NOTES TO KNOW

TUNE IN

Viewers tuning in to the NWSL this season can catch more than 120 matches across CBS, ESPN, ION and Prime Video. The remaining matches are available for free on NWSL+, the league’s first-ever domestic direct-to-consumer streaming platform.

For more information on how to watch matches this season, click here.

MILLION(S)

Heading into Week 25, the NWSL’s 2024 regular-season attendance sits at 1.98 million. With matches in Sandy, Utah, and Portland, Oregon, on Friday night, the league is on track to surpass 2 million fans in attendance for the first time in league history. This milestone comes after the league crossed the 1.5 million mark in Week 18 of this year’s regular-season campaign and surpassed the 1 million mark for the third consecutive season in Week 13.

With the exception of 2020, which did not feature a regular season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and 2021, the NWSL’s overall attendance has grown each year. More notably, per-game attendance average has continued to increase as the schedule expands and the league consistently draws larger crowds at matches.

The NWSL’s current regular-season average attendance of more than 11,000 in 2024 is set to establish a new record for American women’s professional sports. Last year, the NWSL became the world’s first women’s soccer league to average more than 10,000 fans per regular season game.

ROAD TO THE PLAYOFFS

Going into the final week of regular season action, three clubs can clinch a playoff spot, with one of those three joining the five other clubs who have already been eliminated from playoffs.

The Portland Thorns clinch a playoff spot with one of the following

• Portland Thorns win/draw vs. Angel City FC

• Portland Thorns loss vs. Angel City FC AND Racing Louisville draw/loss vs. San Diego Wave FC

• Portland Thorns loss vs. Angel City FC AND Bay FC win/draw vs. Houston Dash AND Racing Louisville win vs. San Diego Wave FC AND Portland goal differential is greater than Racing Louisville goal differential

• Portland Thorns loss vs. Angel City FC AND Bay FC loss vs. Houston Dash AND Racing Louisville win vs. San Diego Wave FC AND Portland Thorns goal differential greater than or equal to Racing Louisville goal differential OR Portland Thorns goal differential greater than Bay FC’s

Bay FC clinches a playoff spot with one of the following

• Bay FC win/draw vs. Houston Dash

• Bay FC loss vs. Houston Dash AND Racing Louisville draw/loss vs. San Diego Wave FC

• Bay FC loss vs. Houston Dash AND Racing Louisville win vs. San Diego Wave FC AND Portland Thorns loss vs. Angel City FC AND Bay FC goal differential is greater than or equal to the Portland Thorns

Racing Louisville clinches a playoff spot with one of the following

• Racing Louisville win vs. San Diego Wave FC AND Bay FC loss vs. Houston Dash

• Racing Louisville win AND Portland Thorns loss vs. Angel City FC AND Racing Louisville goal differential is greater than the Portland Thorn’s

SO LONG, SINCLAIR

The NWSL honors another one of the sport’s greatest as Portland Thorns FC forward Christine Sinclair’s illustrious career winds down with her final regular season home match. The forward, who announced her retirement in September, played each of her 12 years with the Thorns, winning three NWSL Championships and two NWSL Shields with the club.

With a playoff spot riding on the line, the Thorns need at least a draw against Angel City FC to secure their eighth consecutive postseason appearance, a feat that would break a tie with the Red Stars for the longest run of consecutive playoff appearances in NWSL history. The Thorns have only missed the playoffs once in club history when the team failed to reach the postseason during the 2015 season.

Friday’s match is the second meeting between the Thorns and Angel City, with the first match on September 23 in Los Angeles ending in a 2-2 draw. Thorns teen standout midfielder Olivia Moultrie will go head-to-head with Angel City’s young star in forward Alyssa Thompson. Moultrie currently boasts 19 career regular-season goal contributions – 10 goals and nine assists – the most by a teenager in NWSL history and one ahead of Thompson’s 18 contributions. Twelve of Thompson’s 18 contributions have come this season, including five goals and seven assists, matching Washington Spirit forward Trinity Rodman’s performance in 2021 for the most goal contributions by a teenager in a single regular season in NWSL history.

COURAGE AT HOME

The North Carolina Courage take on the Washington Spirit at home as the clubs looks to extend its 21-match regular-season home unbeaten streak dating back to May 2023, the second-longest home unbeaten streak in the league’s regular-season history. With a draw or a win, the Courage will tie Seattle Reign FC’s home unbeaten streak from April 2014 to August 2015.

Over the last four seasons, Courage defender Kaleigh Kurtz has played 10,298 minutes in all competitions for the Courage. No other NWSL players during that time have played more than 9,500 minutes.

Washington Spirit forward Ashley Hatch has scored nine career goals in all competitions against the Courage, two more than any other player against North Carolina.

TEN IN TEXAS

Just a single point from securing a playoff berth in their first-ever NWSL campaign, Bay FC travels to take on the Houston Dash in the final regular season match of the 2024 season. The newest expansion side has tallied 10 wins this season. The only clubs with more wins in their inaugural campaigns were the FC Kansas City and Portland squads from the league’s inaugural 2013 season, who each secured 11 victories.

Houston Dash goalkeeper Jane Campbell registered three saves against the Seattle Reign on October 18 bringing the veteran to 113 total saves on the season, setting a new NWSL single-season record. Campbell has made at least three saves in 20 of her 25 appearances this season.

STRIKER SCORE

The Chicago Red Stars host the Kansas City Current with the Current in a Midwest battle this weekend. The Current are entering the final match of the season with 54 goals, tied for the most in a single regular season in NWSL history. Between the two clubs, at least four goals have been scored in each of the last five regular-season meetings for a total of 27 goals averaging out to 5.4 per match, the longest run of consecutive meetings between two teams with at least four combined goals scored in NWSL history.

Kansas City forward Temwa Chawinga enters the final match of the season with 20 NWSL single season goals scoring at least one goal in 13 of her last 14 regular-season appearances, totaling 15 goals in that time finishing out her incredible first regular season in the NWSL.

WEEK 25 MATCH SCHEDULE

Friday, November 1

Utah Royals FC vs. NJ/NY Gotham FC | America First Field | 9:30 p.m. ET | NWSL+

Portland Thorns FC vs. Angel City FC | Providence Park | 10 p.m. ET | Prime Video

Saturday, November 2

Orlando Pride vs. Seattle Reign | Inter&Co Stadium | 5 p.m. ET | ION

North Carolina Courage vs. Washington Spirit | WakeMed Soccer Park | 7:30 p.m. ET | ION

Houston Dash vs. Bay FC | Shell Energy Stadium | 9:30 p.m. ET | ION

Sunday, November 3

Chicago Red Stars vs. Kansas City Current | SeatGeek Stadium | 3 p.m. ET | ESPN, ESPN+, ESPN Deportes

San Diego Wave FC vs. Racing Louisville FC | Lynn Family Stadium | 5:30 p.m. ET | ESPN, ESPN+