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Cascadia Rivalry platforms best of NWSL past, present and future

We all need a bit of needle in our derbies, and the Portland Thorns and the Seattle Reign continue to show the way

Theo Lloyd-Hughes's avatar
Theo Lloyd-Hughes
Aug 12, 2025
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Sam Coffey (centre) clutches and points to the Portland Thorns crest after scoring in the Cascadia Rivalry | Credit: Portland Thorns

Don’t get me wrong, I love football in the United States. For the unconverted, in my opinion, week to week, the NWSL remains the most balanced and entertaining women’s football league in the world.

However, sport in the United States and particularly soccer has an uncomfortable habit of trying to package history and meaning before it has been allowed to develop organically.

This past weekend, the NWSL officially held its first-ever ‘Rivalry Weekend’, with the idea of creating hype around certain derby matchups.

The only problem is that you can’t always make something derby with the snap of your fingers and a healthy marketing budget. It has to ferment. The culture must form all on its own.

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