magic included:

• Latest playoff game-winner ever vs. Kansas City
• Latest regulation winner in Orlando
• Latest championship-winning goal in league history

On Saturday, November 22, 2025, the breakthrough came in the 80th minute:
A driven ball from Bruninha skipped across the area and found Rose Lavelle, who calmly buried it, delivering the title.

Gotham’s midfield and defense did not allow a single shot on target—champions in every measure.

A New York Celebration

Upon returning home on Monday, Gotham FC players were honored at New York City Hall, where Mayor Eric Adams awarded them the Key to the City:

“Their victory is more than a championship; it’s a statement that women’s sports belong on the biggest stage.”
— Mayor Eric Adams

NYC landmarks — including all five borough halls — lit up in Gotham’s signature sky blue in tribute to the champions.

Town of Harrison

The Town of Harrison did not hold a Celebration to mark a historic moment.  An opportunity lost.

A Season for the Ages

This title completes a landmark year:

• 2025 Concacaf W Champions Cup winners
• 2025 NWSL Champions, presented by Google Pixel
• Second championship in three seasons

Head coach Juan Carlos Amorós now owns a league-record seven playoff victories.
Stars Lavelle, Jaedyn Shaw, and Emily Sonnett led a roster that delivered on the club’s mission:

“Always Building, Never Finished.”

Gotham Belongs to Harrison

While New York City lit up in celebration, it is Harrison — Gotham FC’s true home turf — that beats at the center of this story.

Fans in the Sports Illustrated Stadium have stood by the club through rebuilds, retirements, surprises, and underdog climbs. And now, once again, the plaques and banners that honor champions will rise on the banks of the Passaic River in Harrison, NJ.

📣 Tell us what you think on our Community Discussion Board. Not a member yet? Sign up today and be part of the conversation. It's a Free Membership.