NWSL playoffs schedule, results, scores: Spirit into final, Pride face Gotham

This year's group of postseason participants all target a spot in the NWSL Championship on Nov. 22 at San Jose's PayPal Park, which will air live on CBS and Paramount+

By Pardeep Cattry

Nov 16, 2025 at 9:09 pm ET • 2 min read

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The 2025 NWSL Championship matchup is set, and it will be Gotham FC and the Washington Spirit next Saturday night for the title, which will take place at San Jose's PayPal Park. The match kicks off at 8 p.m. and will be broadcast on CBS and Paramount+.

The last four NWSL champions -- the Orlando Pride, Gotham FC, Portland Thorns and Washington Spirit -- made it to the penultimate round of the NWSL playoffs to duke it out for the league's top prize, which set up the wild weekend that was. Gotham got a late free kick golazo from Jaedyn Shaw to top the Orlando Pride.

In the first of the semifinal battles, it was the Spirit who kept their title dreams alive, winning 2-0 over the Thorns thanks to goals from Gift Monday and Croix Bethune. In an added bonus for the D.C. side, superstar Trinity Rodman returned to the field as a late substitute in the second half, marking her first minutes played since an MCL injury threatened to end her season early. Those minutes, plus however long she manages to play in the final, could mark the last time she suits up for the Spirit, as Rodman's contract winds down at the end of the season.

In the quarters, the victories were just as crazy. The Pride notched a 2-0 over the Seattle Reign in regular time, but the other three quarterfinals all went to extra time in closely contested matches. The Thorns notched a 1-0 win over the San Diego Wave, while the Spirit needed a penalty shootout to beat postseason first-timers Racing Louisville.

The most stunning result of the quarterfinals, though, was Gotham's upset win over the Kansas City Current. The Current were arguably the favorites to win the NWSL Championship for the first time in club history after winning the Shield and ending the regular season with a 21-point advantage over second place. A last-gasp winner from Katie Stengel in the 121st minute, though, ensured the Current's playoff run would end as soon as it started.