NWSL playoffs
U.S. women's professional soccer championships
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The National Women's Soccer League playoffs (or NWSL playoffs) are a single-elimination tournament among eight teams in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) of the United States. The final round of the playoffs is the NWSL Championship.
Since playoff games cannot end in draws, they are broken by two consecutive 15-minute extra time periods, followed by penalty shoot-outs of best-of-five rounds with additional rounds as required.
Format
Since the 2024 season, the top eight teams in the final standings at the end of the regular season qualify for the playoffs and are seeded in order of their record. The top-seed hosts the eighth seed and the fourth hosts the fifth in one arm of the quarterfinals bracket, and the runner-up hosts the seventh seed and the third hosts the sixth in the other arm. In the semifinals, teams are not reseeded and the winners within each quarterfinals arm play each other.[1]
From 2021 to 2023, the top 6 teams qualified for a three-round playoff, and the top two seeds had a first-round bye.[2] From 2013 to 2019, the top 4 teams qualified for a two-round playoff.[3]
In 2013 and 2014, the higher seeded team to reach the championship hosted the match. Since 2015, the championship has been hosted at a predetermined site.[4]
| Year | Qualifiers | Rounds | Championship host | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Determination | Stadium | City | |||
| 2013 | Top 4 | 2 | Higher seed | Sahlen's Stadium | Rochester, New York |
| 2014 | Starfire Sports Stadium | Tukwila, Washington | |||
| 2015 | Predetermined site | Providence Park | Portland, Oregon | ||
| 2016 | BBVA Compass Stadium | Houston, Texas | |||
| 2017 | Orlando City Stadium | Orlando, Florida | |||
| 2018 | Providence Park | Portland, Oregon | |||
| 2019 | Sahlen's Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park | Cary, North Carolina | |||
| 2020 | No NWSL season or playoffs; 2020 NWSL Challenge Cup and 2020 NWSL Fall Series | ||||
| 2021 | Top 6 | 3 (bye for top 2 seeds) |
Predetermined site | Lynn Family Stadium | Louisville, Kentucky |
| 2022 | Audi Field | Washington, D.C. | |||
| 2023 | Snapdragon Stadium | San Diego, California | |||
| 2024 | Top 8 | 3 | CPKC Stadium | Kansas City, Missouri | |
Tiebreakers
The initial determining factor for a team's position in the standings is most points earned, with three points earned for a win, one point for a draw, and none for a loss. Since the 2022 season, if at least two teams tie in point total, when determining rank and playoff qualification and seeding, the NWSL uses the following tiebreaker rules, going down the list until all teams are ranked.[6]: 6
- Overall goal difference
- Most total wins (regular season only)
- Most goals scored (regular season only)
- Head-to-head results (total points accumulated)
- Head-to-head most goals scored
- Fewest disciplinary points accumulated:
- First yellow card: -1 point
- Indirect red card (second yellow card): -3 points
- Direct red card: -4 points
- Yellow card and direct red card: -5 points
- Only one of the above point totals shall be applied to a player in a single game.
- Coin flip (2 teams)/Drawing of lots (3+ teams)
If two clubs remain tied after another club with the same number of points advances during any step, the tie breaker reverts to step 1 of the two-club format.
Prior to the 2022 season, the first tiebreaker was head-to-head record.[7]: 6
Playoff series history
2013 season
| Semifinals | Championship | ||||||||
| 1 | Western NY Flash | 2 | |||||||
| 4 | Sky Blue FC[a] | 0 | |||||||
| 1 | Western NY Flash | 0 | |||||||
| 3 | Portland Thorns FC | 2 | |||||||
| 2 | FC Kansas City | 2 | |||||||
| 3 | Portland Thorns FC (a.e.t.) | 3 | |||||||
2014 season
| Semifinals | Championship | ||||||||
| 1 | Seattle Reign FC | 2 | |||||||
| 4 | Washington Spirit | 1 | |||||||
| 1 | Seattle Reign FC | 1 | |||||||
| 2 | FC Kansas City | 2 | |||||||
| 2 | FC Kansas City | 2 | |||||||
| 3 | Portland Thorns FC | 0 | |||||||
2015 season
| Semifinals | Championship | ||||||||
| 1 | Seattle Reign FC | 3 | |||||||
| 4 | Washington Spirit | 0 | |||||||
| 1 | Seattle Reign FC | 0 | |||||||
| 3 | FC Kansas City | 1 | |||||||
| 2 | Chicago Red Stars | 0 | |||||||
| 3 | FC Kansas City | 3 | |||||||
2016 season
| Semifinals | Championship | ||||||||
| 1 | Portland Thorns FC | 3 | |||||||
| 4 | Western NY Flash (a.e.t.) | 4 | |||||||
| 4 | Western NY Flash (p) | 2 (3) | |||||||
| 2 | Washington Spirit | 2 (2) | |||||||
| 2 | Washington Spirit (a.e.t.) | 2 | |||||||
| 3 | Chicago Red Stars | 1 | |||||||
2017 season
| Semifinals | Championship | ||||||||
| 1 | NC Courage | 1 | |||||||
| 4 | Chicago Red Stars | 0 | |||||||
| 1 | NC Courage | 0 | |||||||
| 2 | Portland Thorns FC | 1 | |||||||
| 2 | Portland Thorns FC | 4 | |||||||
| 3 | Orlando Pride | 1 | |||||||
2018 season
| Semifinals | Championship | ||||||||
| 1 | NC Courage | 2 | |||||||
| 4 | Chicago Red Stars | 0 | |||||||
| 1 | NC Courage | 3 | |||||||
| 2 | Portland Thorns FC | 0 | |||||||
| 2 | Portland Thorns FC | 2 | |||||||
| 3 | Seattle Reign FC | 1 | |||||||
2019 season
| Semifinals | Championship | ||||||||
| 1 | NC Courage (a.e.t.) | 4 | |||||||
| 4 | Reign FC[b] | 1 | |||||||
| 1 | NC Courage | 4 | |||||||
| 2 | Chicago Red Stars | 0 | |||||||
| 2 | Chicago Red Stars | 1 | |||||||
| 3 | Portland Thorns FC | 0 | |||||||
2020 season
The NWSL canceled its regular season and playoffs in 2020 due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on sports.
2021 season
| First round | Semifinals | Championship | ||||||||||||
| 1 | Portland Thorns FC | 0 | ||||||||||||
| 4 | Chicago Red Stars | 1 | 4 | Chicago Red Stars | 2 | |||||||||
| 5 | NJ/NY Gotham FC[a] | 0 | 4 | Chicago Red Stars | 1 | |||||||||
| 3 | Washington Spirit (a.e.t.) | 2 | ||||||||||||
| 2 | OL Reign[b] | 1 | ||||||||||||
| 3 | Washington Spirit (a.e.t.) | 1 | 3 | Washington Spirit | 2 | |||||||||
| 6 | NC Courage | 0 | ||||||||||||
2022 season
| First round | Semifinals | Championship | ||||||||||||
| 1 | OL Reign[b] | 0 | ||||||||||||
| 4 | Houston Dash | 1 | 5 | Kansas City Current | 2 | |||||||||
| 5 | Kansas City Current | 2 | 5 | Kansas City Current | 0 | |||||||||
| 2 | Portland Thorns FC | 2 | ||||||||||||
| 2 | Portland Thorns FC | 2 | ||||||||||||
| 3 | San Diego Wave FC | 2 | 3 | San Diego Wave FC | 1 | |||||||||
| 6 | Chicago Red Stars | 1 | ||||||||||||
2023 season
| Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Championship | ||||||||||||
| 1 | San Diego Wave FC | 0 | ||||||||||||
| 4 | OL Reign | 1 | 4 | OL Reign | 1 | |||||||||
| 5 | Angel City FC | 0 | 4 | OL Reign | 1 | |||||||||
| 6 | NJ/NY Gotham FC | 2 | ||||||||||||
| 2 | Portland Thorns FC | 0 | ||||||||||||
| 3 | North Carolina Courage | 0 | 6 | NJ/NY Gotham FC (a.e.t.) | 1 | |||||||||
| 6 | NJ/NY Gotham FC | 2 | ||||||||||||
2024 season
| Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Championship | ||||||||||||
| 1 | Orlando Pride | 4 | ||||||||||||
| 8 | Chicago Red Stars | 1 | ||||||||||||
| 1 | Orlando Pride | 3 | ||||||||||||
| 4 | Kansas City Current | 2 | ||||||||||||
| 4 | Kansas City Current | 1 | ||||||||||||
| 5 | North Carolina Courage | 0 | ||||||||||||
| 1 | Orlando Pride | 1 | ||||||||||||
| 2 | Washington Spirit | 0 | ||||||||||||
| 2 | Washington Spirit | 2 | ||||||||||||
| 7 | Bay FC | 1 | ||||||||||||
| 2 | Washington Spirit (p) | 1 (3) | ||||||||||||
| 3 | NJ/NY Gotham FC | 1 (0) | ||||||||||||
| 3 | NJ/NY Gotham FC | 2 | ||||||||||||
| 6 | Portland Thorns FC | 1 | ||||||||||||
2025 season
| Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Championship | ||||||||||||
| 1 | Kansas City Current | 1 | ||||||||||||
| 8 | Gotham FC (a.e.t.) | 2 | ||||||||||||
| 8 | Gotham FC | 1 | ||||||||||||
| 4 | Orlando Pride | 0 | ||||||||||||
| 4 | Orlando Pride | 2 | ||||||||||||
| 5 | Seattle Reign FC | 0 | ||||||||||||
| 8 | Gotham FC | 1 | ||||||||||||
| 2 | Washington Spirit | 0 | ||||||||||||
| 2 | Washington Spirit (p) | 1 (3) | ||||||||||||
| 7 | Racing Louisville FC | 1 (1) | ||||||||||||
| 2 | Washington Spirit | 2 | ||||||||||||
| 3 | Portland Thorns FC | 0 | ||||||||||||
| 3 | Portland Thorns FC (a.e.t.) | 1 | ||||||||||||
| 6 | San Diego Wave FC | 0 | ||||||||||||
Records and statistics
- As of October 15, 2025
Italics indicates a defunct team.
Playoff results
| Club | Won | Runner-up | Years won | Years runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portland Thorns FC | 3 | 1 | 2013, 2017, 2022 | 2018 |
| North Carolina Courage | 2 | 1 | 2018, 2019 | 2017 |
| FC Kansas City | 2 | 0 | 2014, 2015 | |
| Gotham FC[a] | 2 | 0 | 2023, 2025 | |
| Washington Spirit | 1 | 3 | 2021 | 2016, 2024, 2025 |
| Western New York Flash | 1 | 1 | 2016 | 2013 |
| Orlando Pride | 1 | 0 | 2024 | |
| Seattle Reign FC[b] | 0 | 3 | 2014, 2015, 2023 | |
| Chicago Red Stars | 0 | 2 | 2019, 2021 | |
| Kansas City Current | 0 | 1 | 2022 | |
Playoff records
| Team | GP | W | L | Last playoff | Last title |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portland Thorns FC | 14 | 7 | 7 | 2024 | 2022 |
| Seattle Reign FC[b] | 11 | 4 | 7 | 2023 | – |
| Chicago Red Stars | 11 | 3 | 8 | 2024 | - |
| Washington Spirit | 9 | 6 | 3 | 2024 | 2021 |
| North Carolina Courage | 9 | 5 | 4 | 2024 | 2019 |
| Gotham FC[a] | 7 | 4 | 3 | 2024 | 2023 |
| FC Kansas City | 5 | 4 | 1 | 2015 | 2015 |
| Kansas City Current | 5 | 3 | 2 | 2024 | – |
| Western New York Flash | 4 | 3 | 1 | 2016 | 2016 |
| Orlando Pride | 4 | 3 | 1 | 2024 | 2024 |
| San Diego Wave FC | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2023 | – |
| Houston Dash | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2022 | – |
| Angel City FC | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2023 | – |
| Bay FC | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2024 | – |
| Racing Louisville FC | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | – |
| Utah Royals | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | – |
Appearances by team
| Team | App. | Last |
|---|---|---|
| Portland Thorns FC | 11 | 2025 |
| Chicago Red Stars | 8 | 2024 |
| Seattle Reign FC[b] | 8 | 2025 |
| North Carolina Courage | 6 | 2024 |
| Washington Spirit | 5 | 2025 |
| Gotham FC[a] | 5 | 2025 |
| FC Kansas City | 3 | 2015 |
| San Diego Wave FC | 3 | 2025 |
| Kansas City Current | 3 | 2025 |
| Orlando Pride | 3 | 2025 |
| Western New York Flash | 2 | 2016 |
| Houston Dash | 1 | 2022 |
| Angel City FC | 1 | 2023 |
| Bay FC | 1 | 2024 |
| Racing Louisville FC | 1 | 2025 |
| Boston Breakers | No playoff appearances | |
| Utah Royals | ||