The NWSL playoff race is taking shape, with postseason hopefuls No. 6 Kansas City and No. 8 LA jockeying for positioning in Saturday’s Current vs Angel City match as the 2026 regular season cruises past its halfway mark.
The Current leads ACFC by six points in the NWSL standings heading into the weekend clash — though LA has two games in hand.
KC arrives in blazing form despite losing back-to-back MVP Temwa Chawinga to WAFCON, riding high after routing No. 16 Louisville 5-1 on Wednesday.
ACFC is looking to regain its footing, after seeing its three-game post-break winning streak snapped in Sunday’s 2-1 loss to Louisville.
Angel City is struggling with absences of its own, announcing star striker Jun Endo suffered another season-ending knee injury in July 11th’s upset win over No. 4 San Diego.
“This is not the news you ever want to receive about an athlete,” said Director of Medical Hollie Walusz. “Especially someone who has worked so incredibly hard to get back on the field doing what she loves.”
Kansas City hosts Angel City tomorrow at 6:30 PM ET, live on ION.
The NWSL is making changes, as The Athletic reported the US league plans to open next season in February. That shifts the calendar up a full month to make room for the 2027 World Cup in Brazil.
The proposed schedule kicks off preseason play in January. The regular season gets underway on February 11th, before the playoffs run through late November.
If confirmed, 2027 would mark the earliest season start in league history, giving way to an especially lengthy midseason break.
The NWSL has made increasingly significant calendar concessions in recent years. It's paused the regular-season for the 2023 World Cup, 2025 Women’s Euros, and 2026 Men’s World Cup.
The 2027 World Cup runs from June 24th to July 25th, with the NWSL — one of the only pro leagues on a spring-to-fall schedule — forced to accommodate the interruption.
The league declined to vote on adopting a fall-to-spring model until 2030 — shortly before the US, Mexico, Jamaica, and Costa Rica are expected to host the 2031 World Cup.
The NWSL cut ties with Victory+ on Thursday, terminating their media rights agreement with the streaming platform over unpaid fees. The deal had been in place for less than one full season.
How to Watch NWSL Games for Free on NWSL+
Still, fans won't lose access to any action. Starting Sunday, every match previously airing on Victory+ will instead stream at no cost on NWSL+, the league's own streaming service. That means all scheduled NWSL games remain available, just on a different screen.
The split follows months of financial trouble for Victory+.
The platform has failed to keep up with guaranteed payouts to its league partners since February. It has also struggled to lock down new investment. Before the NWSL's move, both the Texas Rangers of the MLB and the NHL's Anaheim Ducks had already walked away from the service.
Victory+ had carried a Sunday night package plus dozens of additional regular-season matches, including 57 NWSL games total through 2027. With the league now at 16 teams and a 248-match calendar, that coverage was supposed to simplify viewing for fans spread across too many platforms.
The league's remaining TV deals with CBS Sports, ESPN, Prime, and ION are unaffected by this latest streaming shakeup.
Trinity Rodman needed just one chance to decide Wednesday's Washington Spirit vs Utah Royals matchup. After a rain delay, her 28th-minute finish, a close-range tap off Paige Metayer's cross, gave the Spirit a 1-0 win at America First Field.
Trinity Rodman Goal Breaks Deadlock After Weather Delay
The goal came moments after an hour-long weather delay. The Royals had controlled the tempo early, outshooting Washington 5-2 before the stoppage. However, that momentum vanished in a matter of seconds.
Utah didn't fold. The Royals outshot Washington 10-4 before halftime and piled up 34 touches in the box across the full match, but managed just four shots on target. Spirit goalkeeper Sandy MacIver turned each one away to preserve the clean sheet.
"We had two or three very clear chances," head coach Jimmy Coenraets said. "We referred to it as a lapse of five seconds against a world-class player."
Washington Spirit vs Utah Royals Result Impacts NWSL Standings
Meanwhile, the result widened the gap in the NWSL standings.
Washington moved to a 11-3-3 record with 36 points, now six clear of third-place Utah at 9-5-3. It also marked the Royals' third loss in five matches since the Men's World Cup break.
Still, Coenraets left encouraged. Utah next hosts Portland Thorns FC on Sunday at 7 PM ET, live on NWSL+.
No. 2 Gotham held on last night, as Midge Purce’s early goal secured the defending champion’s 1-0 win over No. 14 Bay FC — despite a remixed starting XI.
Purce polished off Jaelin Howell’s knock-down header to register her 10th regular-season game-winner, breaking a club record previously shared with now-departed Esther.
Bay goalkeeper Jordan Silkowitz limited the damage with nine saves on the night — but even USWNT vet Abby Dahlkemper’s 84th-minute return from maternity leave wasn’t enough to turn things around after a disallowed Kennedy Fuller goal.
A reconfigured Gotham lineup took the pitch in San Jose, as interim coach Shaun Harris started reserve keeper Shelby Hogan over Ann-Katrin Berger, replaced injured Emily Sonnett with Jess Carter, and missed Esther’s attacking prowess up front.
Harris said he opted to give Berger “a little bit of a rest,” while failing to provide an update on Sonnett’s status beyond Tuesday’s brief mention of knee surgery.
“Jess had a really good game and she really showed her class, defending not just off the ball, but on the ball as well,” he said of the England international. “She’s a world class player that we really rely on.”
Gotham moves on to face No. 12 Houston on Saturday at 8 PM ET (NWSL+), before Bay hosts No. 10 Seattle at 8:45 PM ET (ION).
No. 3 Utah hosts No. 1 Washington in tonight’s Royals vs Spirit matchup, as two surging teams square off atop the NWSL standings.
Utah arrives hot off Saturday’s 4-1 rout of No. 9 North Carolina. On Saturday, four players contributed to the club’s highest-ever scoreline, as star striker Cloé Lacasse tied Christen Press’s 2019 single-season Royals scoring record.
“What this group is — and [Lacasse is] a great example of it — is humble,” coach Jimmy Coenraets said. “We’ll enjoy this win, but we also know that the hustle will start tomorrow.”
Utah remains unbeaten against Washington through three straight meetings — including March’s Mina Tanaka-fueled 1-1 draw.
The Spirit has conceded just 12 goals this season after Sunday’s 1-0 win over No. 11 Denver, where US star Trinity Rodman connected with forward Sofia Cantore to net the game-winner from deep.
“Tactically, the team is improving and growing every week,” manager Adrián González said. “We are finding different ways to win games, and I think that’s really positive.”
Washington visits Utah tonight at 9 PM ET (NWSL+).
No. 2 Gotham FC is losing a centerpiece, as the Bats announced they’ve mutually terminated striker Esther’s contract this week — a surprise development with major league implications.
According to a team statement, the Spanish international is leaving the NWSL entirely, temporarily stepping away from soccer to attend to personal matters back home.
“This journey has surpassed every expectation I had when I first came to Gotham,” Esther said, after tallying two NWSL championships, a Concacaf W Champions Cup title, and the 2026 Challenge Cup. “I will forever be proud to say that with this club, I won it all.”
The 33-year-old built a legacy in her brief tenure, departing New Jersey as the team’s all-time leading scorer with 33 goals across all competitions.
She’d been in terrific form this season, racking up four goals in her final three matches and six overall.
“We wish Esther and her family all the best,” said Gotham President of Soccer Operations Yael Averbuch West. “Esther has been a model professional on and off the field.”
Sunday's Racing Louisville vs Angel City FC NWSL matchup had everything: a rookie brace, a late rally, and a near-equalizer off the woodwork. But, the home team failed to score the win this time.
Maja Lardner Brace Powers Racing Louisville to Early Lead
Maja Lardner scored both Louisville goals in a 2-1 road victory at BMO Stadium, netting the first brace of her NWSL career. Lardner opened the scoring in the 24th minute. She attacked a rebound after goalkeeper Angelina Anderson saved a long-range effort.
Then in the 55th minute, she headed home a cross from Kayla Fischer to double the lead.
Angel City FC answered in the 80th minute through Sveindís Jónsdóttir. She collected a long pass from Sophia Mattice, beat her defender, and slotted the ball under the keeper. The assist was the first of Mattice's career.
From there, the pressure mounted. Gisele Thompson launched a shot that rippled the side netting in the 85th minute. Riley Tiernan struck the woodwork moments later. Still, Louisville's defense held firm through stoppage time.
NWSL Scores & Standings After Angel City Upset
Angel City finished with 67% of possession and outshot Louisville in the first half, but they couldn't find a way to capitalize.
This latest loss drops them to ninth in the NWSL standings, one point outside the playoff line. Louisville, meanwhile, picked up just their second win from the bottom of the table.
The latest Seattle Reign FC vs San Diego Wave meeting ended with a decisive road win for the Reign on Sunday night. Two early headers, both from San Diego natives, sealed a 2-0 shutout at Snapdragon Stadium.
Maddie Mercado & Jordyn Bugg Spark Early Seattle Reign Lead
Maddie Mercado opened the scoring in the 17th minute after midfielder Ainsley McCammon found her with a sharp pass inside the box. Mercado got behind defender Perle Morroni to nod it home.
Just three minutes later, Jordyn Bugg doubled the lead off a corner kick. McCammon again played provider, flicking a backward header for Bugg to tap in.
It was the sixth time this season San Diego has been shut out. Still, the Wave generated chances after halftime, finishing with 22 shot attempts and seven corner kicks. But Reign goalkeeper Claudia Dickey stood firm, recording eight saves to preserve the clean sheet.
Meanwhile, Sandra Paños made her NWSL debut in net for San Diego. She finished with three saves but was put in difficult positions on both goals.
NWSL Scores & Standings After San Diego Wave Loss
The win gives Seattle some momentum after losing two of its previous three matches. The Reign climbed to eighth with 11 points, right on the playoff line. San Diego, meanwhile, dropped to third with 18 points after its fourth loss this season.
Soccer fans held their breath on Friday, as USWNT and Gotham defender Emily Sonnett was stretchered off the Portland field with injury in the opening minutes of the Gotham vs Thorns game’s 2-2 draw.
“Gotham FC defender Emily Sonnett left Friday’s match at Portland with a suspected left knee injury,” read a team statement. “She will receive further evaluation in New Jersey.”
“Emily’s one of our key players as a leader on and off the pitch, so it’s really difficult when you lose such a great and key player that early in the game,” added interim manager Shaun Harris.
The game that followed pitted the No. 5 Portland’s potent offense against No. 2 Gotham’s staunch backline.
Superstar signing Sam Kerr played hero for the Bats. The Australian international scored her first goal since returning to the NWSL, securing the result in the 62nd minute.
“I thought we were quite poor today, to be honest,” Kerr said postgame. “We were probably lucky to get away with the tie.”
Gotham’s roadtrip continues with Wednesday’s visit to No. 14 Bay FC, kicking off at 10 PM ET (CBS Sports).