It all comes down to the final four teams to punch their ticket to the 2024 NWSL Championship. The league's four best-seeded teams are all in the semifinal round, but only two will get a chance to claim the NWSL Championship on Nov. 23. The 2024 NWSL Shield winners Orlando Pride will face 2024 Summer Cup champions Kansas City Current, and the 2023 NWSL Champions NJ/NY Gotham FC will take on 2021 NWSL Champions Washington Spirit. Fans can watch Washington Spirit host NJ/NY Gotham FC in the semifinal, and the 2024 NWSL Championship on CBS.
It comes as little surprise that the four best teams in the league have battled their way to the semifinal round, but which match ups will be the most fun or most challenging?
Here are our dream 2024 NWSL Championship matchups:
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4. Orlando Pride vs. NJ/NY Gotham FC
The 2024 NWSL Shield winners against the 2023 NWSL Champions (and 2024 Challenge Cup winners). It might not be the matchup that locals will want to see with their home side in the mix for a trip to the final, but neutrals will eat up the storylines about two title-winning teams taking down their other for another trophy.
The No. 1 seeded Orlando was handed their second loss by Gotham down the stretch of the regular season and might be motivated by the lopsided 3-1 loss to get long-time Brazilian icon Marta another NWSL trophy. Meanwhile, there are multiple stars on Gotham who have yet to claim the NWSL Championship with the likes of U.S. women's national team players Rose Lavelle and Tierna Davidson.
3. NJ/NY Gotham FC vs. Kansas City Current
Gotham FC won the NWSL Championship in 2023 and look poised to make a repeat back to the final. They'll have some playoff experience on their side but will have to get through Kansas City Current in their home stadium in order to go back-to-back. The two sides settled for narrow 1-1 draws in their two meetings during the regular season, so things could get cagey with high stakes on the line.
Both club coaches Vlatko Andonovski (KC) and Juan Carlos Amoros (Gotham FC) have been to the big dance and won, so it'll come down to game planning and execution to determine the winner.
2. Orlando Pride vs. Washington Spirit
Your classic here is are two best teams set to square off for the trophy energy. Orlando smashed an undefeated streak with 24 games going back to 2023. With 18 wins in 2024, they were a difficult team for opposing sides to take down. The Spirit matched that with 18 wins of their own this season, alongside interim coach Adrian Gonzalez and official head coach Jonatan Giraldez. Plenty of international battles as well, with U.S. women's national teammates going up against each other with Spirit's Trinity Rodman going against Orlando's Emily Sams.
It's two squads full of superstars and deep benches, but there will be an opportunity to see a battle of formations as well. Will Orlando's direct, transitional play be the winning recipe or will the Spirit's ability to shift tactically?
1. Kansas City Current vs. Washington Spirit
Purley for vibes. The lower-seeded team making the final at a preselected neutral site that ends up being their home facility? Can't script it any more perfectly.
Despite a dip in form that led to a fourth-place finish, Kansas City ran the table among the top three teams for a large chunk of the regular season. They by no means are the Cinderella story in the playoffs. They have been a good team all year and have the Golden Boot winner, Temwa Chawinga. Their presence in the final will live up to the billing alongside a very good No. 2 seed in Washington Spirit. Can't count out the coaching head-to-head either, with the two-time NWSL Championship winner Vlatko Andonovski against former UEFA Women's Champions League winner and Spirit head coach Giraldez.
