A pair of blockbuster trades were announced between a trio of NWSL teams on Wednesday, the separate deals set to add new layers of intrigue to the 2026 season – and perhaps to the U.S. women’s national team picture, too.
Croix Bethune will join the Kansas City Current from the Washington Spirit in a package worth a total of $1 million, as first reported by CBS Sports, which marks a new chapter in the 2024 NWSL Rookie of the Year’s career as she papers for her first full season after recovering from a meniscus tear. In a separate deal, Bay FC acquired USWNT midfielder Claire Hutton after sending $1.1 million the Current’s way for her services. The pair are rising stars in the NWSL and have made their way inside the USWNT’s player pool, each of them offering valuable skillsets to their new teams and providing signals of ambition as the start of the 2026 season nears. The moves, though, also add another layer of intrigue in a league that is defined in some ways by its busy offseasons.
For both Bethune and Hutton, changing clubs at the start of 2026 will offer ample time to settle in before USWNT head coach Emma Hayes has to lock in roster decisions for November’s Concacaf W Championship, the qualification tournament for next year’s World Cup. There are a fascinating number of unknowns with each of these deals, though, especially as it pertains to the Current’s abilities without Hutton.
Here’s analysis of the headline-grabbing moves, including an assessment of how well each party stacked up after the big trades.
Bay FC
Bay FC have yet to light the league up since joining as an expansion team in 2024 but in landing Hutton, they have given themselves a real opportunity to compete. The 20-year-old is easily one of the U.S.’ rising stars, settling into the demands of being a professional seamlessly and positioning herself to be one of the game’s top talents in her position for years to come. Just about every team in the world would benefit from Hutton’s arrival and by acquiring her, Bay have demonstrated serious ambition ahead of head coach Emma Coates’ first season in charge. Hutton will not solve all of their problems but she undoubtedly gives them the opportunity to go up a level, an opportunity they would be silly to waste. Grade: A
Kansas City Current
Bethune is more than capable of being a positive addition to the Current thanks to her attack-minded style of play and the sheer entertainment value she brings every time she’s on the field. With nine goals and 15 assists in her two seasons as a professional, she will be a boon to a Current team that boasts plenty of attacking talent and should combine nicely with Temwa Chawinga once the Malawi international returns from a long-term hip adductor injury. Separate from Bethune’s attributes, though, Hutton is a huge loss for the Current and how exactly the team fills that void is a big unknown as they chase silverware after a record-breaking regular season in 2025. Grade: B
Washington Spirit
Bethune requested the trade in a move the Spirit’s president of soccer operations, Haley Carter, described as one motivated by “her desire to explore development opportunities in a different environment.” She will be missed by the Spirit but in exchange, Bethune’s old team will have plenty of money to play with. Like the Current, they are chasing the NWSL Championship that continues to elude them, and the Spirit have a well-documented history of spending wisely. How exactly this money will get used is unclear – NWSL player salaries are not public information, so whether or not Trinity Rodman’s new deal impacts their wage bill and plays even a small role in Bethune’s move away is uncertain. Even if the funds from the Bethune trade go into the players they already have, though, it will go a long way in keeping a talented group of players happy and motivated ahead of an important campaign. Grade: A-
