Three weeks remain before Winter Break in 2025/26 Gainbridge Super League season
The first four months of the 2025/26 Gainbridge Super League season have come and gone, leaving us with just three remaining match days before the Winter Break.
Nothing is quite decided by the midway point, but it gives a good pulse check for where things could stand in May; three of the four teams that finished above the playoff line last Winter Break ended up in the postseason.
With that in mind, here are the three teams who need to make the most out of their December matchups to make things a little easier in the spring.
Tampa Bay Sun FC
Remaining matches: vs. Sporting JAX 12/6; vs. Brooklyn 12/13; @ Sporting JAX 12/20
It’s safe to say the reigning champs have not lived up to the expectations we had to start this season, as they sit at the bottom of the table with 10 points through 11 matches. The Sun hasn’t lost since mid-September, but draws aren’t doing enough to move them up the standings.
Tampa Bay now finds itself in a position where it must earn results against two teams it has yet to ever beat to get out of last place by the break. It has two more meetings against Sporting JAX, a team that is picking up steam with two of the top scorers in the league, Ashlyn Puerta and Paige Kenton. In between is a meeting with Brooklyn, which has scored four goals against the Sun in their previous matches this season.
Tampa Bay shouldn’t be counted out just yet though. It was the one team that crawled above the playoff line after going nearly undefeated in the second half of the season and finished by lifting the trophy in June. Things can certainly change in the spring, but it starts with these three matches this month.
Spokane Zephyr FC
Remaining matches: @ Lexington 12/16; @ Fort Lauderdale United 12/20
Spokane’s fall trajectory matches that of a mountain peak: a slow start that saw points dropped from winning positions, an unbeaten stretch earning results against top opponents, followed by an abrupt decline with four-straight losses. The team is clinging to fifth place because it has a slightly better goal differential than Brooklyn.
Zephyr has the second-worst points-per-game margin behind only Tampa Bay. On top of that, it’s one of the teams with a bye in December, leaving just two opportunities to earn some of those points back before the break.
The positive for Spokane is it still has one of the best defenses in the league, proven by its second-lowest goals conceded mark despite having more losses than any other team. It has already held Lexington scoreless twice and lost only 1-0 to Fort Lauderdale earlier in the campaign. If Spokane can get things going offensively, there’s a chance to finish the fall on a high note.
Brooklyn FC
Remaining matches: @ Carolina Ascent 12/6; @ Tampa Bay Sun 12/13
It’s been difficult to get a good read on Brooklyn this season. The team hasn’t lost multiple games in a row, but it also hasn’t won consecutive matches either. Injuries to players along with mid-season signings have resulted in a new lineup nearly every week. The inconsistency results in the team sitting in sixth place with a 3-5-5 record.
Like Spokane, Brooklyn has played more matches than every other team and will have just two chances in December to earn points. Unfortunately, both matches are on the road, where Brooklyn has gone 0-2-2 this season. Brooklyn has never beaten Carolina, but it has never lost to Tampa Bay.
Getting Bre Norris back in goal and Kelsey Hill returning to the backline bodes well for the team defensively. Sam Kroeger recorded assists on both game-winning goals for the team last month, returning to the form that earned the midfielder All-League honors last season. Rebecca Cooke keeps creating chances in the final third, and Sofia Lewis keeps scoring off the bench. Now, it’s about the whole team putting together two full 90-minute performances, and it could be above the playoff line by the break.