Gotham FC Holds NWSL Title Parade in Manhattan

Thousands of fans lined the streets of lower Manhattan on Monday as NJ/NY Gotham FC celebrated its second National Women's Soccer League championship in three years with a parade and ceremony at City Hall. The team, which clinched the 2025 title with a 1-0 victory over the Washington Spirit on November 22 at PayPal Park in San Jose, California, rode double-decker buses through the Civic Center neighborhood, waving to supporters before receiving keys to the city from Mayor Eric Adams.

Gotham entered the playoffs as the No. 8 seed, the lowest ever to win the league crown. The path began with a 2-1 upset of the top-seeded Kansas City Current in the quarterfinals, followed by a 1-0 semifinal win over the No. 4 Orlando Pride. In the final, midfielder Rose Lavelle scored the game's only goal in the 80th minute, assisted by a cross from substitute Bruninha, securing the victory in front of a sellout crowd of 18,000. Washington, the No. 2 seed, managed no shots on target despite seven attempts and failed to equalize, marking their second straight championship loss after falling to Orlando in 2024.

The celebration kicked off around 10 a.m. near Barclay Street, proceeding up Broadway to...