AVR32175
By: NWSL Editor
Fan Guide to Watching the NWSL Playoffs: Quarterfinals Edition

📅 Quarterfinal Match Schedule

Friday, November 8

The 2024 NWSL Shield Winners, the top-seeded Orlando Pride, look to extend their 17-game unbeaten home streak as they host the Chicago Red Stars in the quarterfinals. Orlando’s Barbra Banda and Marta both had standout seasons, with Banda tying the club’s single-season records for goals and assists and Marta hitting her 40 goal mark last weekend. Chicago’s Mallory Swanson, one goal away from reaching 30 goals with the Red Stars, aims to make her mark in the team’s 11th playoff appearance. Despite a 28-point gap between the teams, both sides bring notable strengths into this postseason matchup.

Saturday, November 9

Kansas City Current hosts the North Carolina Courage in their first-ever home playoff game in Saturday’s quarterfinal matchup. Kansas City’s potent offense set an NWSL record with 57 goals this season, including a league-high 37 at home, making CPKC Stadium one of the toughest places to play. North Carolina, meanwhile, brings their league-leading passing precision, led by Iron Woman Kaleigh Kurtz, but they’ll face a passionate away crowd in Kansas City. This will be the fourth knockout match between these two teams since 2022, marking one of the league's most frequent playoff pairings.

Sunday, November 10 (Doubleheader)

Game 1

Washington Spirit hosts expansion team Bay FC in a quarterfinal showdown as they look to build on a record-setting season. The Spirit had 18 wins this season along with 51 goals, finishing strong with five consecutive home victories. Meanwhile, Bay FC’s dynamic duo, Racheal Kundananji and Asisat Oshoala, played crucial roles in 16 of the club’s 29 regular-season goals, keeping their attack sharp heading into the playoffs. Despite a solid away record, Bay FC faces a Spirit team that won both regular-season meetings, adding extra weight to this first-ever playoff matchup between the two clubs.

Game 2

Defending champions Gotham FC take on Portland Thorns FC in a high-stakes quarterfinal with plenty of storylines. Gotham’s offense has been electric all season, led by Esther's 9 regular season goals in 2024. Portland, the league’s only team to make the playoffs 10 times, brings a wealth of postseason experience, headlined by veteran Christine Sinclair, who is retiring after this season and holds the record for most playoff appearances with 13. This matchup is a rematch of last year’s semifinals, where Gotham defeated the Thorns 1-0 in Portland, setting them on the path to lifting the 2023 NWSL Championship trophy.

📺 International Broadcast Options

For fans outside the United States, the matches will be available on NWSL+.

📅 Mark Your Calendar: 2024 NWSL Championship

Don’t miss the biggest game of the season, the highly anticipated NWSL Championship match!

  • Date: Saturday, November 23
  • Kickoff: 8 p.m. ET
  • How to Watch: CBS and streaming on Paramount+