The National Women's Soccer League Playoffs (or NWSL Playoffs) are a single-elimination tournament among six teams in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) of the United States, deciding the winner of 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 2021 season, the top six 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 teams with the best season record (the NWSL Shield winner) and the second-best record receive a first-round bye, and the better-seeded team hosts each match until the championship,[1] which was also hosted by the higher seed in the 2013 and 2014 seasons but has been hosted at a predetermined site since.[2] Prior to the 2021 season, only the top four teams qualified for the playoffs.[3][4]

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 zero points 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.[5]: 6 

  1. Overall goal difference
  2. Most total wins (regular season only)
  3. Most goals scored (regular season only)
  4. Head-to-head results (total points accumulated)
  5. Head-to-head most goals scored
  6. 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.
  7. 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.[6]: 6 

Playoff series history

2013 season

Semi-finals Championship
      
1 Western NY Flash 2
4 Sky Blue FC[lower-alpha 1] 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

Semi-finals Championship
      
1 Seattle Reign FC[lower-alpha 2] 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

Semi-finals Championship
      
1 Seattle Reign FC[lower-alpha 2] 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

Semi-finals 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

Semi-finals 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

Semi-finals 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[lower-alpha 2] 1

2019 season

Semi-finals Championship
      
1 NC Courage (a.e.t.) 4
4 Reign FC[lower-alpha 2] 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 Semi-finals Championship
1 Portland Thorns FC 0
4 Chicago Red Stars 1 4 Chicago Red Stars 2
5 NJ/NY Gotham FC 0 4 Chicago Red Stars 1
3 Washington Spirit (a.e.t.) 2
2 OL Reign 1
3 Washington Spirit (a.e.t.) 1 3 Washington Spirit 2
6 NC Courage 0

2022 season

First round Semi-finals Championship
1 OL Reign 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

First round Semi-finals 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 NC Courage 0 6 NJ/NY Gotham FC 1
6 NJ/NY Gotham FC 2

Records and statistics

As of November 11, 2023

Italics indicates a defunct team.

Playoff results

Club Won Runner-up Years won Years runner-up
Portland Thorns FC
3
1
2013, 2017, 20222018
North Carolina Courage
2
1
2018, 20192017
FC Kansas City
2
0
2014, 2015
Washington Spirit
1
1
20212016
Western New York Flash
1
1
20162013
NJ/NY Gotham FC
1
0
 2023
Chicago Red Stars
0
2
2019, 2021
OL Reign[lower-alpha 2]
0
3
2014, 2015, 2023
Kansas City Current
0
1
2022

Playoff records

Team GP W L Last Last title
Portland Thorns FC137620232022
OL Reign[lower-alpha 2]11472023–
Chicago Red Stars10372022–
North Carolina Courage75220212019
Washington Spirit74320212021
FC Kansas City54120152015
Western New York Flash43120162016
NJ/NY Gotham FC43120232023
Kansas City Current3212022–
San Diego Wave FC3122023–
Houston Dash1012022 –
Orlando Pride1012017–
Angel City FC1012023–

Appearances by team

Team App. Last
Portland Thorns FC92023
Chicago Red Stars72022
OL Reign[lower-alpha 2]72023
North Carolina Courage42021
Washington Spirit42021
FC Kansas City32015
NJ/NY Gotham FC32023
Western New York Flash22016
San Diego Wave FC22023
Houston Dash12022
Kansas City Current12022
Orlando Pride12017
Angel City FC12023
Boston Breakers No playoff appearances
Racing Louisville FC
Utah Royals FC

Notes

  1. ↑ NJ/NY Gotham FC was previously known as Sky Blue FC.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 OL Reign was previously known as Reign FC and Seattle Reign FC.

References

  1. ↑ "NWSL Announces Innovative 2021 Competition Framework" (Press release). National Women's Soccer League. November 18, 2020. Retrieved November 18, 2020.
  2. ↑ Oshan, Jeremiah (August 14, 2015). "NWSL moving championship game to neutral site". Sounder at Heart. Retrieved July 17, 2023.
  3. ↑ "2013 Competition Rules and Regulations" (Press release). National Women's Soccer League. Archived from the original on November 2, 2013. Retrieved July 17, 2023.
  4. ↑ "Rules & Regulations" (Press release). National Women's Soccer League. Archived from the original on November 18, 2019. Retrieved July 17, 2023.
  5. ↑ "2022 Competition Rules & Regulations" (PDF) (Press release). National Women's Soccer League. May 19, 2022. Archived (PDF) from the original on September 21, 2022. Retrieved September 22, 2022.
  6. ↑ "2021 Competition Rules & Regulations" (Press release). National Women's Soccer League. Archived from the original on October 19, 2021. Retrieved July 17, 2023.
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