DC is stepping back into the soccer spotlight, as the league officially tapped the Washington Spirit’s Audi Field to host the 2026 NWSL Championship.
The title match returns to the East Coast for the first time since 2022, when Portland beat Kansas City to lift a third NWSL trophy at Audi Field.
“Washington, DC has become one of the premier destinations for women’s soccer, with an incredibly engaged fan base, a vibrant soccer culture, and a community that continues to champion the growth of our game,” said Commissioner Jessica Berman.
The Spirit became the fourth women’s club in the world to average 15,000+ fans per match last season, with the 20,000-seat venue already selling out three of the team’s first five home games this year.
“DC shows up for women’s sports like few cities in the world,” said Spirit CEO Kim Stone. “A fan base this passionate deserves events like this.”
The Championship airs in primetime on CBS for the fifth straight year, with tickets on sale this summer — and presale access signups open now.
Liga MX Femenil triumphed over the NWSL this weekend, as Mexico’s Club América downed Gotham and Washington en route to the 2026 Concacaf W Champions Cup title.
After dismantling Gotham 4-1 on Wednesday, América faced the Spirit in Saturday’s continental final. The Mexican side built on an intense attacking output to secure the 5-3 win.
Club América forward Scarlett Camberos won Player of the Tournament. She scored four goals in two games — including the championship’s final strike.
"It's been a great experience for the team," said Washington head coach Adrián González.
"It's always hard, because you put a lot of effort… I couldn't be prouder. I think we are going to learn from this and I am sure that we are gonna keep getting in finals and for sure we will win finals in the future."
Club América Moves to 2027 FIFA Champions Cup with Concacaf Win
The NWSL and Liga MX Femenil are now tied 1-1 for all-time Champions Cup trophies, as regional competition spreads within the women’s game.
The win advances América to the 2027 FIFA Champions Cup. The global tournament kicks off in Miami, despite no US teams qualifying.
A new team will lift the Concacaf trophy, after defending champion Gotham fell to Liga MX Femenil’s Club América 4-1 in last night’s Champions Cup semifinals.
Former Gotham forward Geyse notched three assists on the night, while former Angel City and Bay FC forward Scarlett Camberos racked up a hat trick while silencing the Bats’ defense.
“It was a very difficult game for us,” said Gotham coach Juan Carlos Amorós. “I have to give a lot of credit to my players. They gave absolutely everything they had in those conditions.”
The NWSL will have one representative in Saturday’s final, as Washington got past Pachuca 1-0 to advance to the club’s first continental final.
18-year-old Paraguay international Claudia Martínez continued her quality Spirit debut, scoring the game’s lone goal in the 81st minute off a multi-pass team sequence.
Washington faces a Club América side riding high, after downing Monterrey to win a third league title in front of 6.8 million viewers last week.
Where to Watch the 2026 Concacaf W Champions Cup Final
The Champions Cup final kicks off Saturday at 9:30 PM ET, live on Paramount+.
The 2026 Concacaf W Champions Cup is heating up, as NWSL sides Gotham and Washington kick off the regional tournament’s semifinals tonight in Mexico.
2024/25 winner Gotham faces 2026 Liga MX Clausura champion Club América, before the Spirit battles Pachuca on its home field.
Tonight’s winners advance to Saturday’s final, with the eventual Concacaf champion qualifying for the global 2027 FIFA Champions Cup in Miami.
Last year’s final featured the best of both top-flight North American leagues, as Gotham took down Tigres to claim the inaugural title.
The Bats have yet to lose a game in Concacaf competition, carrying a 7-0-3 record across the continental competition’s first two editions.
“It’s obviously fantastic to be here again,” said Gotham manager Juan Carlos Amoros. “That’s where we want Gotham to be… We want to be at the international stage.”
Where to Watch 2026 Concacaf W Champions Cup Semifinals
The Champions Cup semifinals kick off tonight at 7:30 PM ET, live on Paramount+.
The NWSL is starting to show its true colors, as No. 2 Washington and No. 3 San Diego square off this weekend in a cutthroat race to the top of the table.
The teams are tied on points with 18 apiece, trailing No. 1 Portland by just one point. However, Washington holds a +9 goal differential.
The Spirit also has an advantage on recent form, riding an eight-game unbeaten streak that features five straight wins. The team is finding its footing after a slow start to the season — and according to the players, it’s all thanks to a plastic coyote named Jose.
"We’re so excited," Spirit star Hal Hershfelt said after a recent win. "Maybe it’s because of our good luck charm, but we’re pumped."
Washington will aim to contain San Diego’s young firepower, as the Wave leans on assists co-leader Dudinha, rookie scoring leader Lia Godfrey, and midfield wizard Kenza Dali to break down the Spirit defense.
“We have what I would say is a really whole squad,” San Diego assistant coach Becki Tweed said. “We can use people in different ways and it’s then about deciding and adjusting during the game.”
Where to Watch Wave vs Spirit in NWSL Weekend
San Diego hosts Washington tonight at 10 PM ET, live on Victory+.
The No. 2 Washington Spirit is riding high, overcoming a slow start to register a fourth straight win in Saturday’s 4-2 victory over No. 12 Orlando.
Spirit forward Sofia Cantore tallied two goals in the match’s first six minutes to mark the quickest brace in league history. Later, Claudia Martinez added a second-half strike while star Trinity Rodman notched her third goal in as many games.
“I’m so proud of this team, I think they’ve done amazing,” said manager Adrian Gonzalez afterwards. “Sometimes you just need to suffer.”
Washington has now racked up nine points in eight days.
However, the Spirit still trail No. 1 Portland by four points in the NWSL standings. The Thorns recorded a fifth straight result in Sunday’s 2-0 win over Chicago.
20-year-old Portland midfielder Olivia Moultrie notched a goal and an assist in her 100th club appearance, becoming the youngest player in league history to accomplish the feat.
“I can’t believe I’ve hit 100 games — it doesn’t feel like that at all,” Moultrie said. “I get to show up and do what I love every day and it doesn’t feel like a chore.”
How to Watch the Washington Spirit in NWSL Matchday 9
Washington returns on May 10th, kicking off against Seattle at 7 PM ET on Victory+.
The Washington Spirit made a statement on Friday, taking down reigning Shield winner Kansas City 4-0 behind a Trinity Rodman goal to headline an NWSL slate full of lopsided scorelines.
Spirit forward Leicy Santos notched a brace in the Rowdy Audi rout. Later, star forward Trinity Rodman picked up her season-first goal and assist, before striker Claudia Martinez sealed the deal in the 75th minute.
“Once we got into our groove and got the goals going, it was gonna keep going,” Rodman said, helping extend Washington’s unbeaten streak to five games.
The Current’s early struggles continue, as last year’s winningest club sits tied for the season’s worst goal differential in 14th place in the NWSL standings.
“It’s been a tough start to the year, a tough schedule, tough fixtures, and we’re finding ourselves,” said first-year manager Chris Armas. “But I think there’s a lot of belief in what we’re doing here.”
“Games like this happen,” said midfielder Lo Labonta. “It’s a long season, so hopefully we can turn it around next week.”
How to Watch Washington Spirit Star Trinity Rodman This Week
Trinity Rodman and the Spirit return on Wednesday, hosting Louisville at 7 PM ET (Victory+). However, Kansas City will have to wait for its shot, taking on North Carolina on Saturday at 6:30 PM ET, live on ION.
The Washington Spirit is dominating 2026 NWSL jersey sales, as the DC team's cherry blossom kit claimed the season's most successful launch with six players featuring on the top 10 best-sellers list.
The Spirit holds more than double the number of players in this year's Top 20 jerseys compared to any other NWSL club.
Trinity Rodman's No. 2 jersey leads all NWSL players with a 136% sales increase over 2025. The forward's popularity mirrors the Spirit's best-sellers list domination, with teammates Hal Hershfelt (3rd), Tara Rudd (4th), Esme Morgan (5th), Rosemonde Kouassi (6th) and Leicy Santos (8th) rounding out the top eight NWSL jerseys.
"We designed this kit because our fans asked for a Cherry Blossom design that reflects DC," said Washington Spirit CEO Kim Stone. "The result is the top-selling jersey in the NWSL with six Spirit players' jerseys ranked in the top eight in league-wide sales."
Future Denver Summit FC midfielder Lindsey Heaps claims the second-best selling NWSL jersey despite not joining the league until mid-summer. Her standing showcases the expansion franchise's growing demand before she even takes the field.
The Spirit unveiled its "Spirit in Bloom" kit on February 26th to immediate fan acclaim, with first-day sales more than doubling last year's figures. The vibrant design pairs bright blossom pink with Spirit Green, adding to a growing lineup of local pro teams' cherry blossom-themed uniforms.
The 1-3-1 club also led the NWSL in social media impressions and won the league's BraKIT fan vote, beating out all 15 other clubs for best new kit honors.
How to Buy the 2026 Washington Spirit NWSL Jersey Line
Fans can purchase authentic and replica NWSL jerseys — including the cherry blossom Washington Spirit jersey — at the NWSL Shop.
The Summit reached new heights on Saturday, when the 2026 expansion team shattered the NWSL single-game attendance record with 63,004 fans turning out to watch Denver take on the Washington Spirit in their first-ever home match.
The Mile High Stadium crowd topped the league's previous 40,091-fan high-mark set by Bay FC last season, while also smashing Seattle's doubleheader attendance record of 42,054 fans from 2023.
"I will never forget walking out of that tunnel today and hearing the crowd screaming for us," said Denver captain Janine Solis, with the Summit already keeping pace above the playoff line.
The big day yielded few fireworks, however, as Saturday's 0-0 finish gave each team a point but extended the Spirit's 2026 winless streak.
After dropping their season opener to the Portland Thorns, the 2025 NWSL runners-up have logged three consecutive draws, with Washington now sitting in 12th place on the league table.
"We've been moving in the right direction," Spirit midfielder Hal Hershfelt said. "It's just going to take time to build that chemistry."
"We're not going to get obsessed with one result," said Washington manager Adrián González. "We know we want to get better every week, and this is what we are doing."
How to watch the Denver Summit, Washington Spirit this weekend
Both Denver and Washington will hit the road for the West Coast this weekend, starting with the Summit visiting the Seattle Reign at 8:45 PM ET on Saturday, airing live on ION.
Then at 5 PM ET on Sunday, the Spirit will take on Bay FC to close out NWSL play prior to the April international window, with live coverage airing on ESPN2.
Washington finds itself in unfamiliar territory, as the Spirit enters Wednesday night's midweek NWSL clash against the Utah Royals still hunting a first win of the 2026 season.
After opening their 2026 campaign with a 1-0 home loss to the Portland Thorns, Washington battled back from a two goal deficit to draw Racing Louisville 2-2 last Friday.
"[We're] believing in what we are doing, the process," said Spirit manager Adrián González. "When we win, we don't get too crazy and when we lose, the same."
This time out, the Spirit will benefit from a mostly healthy lineup, with star forward Trinity Rodman cleared after last week's concussion scare and midfielder Andi Sullivan back from maternity leave.
Winless Utah, whose 2026 season includes a pair of 2-1 losses to the Kansas City Current and San Diego Wave, is less lucky: Starting goalkeeper Mandy McGlynn is out with a hand injury and defender Tatumn Milazzo will be serving a red card suspension on Wednesday night.
"The expectation should be with everyone coming in that they can pick up their role," said Royals head coach Jimmy Coenraets.
How to watch the Washington Spirit vs. Utah Royals on Wednesday
Washington will host Utah at 7 PM ET on Wednesday, with live coverage of the match streaming on Victory+.