Nwsl Playoffs 2025 Predictions: Can Anyone Stem The Kansas City Current?

The regular play was defined by ...

… Kansas City’s dominance. The NWSL, for illustration each US sports leagues, is usually built connected parity. The Current made a insult of that notion, winning 21 and drafting 2 retired of their 26 games to decorativeness 21 points up of second-place Washington. Their extremity quality was an absurd plus-36, scoring 7 much goals than immoderate different squad and conceding 12 less than anyone else. Beau Dure

… Kansas City’s dominance. While Temwa Chawinga followed up her awesome NWSL debut past play to again lead nan convention successful scoring, it was nan Current’s lockdown defense that kept them from losing a azygous crippled astatine location connected their measurement to breaking nan NWSL points record. Jakub Frankowicz

… a tight crowd successful nan middle. There’s only a six-point spread successful nan standings betwixt third-place Portland and unlucky ninth-place North Carolina. The mediate cluster of teams was huddled together each season, proving nan league’s calling-card of parity. But Kansas City’s supremacy only emphasizes nan inconsistency of that halfway bunch, a consequence of nan comparatively debased net cap. If nan convention wants its title to beryllium of nan highest quality, it must raise its standards. Abigail Segel

The wellness of nan convention is ...

… conscionable fine. Attendance dropped by 5% from 2024, but that’s nary origin for alarm, particularly pinch a batch of prima players retired connected maternity time off aliases dealing pinch semipermanent injuries. TV broadcasts are each complete nan spot successful some nan literal (many different networks) and figurative (erratic quality). Commentators thin to fawn complete regular plays while griping acold much than is needed astir nan referees. But those are trivial issues successful a large image that looks bright. Next year, Denver welcomes a caller team, and women’s pro shot makes a long-overdue return to Boston. BD

… strong. While attendance slipped a spot successful 2025 compared to nan peaks of 2024, a number of large sanction departures were responsible. The NWSL will beryllium backmost pinch description successful Boston and Denver successful 2026, and nan men’s World Cup will besides apt summation nan liking towards each shot successful nan US. JF

… limited connected what your priorities are. There was only a flimsy driblet successful wide lucifer attendance numbers (not excessively concerning successful a twelvemonth without nan Olympics aliases World Cup) and Jessica Berman inked a shiny caller TV deal, but activity bungled respective moments that put group astir nan convention astatine risk. Forcing Angel City and Utah to proceed playing aft Savy King collapsed connected nan field, saying nan convention has “no work of care” to victims of harassment successful San Diego, putting players and fans successful threat successful utmost power successful Kansas City owed to a nationalist broadcast window, and, astir recently, failing to adequately protect marginalized players from transphobic, racist dislike bespeak that nan convention isn’t a patient spot for galore of its members. AS

Best squad that didn’t make nan playoffs

As evident arsenic it whitethorn look to prime nan ninth-place team, it’s unusual to spot nan playoffs without nan North Carolina Courage successful nan mix. Japanese phenom Manaka Matsukobo had 11 goals, but nary 1 other connected nan squad had much than three. Jaedyn Shaw’s presence was expected to invigorate nan offense, but nan Courage sold her to Gotham FC during nan season. BD

North Carolina Courage, who won their last 2 matches via a flurry of goals from Manaka Matsukubo. But they’ll rue losing their 4 Octobe necktie pinch Racing Louisville, who put together a beardown last 5 matches to make it into nan playoffs aft years of adjacent misses. JF

Undoubtedly, nan North Carolina Courage. They were only supra nan playoff statement for 2 weeks successful nan full season, but they were ever knocking connected nan door. Twenty-year-old Manaka Matsukubo had an MVP-caliber season, and nan squad was precocious connected nan database of goals scored (fourth, pinch 37). They weathered nan abrupt firing of head Sean Nahas successful August and nan two-month absence of skipper and midfield anchor Denise O’Sullivan soon thereafter, but not moreover a thrashing of Gotham connected Decision Day could push them complete nan line. AS

Dark horses

Anyone who isn’t Kansas City? Twenty-one points separated nan Current from nan second-place Spirit. The spread betwixt nan Spirit and eighth-place Gotham FC was only eight, and nan injury-riddled Spirit aren’t playing for illustration nan second-best squad successful nan league. No consequence different than a Current nonaccomplishment would beryllium an upset. But to prime one, let’s spell pinch nan champion coach successful convention history: Laura Harvey, who is already a tactical mastermind and is now utilizing AI to springiness nan Seattle Reign moreover much of an edge. BD

It’s been a feast aliases famine play for Gotham FC arsenic they managed nan second-best extremity differential contempt being nan eighth seed. But if they conclusion nan Goliath-like Current successful nan first round, they’ll beryllium afloat of self-confidence and person caller title experience. That’s a large if, however. JF

San Diego Wave. They played to a valiant nonaccomplishment against goliath Kansas City connected Decision Day, and midseason acquisition Dudhina mightiness beryllium nan X-factor that could origin chaos successful nan bracket. Jonas Eidevall’s squad loves possession, and astatine their champion they tin make opponents tally circles astir them. I springiness Portland a flimsy separator successful nan quarter-final because Providence Park isn’t friends to visitors, but Gotham won location connected nan measurement to their 2023 title win, truthful anything’s possible. AS

Washington’s Gift Monday is nan Spirit’s starring scorer connected nan twelvemonth pinch 8 goals. Photograph: Rich Storry/NWSL/Getty Images

Big squad astatine consequence of going retired early

Washington Spirit. They’ve been playing without Andi Sullivan, Casey Krueger and Ashley Hatch – each connected maternity leave. Trinity Rodman has been battling injuries each year. Croix Bethune sat retired nan play finale. The Spirit person shown nary reluctance to walk money connected players, but that doesn’t thief if nan players aren’t really playing. When Louisville past played successful Washington, nan Spirit needed a extremity successful nan 10th infinitesimal of stoppage clip to salvage a draw.

The Portland Thorns haven’t figured retired San Diego this play pinch 2 1-1 draws, some rescued via precocious equalizers from Portland. If nan Thorns want to advance, they’ll request to forestall goals from 1 of nan astir move offenses successful nan convention successful nan Wave who person a multi-pronged attack. JF

In nightmarish déjà vu from past season, nan Washington Spirit person struggled pinch injuries each year. On Decision Day, only 3 section players were disposable disconnected nan bench, and moreover though respective scratches were precautionary, it remains to beryllium seen if Adrián González’s broadside tin get patient and found momentum. The Spirit’s quarter-final opponents, Racing Louisville, are connected a tear; they haven’t mislaid a lucifer since September, and person been causing problems for large teams each year. At their best, nan Spirit are firmly nan second-best squad successful nan league, but if they can’t flooded their wellness issues, I wouldn’t beryllium amazed if they falter. AS

Player to watch

Olivia Moultrie. She’s nary longer nan champion teen successful NWSL because she is, astatine agelong last, nary longer a teenager. The fifth-year Thorns midfielder has celebrated turning 20 successful style, scoring 4 goals successful nan past 4 regular-season games. She led nan NWSL successful shot-creating actions per 90 minutes pinch 5.5, according to Opta/FBref.com. BD

Kayla Sharples is simply a protect stalwart connected nan backline for nan Current. Her play was important to nan Current’s record-breaking 16 cleanable sheets and she was 1 of 2 section players to eclipse 2,000 minutes connected a squad that had nan luxury of resting their starters erstwhile they clinched nan Shield. JF

Gift Monday is nan Spirit’s starring scorer connected nan twelvemonth pinch 8 goals, including a hat-trick against Houston connected 28 September. She vanished nan regular play fourth-best successful nan convention for shots connected target per 90 minutes. The Nigerian attacker plays pinch a delicate fluidity that tin stymie nan champion defenses, and she’ll beryllium cardinal to bolstering nan injury-addled Spirit. AS

Semi-finalists

Kansas City, Seattle, Louisville, Portland. BD

Kansas City, Orlando, Washington, San Diego. JF

Kansas City, Orlando, Washington, Portland. AS

NWSL Championship

Kansas City 5-2 Portland. The gulf betwixt nan Current and nan remainder of nan convention is conscionable that great, and they’re apt to travel retired thing but tentative successful nan final. BD

Kansas City 2-0 Washington. The Current person been excessively ascendant and excessively accordant to prime against here. Even pinch a late-season wounded to Chawinga jeopardizing her availability, look for Kansas City to propulsion disconnected nan Shield-Championship double against a Washington Spirit broadside that, contempt nan injuries, person nan expertise to springiness them trouble aft pushing them to a uncommon tie astatine location this season. Still I expect KC. JF

Kasnsas City 3-1 Washington. Assuming nan Spirit tin section their A-team, they’ll make it to nan finals, but Kansas City are conscionable excessively ascendant to beat. The Current put up each kinds of records successful their Shield-winning season, and Vlatko Andonovski’s broadside is, front-to-back, amended than everyone else. They’ll return nan final, and nan inferior masses will person to effort again adjacent year. AS