[7] On September 24, 2008, the league allocated a further four players to the Bay Area via the 2008 WPS International Draft: strikers Christine Sinclair (Canada) and Eriko Arakawa (Japan), and Brazilian midfielder Formiga and defender Érika.

After that, FC Gold Pride's second loss at the hands of the Washington Freedom marked the beginning of the club's slide to the bottom of the WPS rankings, where it would remain for the rest of the season.

[15] Over the course of the offseason, the club traded Allison Whitworth to the Beat for the 10th- and 12th-overall picks in the 2010 WPS Draft,[16] lost team co-captain Leslie Osborne[17] and assists leader Tiffany Weimer to the Boston Breakers in free agency,[18] loaned Eriko Arakawa back to her former Nadeshiko League club NTV Beleza for the remainder of her WPS contract,[19] waived contract options for Adriane, Érika, and Formiga,[20] and in February 2010 also waived Brandi Chastain.

[24] In the 2010 WPS Draft, FC Gold Pride selected 2009 Hermann Trophy winner Kelley O'Hara, New Zealand international Ali Riley, and 2008 U-20 World Cup champions Becky Edwards and Kaley Fountain, among others.

[25] The Los Angeles Sol ceased operations not long afterward, and in the ensuing 2010 WPS Dispersal Draft FC Gold Pride acquired Marta, Kiki Bosio, and Lindsay Browne.

Despite the departure of Solveig Gulbrandsen and trading Kaley Fountain to the Atlanta Beat, the Pride dominated the league's regular season and on September 26, 2010, won their first WPS Championship by defeating the Philadelphia Independence, 4–0.