The GIST: The No. 1 seed Orlando Pride clinched their first-ever NWSL Championship on Saturday, defeating the No. 2 seed Washington Spirit 1–0 in a thrilling final — a perfect conclusion to their exceptional season.
Pride striker Barbra Banda scored the only goal of the match and was named the championship MVP: Banda added to her remarkable postseason performance by scoring her fourth playoff goal in her debut NWSL season. With this victory, Orlando becomes the first team since 2019 to win both the league’s Shield (best regular-season record) and championship in the same season. A display of dominance.
Despite the Pride claiming the trophy, the Spirit put up a strong fight in this physical game — the young team controlled the game and took an impressive 26 shots (!!!) compared to Orlando’s nine, but were unable to find the back of the net.
NWSL rises to the occasion: Adding an exclamation mark to a highly successful NWSL season, the title game on Saturday sold out CPKC Stadium (the first sports arena constructed specifically for women). From record-breaking attendance to increased viewership to the player-centric CBA changes mid-season, the future of women’s soccer looks incredibly bright.
And speaking of growth, NWSL expansion is on the horizon: BOS Nation FC will join the league in the 2026 season, alongside the 16th team from either Cincinnati, Cleveland, or Denver. Truly a squad worth looking up to.
