Hello again readers. Before I begin, I just wanted to thank you all again for your understanding regarding my last article. Football is life, but there is more to life than football. I forget that at times, but we are reminded in all sorts of ways when it’s needed. I have my life a little more sorted now, and the NWSL now has its playoff picture sorted. We know the eight (8) teams and the matchups for this weekend’s quarterfinals. The Shield winners Kansas City Current will face Gotham FC, the Washington Spirit will host Racing Louisville at Rowdy Audi, the Portland Thorns will host the San Diego Wave, and the defending champ Orlando Pride will redo Decision Day in a rematch with the Seattle Reign. This article is me throwing my hat in the ring with all the other playoff prediction articles. I will keep mine to this week’s matches and try to keep my synopsis brief and concise. Let’s jump on into the matchups.
2025 #NWSL Playoffs
— Taylor Vincent (@tayvincent6.bsky.social) November 3, 2025 at 1:22 AM
4 Orlando Pride vs 5 Seattle Reign – Friday, November 7th at 8:00 PM EST/5:00 PM PST on Prime
If it feels like we just saw these two teams play, it’s because we did. These two sides squared off on Decision Day in Orlando, and they will face one another less than a week later, in Orlando. Their match ended in a 1-1, and their first match of the year in Seattle ended with a 1-0 victory for Orlando. The goal scorer in that match was Barbra Banda, who will not be available for Orlando due to a season ending injury, but this should be a cagey 4 vs 5 matchup that can go either way. Both coaches have playoff experience and a roster of veterans who aren’t afraid of the big moment. The outcome will be a combination of luck and finding a moment in the margins, which makes it the perfect match to kick off the weekend
Key players
Orlando Pride: Carson Pickett – The easiest answer for this section for Orlando is Marta. Even though she is deep into her professional career, Marta still has the power to change the outcome of a match as a starter or from the bench. She proved the latter this summer in her star substitute turn for Brazil the Copa America Femenil. The second easiest answer is Jacque Ovalle, who is a record signing for the Florida club, and is accustomed to playoff pressure from her many years with Tigres. However, the player that’s most in form for Orlando on both sides of the ball is Pickett. Herself a veteran and champion in this league, she’s come on strong for an Orlando side that needed goals and shut down defense to get them back into playoff form. Her set pieces and shots from distance are a threat that teams must account for when they gameplan for the Pride, and she has a knack for scoring a timely goal. Orlando will need all of her skillset to help propel them past a defensively sound Seattle side.
Seattle Reign: Claudia Dickey – This season has seen Seattle lose their best goal scorer, Lynn Biyendolo, to maternity leave. And while the team and fans are happy for her growing her family, it has left Seattle in a state of goal scoring by committee. Seattle has taken a defense first approach and was better at doing so when they had Biyendolo to put away one or two chances to buoy her backline in seeing out matches. Without that attacking threat, it has been harder for Seattle to generate any real xG. While they have been opportunistic, the fate of their season has rested on one set of shoulders. Claudia Dickey has statistically been the best keeper in the league. Seattle certainly isn’t a playoff team without her. She is an incredible shot stopper and a top athlete, who is commanding on setting her defense for set pieces. Furthermore, she helps anchor that backline that is the sum of its parts. Jordyn Bugg is expected to become an elite defender, and there is no reason to doubt that she will reach that next level soon, but she is still a young player, and this will be her first playoff match. Dickey has been here before and is a much-improved player from her last trip to the playoffs. If Seattle wins, it will be in part because Dickey had another monster match.
Prediction: 2-1 Orlando after extra time (AET)
It feels like another close match that will need an extra thirty (30) minutes to determine a winner. I predict that it is either 1-1 at the end of regulation and we get a stoppage time goal from Marta to break Seattle’s heart, or we get a 0-0 match that turns up the chaos in extra time, and Orlando wins on a penalty kick…by Marta. Either way, this is my pick em’ match of the weekend, which is a safe bet when the 4 and 5 seeds meet.
2 Washington Spirit vs 7 Racing Louisville – Saturday, November 8th at 12:00 PM PST/9:00 AM PST on CBS
First, congratulations to Racing Louisville for finally finishing in a spot that isn’t 9th place. They saved it until Decision Day, but their 1-0 victory over Bay FC, coupled with Gotham’s loss to a North Carolina Courage side that was battling Racing for the final playoff spot, catapulted the Kentucky side into the 7 spot, allowing them to avoid Kansas City in the first round. It’s been an exceptional season for Bev Yanez and her rising star striker Emma Sears as they lifted the expansion franchise to new heights. They lost to the Washington Spirit in the first meeting of the year, but drew the DC side in their second match, in dramatic fashion. Both teams have had ups and downs since that meeting, but they’ve arrived back at Audi Field to play for a trip to the semifinals. This should be a fun match for the breakfast and brunch crowds, with just enough chaos to elevate the match of the clanking of forks against the plate.
Key players
Washington Spirit: Deb Abiodun
The Spirit had several splashy, international signings this season, but none was more important than Deb Abiodun. Loaned to the Dallas Trinity, she was called back in the second half of the season and instantly looked like a wily veteran. The injury status of Trinity Rodman (which looks positive) is the biggest news for Spirit fans and staff alike, but the Spirit are a different and better team when Deb is on the pitch. She can play two lines, and from her favored 6/8 spot in the midfield, she plays the role of general and destroyer. Her vision is clear, and her passes are crisp, and she gets to play alongside another supremely talented midfielder in Croix Bethune, who allows her to roam and create, or to go break up play to help the defense. Most of all, Deb is willing to put her body on the line, as evidenced in the Spriit’s match against Angel City where she played with her head wrapped for much of the match while still playing well. Newcomers like Sofia Cantore and Rebeca Bernal will need to step up under the bright lights, and Trinity Rodman is still the Spirit’s best and most important player, but they will not win much without Abiodun.
Racing Louisville: Janine Sonis
I almost went with one of the young rookies for Racing Louisville in this spot. Very quietly, Louisville has put together a successful season of the back of a few veterans and a lot of players under 25 years old. Ella Hase scored her first NWSL goal on Decision Day, and it was goal that finally sent Louisville to the playoffs for the first time in their five (5) year history. Katie O’Kane and Sarah Weber have stepped up in big moments for their new club as well, but Sonis, formerly Beckie, has been the glue for this side. A veteran and a NWSL Champion, she has played the majority of the season in an outside back role, allowing her to playmake from a deeper position and track back to help her defense and young, talented goalkeeper. With both Erin Wright and Lauren Millet missing time during the season, she became the glue that held together then propelled this team to the highest high thus far. They will need her to be that one more time to get past a loaded DC side. They can hang their hats on the fact that they drew DC the last time they played, and that they are agents of chaos that can do enough to get an upset.
Prediction: 2-1 Washington Spirit
While I believe in a plucky Louisville side, there are two reasons I am choosing Washington. One, Louisville will be without their six (6) Taylor Flint due to yellow card accumulation, which means we don’t know exactly what the Racing midfield will be in this pressure situation. Secondly, I think the playoffs is where depth matters most, and DC is a much deeper side than Racing. Louisville has a small rotation in terms of subs, while DC can pull from the likes of Cantore and Leicy Santos to come on and make magic happen. And, of course, there is Trinty Rodman likely arriving just in time to dawn her cape and get a timely, game winning goal. I believe she will do just that around the 83rd minute or so, leaving little time for Racing to come back. They’ll craft a great chance or two, but the home field advantage will be enough to see the Spirit through.
1 Kansas City vs 8 Gotham FC – Sunday, November 9th at 12:30 PM CST/9:30 AM PST on ABC
Of the four (4) matches this weekend, this is the one I feel most sure about predicting. I say that with respect to Gotham’s pedigree since 2023, but Kansas City is the best team in the league, and I trust them to show up as that side again this weekend. Having said that, Gotham isn’t without elite talent, and Rose Lavelle may be the most in form player not named Manaka Matsukubo in the league over the last month. But Gotham was one point away from falling out of the playoffs and is not coming into this match in their best form. But they still have Lavelle and Esther, and the have a rejuvenated Jaedyn Shaw to help carry the attacking burden for the squad. If that trio is on, it is hard for any team to defend them for ninety (90) minutes.
Key players
Kansas City Current: Lo’eau LaBonta
Kansas City has the biggest name, and in the largest amount, in the NWSL. Temwa Chawinga is their best player, and most likely the most inevitable player in women’s football. Unfortunately, Chawinga is likely limited to out altogether for this match, which means other players will need to step up in her absence. The Current have Debinha, and multiple time MVP in the league, and a winner of several championships, to carry the goal scoring burden left by Chawinga’s absence, and Michelle Cooper and Bia, if healthy, can put away timely goals for their side. Claire Hutton has raised her level in the defensive midfield this season, and Kayla Sharples and Lorena are the presumed Defender of the Year and Goalkeeper of the Year respectively and help buoy the best defensive in the league. However, the heartbeat of Kansas City is Lo’eau LaBonta. Hutton is a better player when LaBonta is beside her, and the veteran commands the middle of the pitch better than anyone in the NWSL. She is their captain, their penalty taker, and their coach on the pitch. With or without Chawinga, Kansas City will only go as far as Lo takes them. This match is the start of that journey for her and her club.
Gotham: Jess Carter
I made this pick going against the spirit of the previous two matches. Jess Carter has had a rollercoaster of a season for club and country. She won her first CONCACAF W Champions League and her second European Championship, but she also faced vile, racist online abuse during the international tournament. The abusers have bene identified, and, hopefully, justice will come for Carter in that area. On the pitch, she has ridden the waviest rollercoaster, often having a feast or famine match, with little in between. When she is on, she can shut down an Orlando attack with Barbra Banda in the side, but it has often looked far from that for her this season. The playoffs will bring more pressure to Carter, who has been in big matches before, but it will be imperative that she hits her ceiling and not her floor against the best team in the league. Her performance is the biggest question mark of this match, and if she’s on, Gotham can upset the giants.
Prediction: 3-1 Kansas City
I don’t think Kansas City will miss Temwa Chawinga that much in this match, but it will allow Gotham to breathe a bit on defense. Unfortunately, it will only be for a moment, as I predict Kansas City will be relentless in attack early to try and get a multi goal lead at home. They showed they could come back last week, but I do not think they will need to do so here. I think they’ll go up 2-0 by the 30th minute, and an early second half goal from Lavelle for Gotham will make the match interesting until late, when a KC defender scores the team’s third goal from a set piece or recycled ball from said set piece. Gotham will threaten a second goal, but they’ll run out of time to make a comeback.
3 Portland Thorns vs 6 San Diego Wave – Sunday, November 9th at 3:00 PM EST/12:00 PM PST on ABC
I think the scheduling gods knew to make this the last match of the weekend. For me, this is the best chance for an upset this weekend. Portland has had a stellar last month of the regular season, and it shot them up the table and landed them in 3rd place. I am not sure if this the third best team in the NWSL, but I am also unsure of who that team actually is, so why not Portland? Olivia Moultrie has been a scoring machine for her side when they needed wins, and M.A. Vignola, when healthy, has helped stabilize a backline that was shaky and slow for much of the season. However, Portland has played to a 1-1 result in both matches with San Diego this season, and the Wave have seemed to find their form at the perfect time entering the postseason. They narrowly lost to Kansas City on Decision Day and won enough late to gain their confidence. They will feel no pressure compared to the home side, and an uninhibited Wave team is a dangerous one.
Key players
Portland Thorns: Reilyn Turner
Listen, someone besides Olivia Moultrie will need to score for the Thorns to win this match, and Turner is their best chance. While Pietra Tordin has loads of talent and potential, and has shown flashes of brilliance, Turner is the player with a knack for putting away chances, particularly ugly ones, and that’s what the Thorns will need to survive the postseason. If Vignola is healthy, she is also an important player for the Thorns, as is Jess Fleming, who has found her stride in the middle of the park next to Sam Coffey. But you must score goals to win at this point in the season, and Turner will need to produce in the biggest match of her professional career. She is capable and she is at home. Let’s see what she does.
San Diego Wave: Dudinha
San Diego boast a cast of international ballers who have helped turn around the franchise in just one season. Delphine Cascarino was an early season MVP candidate who is finding her form again after a long summer in Europe, and Kenza Dali is a Champion’s League winner who has been revitalized in the midfield for the Southern California side, with her ability to roam and create at will. Kennedy Wesley and Trinity Armstong have become a dynamic young pair at the back, and Kailen Sheridan is still an elite goalkeeper in women’s football. But the spart that seems to have reignited San Diego is Dudinha. The 20-year-old Brazilian, coming off her own successful summer for Brazil, glides across the pitch and dances around and by defenders with an ease few attackers possess in the league. She is also a fresher player, which means not all the tape is out on her this season. She still can catch teams by surprise, as evidenced by Kansas City conceding against her last week. She is a goal scorer and a creator and has enough finishers around her that she can play freely, which is nearly impossible to stop for 90 minutes. Dudinha is the key to a San Diego victory, and I think she will step up for club the same way she has stepped up for country. I look forward to this matchup.
Prediction: 3-2 San Diego Wave after extra time (AET)
As I said, this is my upset pick for the weekend. Without a fully fit M.A. Vignola, if she can go at all, I don’t see Portland stopping the Wave from scoring multiple goals. Portland will get their mandatory set piece goal, most likely via Olivia Moultrie, and I believe Reilyn Turner will get her goal, or cause an own goal, but the home team will fall short in the end, with more of the pressure on them than San Diego. Portland can certainly win this match, but I just think San Diego sneaks this one in dramatic fashion.
ACFC Captain Sarah Gorden and Angelina Anderson open up today’s press conference with statements regarding the recent article from their fellow teammate in the New York Post. pic.twitter.com/ba289kAa09
— Women Kick Balls – Jackie Gutierrez (@womenkickballs) October 30, 2025
Before I leave you dear readers, I want to make sure I say this plain. Trans women do not pose a threat to the safety or competitive integrity of the NWSL. To our knowledge, there are no trans players in the league. There have been in the past, and the league functioned just fine. And, if there are any in the future, all they will ever do is add to an already wonderful game and league, full of players from richly diverse backgrounds. And, we must acknowledge that transphobia hurts trans people first and foremost but is a harmful ideology to us all. It is coupled with, and exist because of anti-Black racism, and the attacks on Babra Banda in particular bear this out. The two players experiencing the most harm because of the hateful racist and transphobic rhetoric are both Black, cisgender women, and that cannot be the league we fight for. To all the trans players in this league, past and future, out or not, I am sorry this league did not protect you. To all the players who are experiencing harm in this moment because of the racist and transphobic attacks on this league, we stand with you. We are a better league and a better sport when we stand together against hate.
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Sylvia Bullock is 1/2 of Shea Butter FC and the world’s foremost Christen Press and Crystal Dunn truther. She’ll be covering the NWSL every week for Fearless SC. You can find her on BlueSky at Southern Sylvs.
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