The road to the NWSL Championship in Washington, D.C. begins this weekend with the start of the playoffs, as the league's eight best teams square off in hopes of winning silverware. Three previous champions, including 2025 winners Gotham FC, are in the field. Gotham enter as favorites after winning the Shield for the first time, aiming to become the first team to complete the double since the Orlando Pride did so in 2024 and the first to win back-to-back championships since the North Carolina Courage in 2018 and 2019.
Quarterfinal Matchups
The other former winners, the Washington Spirit and the Portland Thorns, meet each other in the quarterfinals on Sunday in one of the most anticipated games of the weekend. The San Diego Wave, who took the Shield race to the final day, will take on the Utah Royals, who make their postseason debut on Friday. All eyes shift to the Midwest on Saturday, where the Kansas City Current host Angel City FC in what might be the most competitive matchup of the quarterfinals, with the LA-based side poised to play spoiler after a late-season tear fueled by U.S. women's national team hopeful Ally Sentnor.
Quarterfinal Schedule
All times Eastern:
Friday, Nov. 6: San Diego Wave vs. Utah Royals, 10 p.m. (Prime Video)
Saturday, Nov. 7: Kansas City Current vs. Angel City FC, 12 p.m. (CBS, Paramount+)
Sunday, Nov. 8: Gotham FC vs. Seattle Reign, 12:30 p.m. (ABC)
Sunday, Nov. 8: Washington Spirit vs. Portland Thorns, 3 p.m. (ABC)
Semifinals and Final
Semifinal matches will take place during the weekend of Nov. 14 and 15. The matchups will be Gotham FC/Seattle Reign vs. Kansas City Current/Angel City FC, and San Diego Wave/Utah Royals vs. Washington Spirit/Portland Thorns, with times to be announced. The final is scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 22 at 8 p.m. (CBS, Paramount+), with teams to be determined.
Expert Predictions
Ahead of the regular season, six experts made early predictions: four selected Kansas City Current as future NWSL Champions, while two chose the Washington Spirit. For the NWSL Shield, two picked Gotham FC, while others selected Washington Spirit, Orlando Pride, and Kansas City Current. Now that the postseason is here, analysts are shifting. Many are going with San Diego Wave to come out on top at the NWSL Championship. Others chose Gotham FC to follow up a Shield win with the championship, and Kansas City Current also made the bracket cut for one analyst. The analysts include Darian Jenkins, Kelley O'Hara, McCall Zerboni, Jen Beattie, Lori Lindsey, Sandra Herrera, Crystal Dunn, Lisa Carlin, and Pardeep Cattry.
