On Sunday, the NWSL will hold its first-ever Decision Day, where the final six matches of the regular season will be played simultaneously. With eight teams vying for four remaining playoff spots, the timing for the move couldn’t be better.

It might be tricky to follow six games at once, but here are a few reasons why this weekend’s NWSL match day might be one of the most exciting in league history.

Superstars at the top

In the last few weeks, the biggest game-changers have been some of the biggest stars in the league, where hype and quality are coinciding. The USWNT’s Trinity Rodman grabbed all three points for the Spirit in a crucial 2-1 win in September, while Alex Morgan broke out of her scoring drought to give San Diego a top-of-the-table win over Portland. Megan Rapinoe continues to register assists in the waning days of her professional career, and Alyssa Thompson kept Angel City’s playoff hopes alive this past weekend with a key equalizer off the bench.

But Decision Day will likely come down to the other side of the pitch, as teams with quality defenses lock down opponents desperate to score. This should favor Naomi Girma and the Wave backline, which has been excellent again this season. The Thorns are bolstered by the return of Becky Sauerbrunn and arguably the best defensive midfielder in the league in Sam Coffey. Two-time World Cup champion Ali Krieger is thriving for Gotham before she heads off into retirement, while Sarah Gorden holds down Angel City’s backline.

Unsung heroes are at the heart of every league, but in a World Cup year, it’s no surprise that the league’s stars are stepping up when it counts. With playoff glory on the line, expect no different on Sunday.

Historic levels of parity

The NWSL’s parity has been praised as one of its greatest strengths, and its case for the most competitive league in the world has never been stronger. Eight teams still have a shot at the four remaining playoff spots, with every match looking like a must-win. Going into the final weekend, 10 teams are still in competitive positioning; whereas in 2022, the season ended with a three-team race for the sixth and final playoff spot (ultimately earned by Chicago).

Other indicators of next-level parity as compared to 2022 are the point totals at the bottom of the NWSL table. Gotham FC finished last season with just 13 points in 24 games and were barely beaten out by Washington, who finished with 19 points. This season, the Kansas City Current and Chicago Red Stars are the only two teams already eliminated from playoff contention, but both teams will far exceed last year’s basement dwellers in two fewer games. No. 12 Chicago suffered major blowouts for a rough minus-19 goal differential, but also earned seven wins to sit on 24 points in 21 games. Kansas City similarly struggled, but will go into the final weekend on 25 points.

You can also see the parity reflected in individual totals, as represented by the NWSL Golden Boot race. Reigning MVP Sophia Smith has produced a ridiculous goal per 90 rate, registering 11 goals (10 non-penalty) and five assists in just 16 appearances. Despite missing a number of matches due to international duty and injury, Smith can only lose the scoring title if Kerolin scores a brace or Debinha or Ashley Hatch notch a hat trick.

Parity is a blessing and a curse, and will likely deliver on Decision Day. No team has an easy match ahead of them, even the two teams playing against sides that have already been eliminated. One dropped result could mean a squad above the playoff line gets leapfrogged in real time.

New NWSL standings just dropped 💯 pic.twitter.com/wZszXu9ar2

— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) October 9, 2023

Save the date

It’s then naturally fitting that each of these games will be played at the same time, as difficult as it might be for fans to catch all of the action. In 2022, Portland’s final draw with Gotham FC gave OL Reign an opening to snatch the Shield. But Portland’s draw came earlier in the weekend, so the Reign knew exactly what they needed to do before their match even began.

A Decision Day format reserves all suspense for the same 90 minutes, adding to the drama of a close race to the finish. The Thorns are again in pole position for the Shield, but should they drop points against Angel City, they won’t know the outcome of challenger San Diego’s game until theirs is finished. This energy will carry into the live playoff table, as teams push for results to give themselves a shot at the postseason.

Most teams know they need a win to have a chance at advancing — with matchups like Washington vs. North Carolina and Orlando vs. Houston, some results will be obvious even without knowledge of other games. For viewers wanting more contextualized information, CBS Sports will be broadcasting the league’s first-ever whiparound show on Sunday, giving fans the programming depth they’ve long been craving.

The frantic race to the finish will drive momentum toward the championship game. Now all that’s left is for the action to live up to the moment.

Claire Watkins is a Staff Writer at Just Women’s Sports. Follow her on Twitter @ScoutRipley.

The 2025 NWSL Championship claimed a major viewership milestone on Saturday, as Gotham FC's 1-0 title win over the Washington Spirit became the first-ever league match to record an average of more than one million viewers.

The CBS evening broadcast averaged an impressive 1.184 million fans and peaked at 1.55 million viewers, making it the most-watched NWSL match of all time.

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The 2025 final marked a 22% viewership increase over the 967,900 fans who watched 2024's Orlando Pride victory — the previous NWSL viewership record-holder — and a 45% ratings gain over Gotham's 2023 championship win, which averaged 816,800 viewers.

Saturday's gains both matched the 22% viewership increase the NWSL regular season saw this year and also far exceeded the 2025 postseason's pre-final year-over-year increase of 5%.

Calling the one-million viewer mark "an extraordinary achievement" in Tuesday's league statement, NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman also noted that the "record-setting audience demonstrates the deepening connection fans have with our players, our clubs, and the world-class competition on the field, and it underscores the growing demand for women's soccer on the biggest stages."

"We're incredibly proud of what this moment represents for the NWSL and for everyone who continues to invest in and believe in the future of our game," Berman added.

Incoming offseason league Project B scored more major WNBA signings this week, as the upstart venture continues stacking its roster ahead of a planned November 2026 launch.

Indiana Fever guards Kelsey Mitchell and Sophie Cunningham have both publicly signed on with Project B, joining already announced talent like Seattle Storm star Nneka Ogwumike and Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas, New York Liberty center Jonquel Jones, and Las Vegas Aces guard Jewell Loyd.

Also inking deals to join the inaugural season of Project B are Chicago Sky center Kamilla Cardoso, Golden State Valkyries forward Janelle Salaün, and Li Meng, a former Washington Mystics guard and current player in the Women's Chinese Basketball Association.

The multi-continent, Formula One-style traveling tournament circuit will ultimately sign 66 international stars, as Project B looks to field six 11-player teams in its debut 2026/2027 campaign.

Project B player signings will undoubtedly impact other offseason leagues like Unrivaled and Athletes Unlimited, but the new venture is also looming large over the ongoing WNBA CBA talks.

With negotiations racing toward this Sunday's extended deadline, Project B is putting WNBA compensation offerings under increased pressure, as the new league is reportedly anteing up multimillion-dollar salaries to its signees — far exceeding the 2025 WNBA maximum as well as the $1.1 million-max currently on the negotiating table.

World No. 1 Spain will take aim at a second-straight UEFA Nations League title this week, as La Roja take on No. 5 Germany in the first leg of the 2025 tournament's final at 2:30 PM ET on Friday.

The defending Nations League champions booked their spot in the 2025 final by dismantling No. 3 Sweden 5-0 on aggregate in the semifinal round, while Germany advanced after a tense 3-2 aggregate win over No. 6 France.

Germany must also contend with availability issues during Friday's match, as 28-year-old Bayern Munich forward and senior national team leading scorer Lea Schüller will be out due to family reasons.

To overcome that disadvantage, German head coach Christian Wück is reinforcing the team's back line, adding Athletic Bilbao defender Bibi Schulze Solano to the roster on Wednesday.

Also aiming to shut down Spain's offensive firepower on Friday is new NWSL champion goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger, who joined her German compatriots late following Gotham FC's title celebrations in New York this week.

While Spain and Germany will contend for the 2025 Nations League trophy this week, the pair — along with ousted semifinalists Sweden and France — have already booked spots in the top group of teams battling for tickets to the 2027 World Cup, with UEFA qualifying set to begin in 2026.

A full 19 months removed from their back-to-back Final Four runs, No. 11 Iowa basketball refuses to go away, with the Hawkeyes already notching one Top-25 win in the young 2025/26 NCAA campaign so far.

The still-unbeaten Hawkeyes took down No. 15 Baylor 57-52 last Thursday, with Iowa starting post players Hannah Stuelke and Ava Heiden combining for 28 points while guard Taylor Stremlow added another 12 off the bench in the marquee win.

"We have nice pieces," said Iowa head coach Jan Jensen this week. "But it's knowing when to play which pieces and with whom, and we're six games in."

The Hawkeyes have been finding their new identity under Jensen after a transformative period saw Iowa's longtime head coach Lisa Bluder retire while superstar guard Caitlin Clark joined the WNBA.

"Jan's been amazing," Stuelke told JWS at the Big Ten Media Day in October. "She stepped up like she needed to, and she's been growing every day since she's been the head coach, which it's really cool to see she cares. And it's a great environment for all of us."

"I have a year under my belt," Jensen echoed. "I know what this chair feels like now, and I have a little better of understanding of what that first road trip feels like, what that first big win feels like, or the tough loss feels like."

Iowa's season heats up with a ranked rivalry matchup against No. 10 Iowa State on Wednesday, December 10th.

The state rivals will tip off at 7 PM ET, with live coverage airing on ESPN.