[1] In the prior season, the Spirit sat in seventh place—beyond playoff contention—with a 5–5–3 record through early August when head coach Richie Burke abruptly resigned, citing "health concerns.

[41] In mid–February, several American players returned to the US national team to compete in the 2022 SheBelieves Cup, while Devon Kerr, Sydney Schneider, Karina Rodríguez, and Julia Roddar were called up to Canada, Jamaica, Mexico, and Sweden, respectively.

Returning to Washington for two additional intra-team scrimmages, the Spirit winnowed their roster to 30 players on March 2 ahead of the 2022 NWSL Challenge Cup.

[47] Washington earned a dominant 4–1 win in their final home match against Orlando, a game that saw goalkeeper Devon Kerr make her first start since signing with the team in 2020.

[48] Traveling to New Jersey to face Gotham a second time, the Spirit fell behind after Nahomi Kawasumi opened the scoring in the fourth minute.

[49] In the final group stage match against North Carolina — the first time the Spirit saw a national television audience — Washington managed a 2–2 draw.

[50] The point helped North Carolina clinch the Challenge Cup East Division, but left the Spirit needing an unlikely win from then-winless Angel City over Portland the next night to advance to the semifinals.

[51] Working with stadium organizers, the league moved the game back to Audi Field, although OL Reign were considered the home team.

In the tenth round, Sam Staab converted a ninth penalty kick for the Spirit and Aubrey Kingsbury made a game-winning save.

Washington avoided another penalty kick when another handball foul went uncalled, then equalized when Trinity Rodman passed through to Ashley Hatch for a goal against her former team.

Finally, Jordan Baggett collided with Kerolin early in second-half stoppage time and suffered an apparent head or neck injury.

[56] Washington hosted OL Reign on the opening weekend of the regular season in front of more than 10,000 fans at Audi Field.

Reign goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce made nine saves in the first half to keep the lead slim, and Seattle midfielder Rose Lavelle equalized after halftime.

Sullivan and O'Hara remained unavailable alongside Jordan Baggett, who had suffered a head injury in the Challenge Cup final.

Second half substitute Jordyn Listro earned her first professional assist after sending a cross to Mikayla Cluff, who tipped the ball past Kingsbury.

They conceded an early goal on an Ella Stevens header, but Staab equalized late in the second half to salvage a point for the Spirit.

[63] Traveling north to Red Bull Arena to face Gotham three days later, Kris Ward commented "[f]rankly, we're playing people who are exhausted.

Ward kept Rodman and Sanchez on the bench, giving Washington rookie Madison Elwell a chance to make her professional debut.

[65] The team returned home to play North Carolina for the first time in the regular season after two draws and a loss in the Challenge Cup final.

Captain Abby Erceg later doubled the Courage's lead, but Washington found its momentum and drew even on second half goals from Sanchez and Hatch.

In stoppage time, a set piece enabled Kaleigh Kurtz to send the game-winner past Kingsbury to hand the Spirit another loss.

Hatch found Elwell late in the first half, who shot the ball past Katie Lund to earn her first NWSL goal and give Washington a 2–0 lead.

Washington signed six players to national team replacement contracts to fill out the roster — forwards Brenna Connell and Jamie Fields, midfielders Andrea Frerker and Katie Murray joined the team for the first time, while forward Audrey Harding and midfielder Marissa Sheva were converted from injury replacement contracts.

[69] The team resumed play July 3 on the road, facing San Diego Wave FC for the first time in their inaugural season.

Fields, Sheva, and goalkeeper Devon Kerr made their first regular season starts for the club, while Jordan Baggett, Dorian Bailey, and Tara McKeown returned from injury.

Baggett connected on a cross from McKeown late in second-half stoppage time to cut the lead in half, but the Spirit left San Diego in 11th place.

A late foul gave Tinaya Alexander a penalty kick opportunity in second-half stoppage time, but Adrianna Franch saved her attempt.

North Carolina, whose defender Jaelene Daniels was non-rostered after refusing to wear the club's Pride Night jerseys, had defeated the Spirit in May's Challenge Cup final, also at Sahlen's Stadium.

Shortly after the second half began, North Carolina equalized again when Meredith Speck sent the ball past Kingsbury for an easy tap-in by Diana Ordoñez.

Rodman beat another Courage defender to find the net a second time in the 56th minute to earn the first two-goal match of her NWSL career.