The North American women’s soccer world is enjoying the fruits of four years’ labor, with attendance records for both the NWSL and individual clubs highlighting a strong post-World Cup boost. How the world capitalized on this surge, though, may define what’s possible over the next four years of women’s soccer.

This week on Breaking Lines, The Athletic’s Meg Linehan joins us to talk about the future of the NWSL, not only in terms of how it can grow but what needs to happen in the short-term to address needs the league carries over from the last cycle. What’s a reasonable expectation for league size, come four years from now? Which teams will still be with us, and which teams will go? And how will the relationship between U.S. Soccer and its most important league evolve over the next four seasons?