NWSL playoffs
The National Women's Soccer League playoffs (or NWSL playoffs) are a single-elimination tournament among eight teams in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) of the United States. The final round of the playoffs is 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
[edit ]Since the 2024 season, the top eight 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 top-seed hosts the eighth seed and the fourth hosts the fifth in one arm of the quarterfinals bracket, and the runner-up hosts the seventh seed and the third hosts the sixth in the other arm. In the semifinals, teams are not reseeded and the winners within each quarterfinals arm play each other.[1]
From 2021 to 2023, the top 6 teams qualified for a three-round playoff, and the top two seeds had a first-round bye.[2] From 2013 to 2019, the top 4 teams qualified for a two-round playoff.[3]
In 2013 and 2014, the higher seeded team to reach the championship hosted the match. Since 2015, the championship has been hosted at a predetermined site.[4]
| Year | Qualifiers | Rounds | Championship host | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Determination | Stadium | City | |||
| 2013 | Top 4 | 2 | Higher seed | Sahlen's Stadium | Rochester, New York |
| 2014 | Starfire Sports Stadium | Tukwila, Washington | |||
| 2015 | Predetermined site | Providence Park | Portland, Oregon | ||
| 2016 | BBVA Compass Stadium | Houston, Texas | |||
| 2017 | Orlando City Stadium | Orlando, Florida | |||
| 2018 | Providence Park | Portland, Oregon | |||
| 2019 | Sahlen's Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park | Cary, North Carolina | |||
| 2020 | No NWSL season or playoffs; 2020 NWSL Challenge Cup and 2020 NWSL Fall Series | ||||
| 2021 | Top 6 | 3 (bye for top 2 seeds) |
Predetermined site | Lynn Family Stadium | Louisville, Kentucky |
| 2022 | Audi Field | Washington, D.C. | |||
| 2023 | Snapdragon Stadium | San Diego, California | |||
| 2024 | Top 8 | 3 | CPKC Stadium | Kansas City, Missouri | |
Tiebreakers
[edit ]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 none 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.[6] : 6
- Overall goal difference
- Most total wins (regular season only)
- Most goals scored (regular season only)
- Head-to-head results (total points accumulated)
- Head-to-head most goals scored
- 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.
- 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.[7] : 6
Playoff series history
[edit ]2013 season
[edit ]2014 season
[edit ]2015 season
[edit ]2016 season
[edit ]2017 season
[edit ]2018 season
[edit ]2019 season
[edit ]2020 season
[edit ]The NWSL canceled its regular season and playoffs in 2020 due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on sports.
2021 season
[edit ]2022 season
[edit ]2023 season
[edit ]2024 season
[edit ]Records and statistics
[edit ]- As of November 11, 2023
Italics indicates a defunct team.
Playoff results
[edit ]| Club | Won | Runner-up | Years won | Years runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portland Thorns FC | 3 |
1 |
2013, 2017, 2022 | 2018 |
| North Carolina Courage | 2 |
1 |
2018, 2019 | 2017 |
| FC Kansas City | 2 |
0 |
2014, 2015 | |
| Washington Spirit | 1 |
2 |
2021 | 2016, 2024 |
| Western New York Flash | 1 |
1 |
2016 | 2013 |
| Gotham FC [a] | 1
|
0
|
2023 | |
| Orlando Pride | 1
|
0
|
2024 | |
| Seattle Reign FC [b] | 0 |
3 |
2014, 2015, 2023 | |
| Chicago Red Stars | 0 |
2 |
2019, 2021 | |
| Kansas City Current | 0 |
1 |
2022 |
Playoff records
[edit ]| Team | GP | W | L | Last | Last title |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portland Thorns FC | 13 | 7 | 6 | 2023 | 2022 |
| Seattle Reign FC [b] | 11 | 4 | 7 | 2023 | – |
| Washington Spirit | 10 | 6 | 4 | 2024 | 2021 |
| Chicago Red Stars | 10 | 3 | 7 | 2022 | – |
| North Carolina Courage | 7 | 5 | 2 | 2021 | 2019 |
| FC Kansas City | 5 | 4 | 1 | 2015 | 2015 |
| Western New York Flash | 4 | 3 | 1 | 2016 | 2016 |
| Gotham FC [a] | 4 | 3 | 1 | 2023 | 2023 |
| Orlando Pride | 4 | 3 | 1 | 2024 | 2024 |
| Kansas City Current | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2022 | – |
| San Diego Wave FC | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2023 | – |
| Houston Dash | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2022 | – |
| Angel City FC | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2023 | – |
Appearances by team
[edit ]| Team | App. | Last |
|---|---|---|
| Portland Thorns FC | 10 | 2024 |
| Chicago Red Stars | 8 | 2024 |
| Seattle Reign FC [b] | 7 | 2023 |
| North Carolina Courage | 6 | 2024 |
| Washington Spirit | 5 | 2024 |
| Gotham FC [a] | 4 | 2024 |
| FC Kansas City | 3 | 2015 |
| Western New York Flash | 2 | 2016 |
| San Diego Wave FC | 2 | 2023 |
| Kansas City Current | 2 | 2024 |
| Orlando Pride | 2 | 2024 |
| Houston Dash | 1 | 2022 |
| Angel City FC | 1 | 2023 |
| Bay FC | 1 | 2024 |
| Boston Breakers | No playoff appearances | |
| Racing Louisville FC | ||
| Utah Royals | ||
Notes
[edit ]References
[edit ]- ^ a b "National Women's Soccer League Announces 2024 Schedule Footprint, Competition Calendar" (Press release). National Women's Soccer League. December 7, 2023. Retrieved October 12, 2024.
- ^ a b "NWSL Announces Innovative 2021 Competition Framework" (Press release). National Women's Soccer League. November 18, 2020. Retrieved November 18, 2020.
- ^ a b "Rules & Regulations" (Press release). National Women's Soccer League. Archived from the original on November 18, 2019. Retrieved July 17, 2023.
- ^ a b Oshan, Jeremiah (August 14, 2015). "NWSL moving championship game to neutral site". Sounder at Heart. Retrieved July 17, 2023.
- ^ "2013 Competition Rules and Regulations" (Press release). National Women's Soccer League. Archived from the original on November 2, 2013. Retrieved July 17, 2023.
- ^ "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.
- ^ "2021 Competition Rules & Regulations" (Press release). National Women's Soccer League. Archived from the original on October 19, 2021. Retrieved July 17, 2023.
