Following a record-breaking season, the 2024 NWSL Playoffs have arrived, featuring an expanded eight-team lineup ready to kick off the weekend’s quarterfinals with a clean slate.
Orlando, the No. 1 team, will start their postseason journey on Friday against No. 8 Chicago. Despite their Shield-winning season, Orlando will be without defender Rafaelle due to a season-ending injury.
Chicago, on the other hand, will be missing key player Ludmila, their third-highest goal scorer, due to an extended red card suspension.
Kansas City, who finished second-to-last last season, will host the quarterfinals this year as the No. 4 seed. They will face North Carolina Courage on Saturday, with hopes to continue their unbeaten streak dating back to September 1st.
Temwa Chawinga, the 2024 Golden Boot winner for Kansas City, is currently sidelined with a knee injury but is making progress towards a return.
The NWSL action continues on Sunday with a doubleheader. The seventh seed Bay FC will play against the No. 2 Spirit, who are dealing with injuries to some key players. The defending champs Gotham FC will host Portland in the final quarterfinal match of the weekend.
Sunday doubleheader will finalize NWSL semis
Throughout the season, individual award candidates have emerged, with Chawinga from Kansas City leading the race for the MVP title. The Coach of the Year honor could potentially go to Seb Hines of Orlando for leading his team on a record-breaking unbeaten streak.
In the Rookie of the Year race, Croix Bethune from Washington stands out with an impressive performance before her season-ending injury.
NWSL MVP, Rookie of the Year awards come into focus
For those eager to catch the NWSL Playoff action this weekend, the games will be broadcast live on various platforms, including Prime, CBS, and ABC.
