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For the first time, the White House welcomes the champions of the National Women's Soccer League

President Joe Biden welcomed the Gotham Football Club to the White House on Monday, making them the first National Women's Soccer League champion team to receive the honor.

Biden reflected on the underdog status that carried the team representing New York and New Jersey into the 2023 season. Gotham's team went from last place in the league to defeating all its critics in a single year.

“You never gave up and kept the faith, as my mother would say,” Biden said. “You reshuffled the roster, hired a new coach, something clicked. And after a tough season, you're the last team standing in the playoffs. As the saying goes, winners always win.”

He also pointed out that last year's NWSL final set a league record with 25,011 fans in attendance for the championship game at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego.

“I think it's safe to say that everyone – everyone – watches women's sports,” Biden said.

Biden then welcomed to the stage former national team star Ali Krieger, who played on Gotham until her retirement last year. He pointed out that the last time he saw Krieger, he was vice president. She was part of the team that won the 2015 Women's World Cup.

Speaking on behalf of her teammates, Krieger said they were “deeply honored” to be the first in the NWSL to be invited to the White House for such an accomplishment.

“When I look back on my career, I remember times when the women's game lacked attention and support,” Krieger said. “Since then, we have made remarkable progress, from our humble beginnings to winning the league. Both Gotham and the NWSL have experienced tremendous growth with more fans, greater engagement and greater recognition.”

But the work is far from over, Krieger added. Every time the players step onto the field, she said, they think of the young girls who dream of a future in the sport.

Gotham FC head coach Juan Carlos Amorós and striker Midge Purce present a jersey to President Joe Biden at a ceremony at the White House on Monday in honor of Gotham's 2023 NWSL championship.Kevin Dietsch / Getty Images

Although Gotham FC is the first NWSL team to make it to the White House, it is not the only women's soccer team to be invited. Since 2000, two other now-defunct leagues have been formed in the United States – the Women's United Soccer Association and the Women's Professional Soccer League.

President Barack Obama invited Sky Blue FC of the WPS league, then the New York and New Jersey team, to the White House in 2010. The league was shut down two years later.

The NWSL has been praised for its investment in the sport, which has increased attendance both in stadiums and through broadcast partnerships. In June, the NWSL reported that attendance in the league's 12th season was up 42% year-over-year.

The players' union recently negotiated a new collective bargaining agreement that gives athletes more control over where they play, eliminates player selection and gives all players free reign. The agreement also doubles the league's minimum salary and expands parental leave and child care benefits for players.

“This moment is not just about titles or trophies; it's about paving the way for that. Being first is historic, but more importantly, we need to make sure we're not last,” Krieger said.

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