NWSL Playoffs: Bracket, predictions, schedule as action gets underway

The picks are in from the Attacking Third analysts, and here's who they have winning it all

By Sandra Herrera

Nov 6, 2025 at 5:45 pm ET • 2 min read

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The march towards the 2025 NWSL Championship begins on Friday, and if the regular season was any indication, buckle up for an unpredictable ride. The playoff bracket is set, with plenty of dynamic matchups, and settling for a comfortable pretense is a dangerous mindset with the opening round as volatile as ever.

Upset watch will be on Racing Louisville FC and their first-ever playoff visit to Washington Spirit (Saturday, 12 p.m. ET, CBS, Paramount+). Kansas City Current, the No. 1 seed and 2025 NWSL Shield winners, will host 2023 NWSL Champions Gotham FC. For a league defined by its parity, trying to predict a champion feels like an impossible task, but that doesn't mean we won't try anyway.

All throughout the regular season, Attacking Third analysts made their picks for a weekly best XI, and after 26 NWSL Team of the Week honors, now they're going to try to predict the outcome of the NWSL Playoffs.

Let's get to it:

Quarterfinals

Friday, Nov. 7
Orlando Pride vs. Seattle Reign, 8 p.m. (Prime Video)

Saturday, Nov. 8
Washington Spirit vs. Racing Louisville, 12 p.m. (CBS, Paramount+)

Sunday, Nov. 9
Kansas City Current vs. Gotham FC, 12:30 p.m. (ABC)
Portland Thorns vs. San Diego Wave, 3 p.m. (ABC)

Semifinals

Matches to take place during the weekend of Nov. 15 and 16

Kansas City Current/Gotham FC vs. Orlando Pride/Seattle Reign, time TBA

Washington Spirit/Racing Louisville vs. Portland Thorns/San Diego Wave, time TBA

Final

Saturday, Nov. 22
Teams TBD, 8 p.m. (CBS. Paramount+)

Attacking Third playoff brackets

During the preseason, Attacking Third analysts and the editorial team made some way-too-early predictions; out of seven experts, two went with the Kansas City Current as the future NWSL champs, while three selected the Washington Spirit to win it all. There were separate picks for Orlando Pride, now the No. 4 seed, and North Carolina Courage, who just missed out on postseason despite a big decision day performance.

Now that the playoffs have officially arrived, things aren't that much different as far as clubs being favored to go all the way. The analyst panel features eight Attacking Third members, and playoff brackets are a mixed bag of tricks, except for the final prize, where things are more aligned. It looks like all the experts are split between whether or not the Kansas City Current or the Washington Spirit will take the title.

Here's the NWSL playoff brackets: