Angel City FCs playoff chances are slim-to-none, so the team must now look forward to a post season rebuild and reassessment for a better 2026 season.
This entire 2025 regular season has been unconventional and a rough go for the club. Despite repping a large market, with thousands of adoring and dedicated fans, their performance in the win column doesn’t match up. Ranked 11th with a current record of 7-6-12, ACFC will play their last game of the year on November 2, 2025 against the Chicago Stars. Even with a win, the team is unlikely to have a chance at a tournament run.
To be a successful soccer team, especially in a mecca of sports like Los Angeles, winning is vital. Going into the postseason, ACFC needs to find an achieving identity on the pitch through coaching, style of play and talent.
There is no doubt that Angel City faces adversity well. With the loss of star forward Alyssa Thompson and an early summer coaching change, the team continued to play hard games and didn’t get deflated in tough times. They play until the bitter end in every game, especially this year as they were attempting to contend for a playoff spot.
Looking at their record, the six draws need to be wins. Those games are the big factors in possessing a good rank and steady record for playoff soccer, building confidence for longer runs in the tournament.
Playing grittier soccer is also a must for Angel City next season. They have great determination and desire to win, but their performance is lacking in grit. A gritty team will win those draws next season if the Los-Angeles based club peppers the net more with shots, attack with reckless abandon and alter their mentality. They need to be more physical and less afraid of doing dirty work in order to grind out the hard fought matches.
After their second to last match at BMO Stadium on October 19, 2025, ACFC lost t two veteran players to retirement: Christen Press and Ali Riley. With these holes in their lineup, the club needs to take a step back to evaluate their roster.
To fill some of these gaps, Angel City has young talent they need to exploit more going into 2026. Midfielder Kennedy Fuller and defender Gisele Thompson are perfect examples of players that have potential to be the next star players of ACFC and the NWSL. They add depth to the roster through great ball distribution from the middle and back, on top of creating great attack opportunities.
Looking at the NWSL trade combine, ACFC should incorporate more international talent into their squad, as well as, take advantage of some of the NWSL contracts that are finishing up at the end of 2025. There are many young faces they can acquire to add new energy to the team, as well as global superpowers to enhance play and add flair, such as their recent addition of midfielder Hina Sugita.
A lot of the squad’s responsibilities fell into the hands of the head coach, Alexander Straus. Arriving in June 2025, Straus will hope to start the 2026 season off by applying his key projects for the team.
Straus emphasizes a winning culture in his coaching style. His proactiveness and possession-dominated style of play could be key factors for a better equipped team in the next season.
Through the free agency and trading portal, Straus must find new talent to add depth to the roster. Stability and consistency are core values that ACFC need going into a fresh start, and these can be heavily impacted by players and team chemistry.
Angel City has great potential to be lethal. The team is on the cusp of being something more, but they need to align their pieces first. With the offseason right around the corner, Angel City has the time to figure out what works best for them, through players, positioning, play and coaching.
If Angel City finds that groove, Los Angeles could be the new hub for women’s soccer dominance.