Three teams will fight for the NWSL Shield over the final two weekends of the regular season, with Gotham FC on 55 points, San Diego Wave on 54 and Washington Spirit on 52. The NWSL Shield decider goes down to Sunday 1 November, when all eight final-day games kick off at the same time, according to The Equalizer.
Gotham had a chance to pull clear last weekend but lost 1–0 at Washington. As a result, the Shield, which goes to the team with the best regular-season record, is wide open.
NWSL Shield Decider: The Standings With Two Games Left
Every team has played 28 games. Here is the top 10, according to the league table:
| Pos | Team | Points | GD |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gotham FC | 55 | +13 |
| 2 | San Diego Wave | 54 | +13 |
| 3 | Washington Spirit | 52 | +14 |
| 4 | Kansas City Current | 47 | +12 |
| 5 | Angel City | 46 | +17 |
| 6 | Utah Royals | 46 | +7 |
| 7 | Portland Thorns | 44 | +6 |
| 8 | Seattle Reign | 43 | +3 |
| 9 | North Carolina Courage | 42 | +10 |
| 10 | Denver Summit | 38 | +7 |
How the NWSL Shield Decider Works
First of all, Gotham control their own fate in the NWSL Shield decider. If they win both remaining games, they will win their first ever Shield, The Cutback reported.
By our calculations, San Diego win the Shield if they win both games and Gotham drop any points. Washington need two wins and help from both rivals.
If teams finish level on points, goal difference decides it first, followed by total wins and then goals scored. That matters because Washington currently have the best goal difference of the three.
The Remaining Fixtures in the NWSL Shield Decider
UK clocks go back on 25 October, so times below are in GMT and WAT:
- Gotham: at Orlando, Sunday 25 October, 3pm ET (7pm GMT, 8pm WAT); then home to Utah, Sunday 1 November.
- San Diego: home to Boston, Sunday 25 October, 7pm ET (11pm GMT, midnight WAT); then at Bay FC, Sunday 1 November.
- Washington: at Kansas City, Sunday 25 October, 5pm ET (9pm GMT, 10pm WAT); then home to Chicago, Sunday 1 November.
All of the 1 November games start at 5pm ET, which is 10pm GMT and 11pm WAT.
Washington’s Win Blew the Race Open
Lucia Di Guglielmo scored her first NWSL goal in the 70th minute as Washington beat Gotham 1–0 at Audi Field on Saturday 17 October, The Equalizer reported. The win also clinched a third straight play-off place for the Spirit.
It was Washington’s first win over Gotham since 2024, Just Women’s Sports reported. Washington have never won the Shield, despite finishing second in each of the last two seasons.
However, Gotham’s form is a worry. They have conceded in seven straight games, Yahoo Sports reported, and injuries have hit hard, with Emily Sonnett out for the season, CBS Sports said.
Meanwhile, San Diego have won five in a row under Jonas Eidevall. Trinity Byars has 11 goals, the most by a Wave player since Alex Morgan in 2022.
The Battle for Eighth
Seattle Reign hold the last play-off place on 43 points after a 3–1 win at Chicago. North Carolina sit one point behind after losing four of their last five, according to The Equalizer.
Denver, on 38, need two wins and plenty of help. Six teams are already out: Orlando, Chicago, Louisville, Bay FC, Houston and Boston.
North Carolina’s Ashley Sanchez also has a record in her sights. Her 20 goals equal Temwa Chawinga’s single-season record, the Courage said, so one more would make history.
When Are the NWSL Play-Offs?
The top eight teams reach the single-elimination play-offs. The quarter-finals run from 6 to 8 November, followed by the semi-finals from 13 to 15 November.
The final is on Saturday 21 November at Audi Field in Washington, CBS Sports reported. That kicks off at 8pm ET, which is 1am GMT and 2am WAT on Sunday.
For more on how the race developed, read our earlier NWSL Shield race report.
Who will win the Shield: Gotham, San Diego or Washington? Tell us in the comments.
