[3] Bill Lynch, the original Washington Spirit's owner when the National Women's Soccer League launched in 2013,[4] sold the majority of the team to tech executive Steve Baldwin in late 2018.

[5][6] Several other minority investors have since been added to the ownership group—Jenna Bush Hager and Chelsea Clinton, daughters of U.S. presidents; Olympic gold medal-winning gymnast Dominique Dawes; and most recently (May 2021) Washington Capitals star Alexander Ovechkin.

[8][9][10] During the February 7, 2013 NWSL Supplemental Draft, the team selected Stephanie Ochs, Tori Huster, Jordan Angeli, Natasha Kai, Megan Mischler and Heather Cooke.

[11][12] The Spirit played their first competitive match on April 14, 2013, drawing Boston Breakers 1–1 with Tiffany McCarty scoring the team's first goal assisted by Stephanie Ochs.

[14] After a poor inaugural season, the Spirit would much improve in the 2014 making some key acquisitions including Jodie Taylor and Christine Nairn, both who would finish as the team's tops scorers with 11 and 8 goals, respectively.

Earning their first post-season victory against Chicago Red Stars, the Spirit would lose the 2016 NWSL Final in penalties to Western New York Flash.

[27] The 2019 season also featured major changes on the field; fifteen new players were added to the Spirit roster including Australian national team members Chloe Logarzo and Amy Harrison.

[29][30] CEO Steve Baldwin was also accused of nepotism and retaliatory behavior, leading to fellow co-owner Michele Kang to call for him to step down and sell his ownership interest in the team.

[33][34] The Spirit won their first NWSL Championship on Saturday November 20, 2021, when they defeated the Chicago Red Stars, 2–1 in extra-time at Lynn Family Stadium in Louisville, Kentucky.

[40] On October 17, 2023, two days following the team's final defeat against North Carolina Courage, Mark Parsons was relieved of his duties[41] as the Spirit's head coach after one season.

[42] On January 9, 2024, the club announced the hiring of FC Barcelona Femeni's Jonatan Giráldez Costas as their new head coach.

OL Groupe would retain a 48% stake in the resulting new entity, and Kang would become the club's majority owner and CEO, pending the approval of the NWSL and French regulators.

All of the components of the badge are "wrapped in the Banner of Spirit for a patriotic theme honoring our flag and all of those who have given their lives and sacrificed much so we can enjoy the freedoms we have.

Starting during the 2018 season, the Spirit began coordinating with D.C. United to play home matches at Audi Field in Buzzard Point in Washington D.C.

[57] On December 6, 2022, the club announced it had reached a deal with D.C. United to become a full-time tenant at Audi Field, playing its full home schedules at the Buzzard Point venue starting with the 2023 season.

"[61] Rose Room Collective is an independent supporter group for the Washington Spirit and D.C. United by and for people of color (POC).

They were founded on a strong desire to have a supporter group in the D.C. area with a more targeted approach to including and amplifying the voices of POC.

[65] As of April 2017, Washington Spirit games are streamed exclusively by Go90 for American audiences and via the NWSL website for international viewers.

[66] For the 2017 season, the Spirit will be featured in three nationally televised Lifetime NWSL Game of the Week broadcasts on April 22,[67] June 17, and August 19, 2017.