This being Hooligan’s inaugural report on women’s soccer, let’s provide a quick recap of how the NWSL is structured. There are 14 teams that compete in a 26 game season, playing each team home and away. Points for wins & draws are the same as any other soccer league, but because of that American love for the word “playoff” there is a postseason song and dance for the top eight teams. 

Let’s go and do a brief introduction and overview for each of the eight teams who made it to the postseason.

Orlando Pride (1)

The dominant team in the league with 60 points, Orlando went undefeated in home matches (10W and 3D) and had a +26 goal differential (GD). They started slow with three straight draws, but quickly gained steam. Their two losses came in October in back-to-back road games. Twelve of their 18 wins were by a single-goal margin. Their top scorer (13) is Zambian national Barbra Banda, but their marquee player is the Brazilian legend Marta, who’s been with the club since 2017.

Washington Spirit (2)

With the same number of wins as Orlando (but four more losses), 56 points, and +23 GD, the Spirit are strong contenders for the postseason. Their dual attacking threat of Ouleymata Sarr (France) and Trinity Rodman (USA) resulted in 16 of the team’s 51 goals; watching to see which player will earn top goalscorer is a thrilling part of these upcoming games. Washington have never won a title, so there’s some hunger.

NJ/NY Gotham FC (3)

It’s an awkward name to say, but Gotham (let’s stick with that unless Warner Bros. reaches out) sits on the same points total (56) as Washington with an only slightly worse GD (+21). They also share the best defensive record with Orlando; both teams only conceded 20 goals. Their midfield boasts sick talent, with Team USA starters Rose Lavelle and Crystal Dunn, and stalwart veteran Kelley O’Hara anchors their defense. Spanish international Esther González leads the team on 9 goals. As the defending champs, they’d love to pull a repeat.

Kansas City Current (4)

KC made news headlines when they opened the largest stadium (CPKC) specifically dedicated to a women’s sports team at the season opener. Happily, the team was able to reward their fans by claiming the fourth position and securing them a home playoff. The squad would like nothing more than to run the playoffs and play in front of the home crowd at the final on Nov. 23rd. Current score LOTS of goals (sure, they concede a bunch too)… 57 on the season, or an average of 2.19 per match. They’re also one of two teams to not have a red card all season. Let’s hope I did not jinx them.

North Carolina Courage (5)

The gap between the top 4 and bottom 4 is pretty big… 14 points and some vague pronunciation separates Courage from Current. NC doesn’t have a breakout star… goals are evenly distributed among many players, but the cagey and ferocious Irish international Denise O’Sullivan is always exciting to watch. They play Kansas City on Saturday, with CBS airing the game live.

Portland Thorns (6)

A perennial postseason player (and three-time NWSL champ), the Thorns feature a plethora of talent on their roster such as Team USA stars Becky Sauerbrunn, Meghan Klingenberg and Sophia Smith. But we must tip our hat to Canadian Christine Sinclair, a true legend of the game, as she makes what might be her final postseason appearance. Portland will be fired up to send Christine out on a high note by thumping Gotham on Sunday, broadcasting live on ABC!

Bay FC (7)

One of the two expansion teams in this 2024 season, Bay FC defied doubters and earned their playoff spot in the final game of the season, defeating Houston Dash on the road 3-2. The team’s fortunes largely depend on the play of Zambian striker Racheal Kundananji; when she’s en fuego that squad is tough to beat. But the -10 GD looms large in the background… you cannot advance when conceding goals. They play Washington on Sunday, and the game is televised nationally on ABC!

Chicago Red Stars (8)

Chicago limped into the postseason on three straight defeats, so they had best hope for a quick turnaround. Goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher has 82 saves and 0 PKs conceded, so they’ll need every ounce of her savvy and experience. Up front, Mallory Swanson and Ally Schlegel both have 7 goals and will be looking to one-up the other. This match-up with Orlando (streaming on Amazon Prime) should be a special one!