The NWSL Playoffs Will Reveal the True Face of Women’s Soccer: A Battle Between Talent and Controversy, Where Legends Fall and New Stars Rise in the Shadows of Their Predecessors
The National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) has reached a pivotal moment as the playoffs approach, highlighting not only the competitive spirit of the teams involved but also the underlying controversies that threaten the integrity of the sport. The season’s conclusion has brought forth a mix of exhilarating triumphs and disheartening drama, setting the stage for a postseason that promises to be as unpredictable as it is thrilling.
The recent Decision Day showcased the intensity of competition as teams fought for their playoff spots. Racing Louisville emerged as an inspiring underdog story, finally breaking free from a cycle of mediocrity that had seen them finish in ninth place for four consecutive years. Their ascent to seventh place, fueled by a crucial victory over Bay FC, is a testament to the hard work and resilience of the players and coaching staff. Under head coach Bev Yanez, Louisville has not only improved its on-field performance but has also cultivated a strong team identity, which could serve them well as they face the Washington Spirit in the quarterfinals.
However, the playoffs are not just about the teams on the field; they are also a reflection of the personal struggles and controversies that permeate the league. The situation involving England goalkeeper Mary Earps has captured headlines and ignited discussions about professionalism, accountability, and the emotional toll of competition. Earps, a former England No. 1, recently shared excerpts from her autobiography that detailed her decision to retire from international football, citing a perceived favoritism towards younger players like Chelsea’s Hannah Hampton. Her comments have sparked a heated debate, with fans and commentators divided over whether her feelings of betrayal are justified or if they reflect a deeper issue of entitlement within the sport.
The impact of such controversies extends beyond individual players, affecting team dynamics and the broader perception of women’s soccer. As the NWSL continues to grow in popularity and visibility, the stakes are higher than ever. The league not only serves as a platform for showcasing exceptional talent but also as a battleground for addressing issues of equality, respect, and the challenges faced by women in sports. The narratives surrounding players like Earps and the emotional weight of their experiences can influence public perception and, ultimately, the future of the league.
Moreover, the playoffs will serve as a litmus test for the NWSL’s progress. The league has made strides in terms of visibility and competitiveness, but the shadow of past controversies looms large. The departure of several high-profile players, including Christen Press and Ali Riley, marks a significant transition point for the league, as a new generation of talent emerges. Their retirements symbolize not just the end of an era but also the challenges of sustaining a professional women’s league in a landscape that is still grappling with issues of pay equity and recognition.
As Racing Louisville prepares for their playoff run, they embody the spirit of resilience and determination that defines the NWSL. Yet, their journey will be closely watched, not only for their performance on the pitch but also for how they navigate the complexities of a league that is still finding its footing in the world of professional sports. The playoffs will undoubtedly reveal the true face of women’s soccer, where the lines between talent, controversy, and legacy are often blurred.
In the coming weeks, fans will be treated to a showcase of skill and athleticism as the NWSL playoffs unfold. The stakes are high, and the narratives are rich, with each match serving as a chapter in a larger story about the growth and evolution of women’s soccer. The competition is fierce, but so too is the dialogue surrounding it. As the players take the field, they do so not just to win a trophy but to carve out their place in history, challenging the status quo and redefining what it means to be a woman in sports today. The NWSL playoffs are set to be a thrilling exploration of talent, resilience, and the complexities of a sport in transition, where every moment counts and every match tells a story.
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Read to the end to see who asked ChatGPT for help coaching and actually followed the advice.
What’s coming today in Full Time (fully written by humans):
🌶️ Bold postseason predictions
📈 Racing Louisville’s underdog story
🥅 England’s goalkeeping drama
But first, a look back at NWSL’s deciding day …
NWSL Decision Day: Not so many tricks, but plenty of treats
Despite only two teams really playing for their spot in the postseason on the final day of the NWSL season yesterday, Decision Day turned out to still have a surprise or two up its sleeve — mainly, Gotham dropping to eighth place after a slow start against the Courage in a rainy North Carolina. The loss also means Gotham has to travel to No. 1 Kansas City this weekend.
The biggest winner, though, was Racing Louisville, which finally broke the ninth-place curse and leapfrogged Gotham into seventh place and a meeting with No. 2 Washington Spirit at Audi Field. More on Louisville shortly.
The Spirit had nothing tangible to play for except momentum, but stumbled against the Utah Royals, who were already knocked out of playoff contention. Interestingly, the Spirit — who are without Trinity Rodman due to injury — only traveled with 16 players.
Reigning NWSL champion Orlando Pride and Seattle Reign played to a 1-1 draw and will face off again in Florida on Friday. Meanwhile, somehow the Portland Thorns snuck into third place after their 2-0 win over the Houston Dash and will host San Diego Wave on Sunday. Check out the full playoff bracket:
Read more about how Decision Day shook out here and (not or) listen to today’s “Full Time” for some additional analysis and Halloween references. 🎃
Asking the group chat
We’re bringing the Slack group chat to your inbox today.
First up, enjoy our staff’s bold NWSL championship predictions, ranked by spice level:
Asli Pelit: Kansas City Current will take home the trophy this season, book it. 🌶️
Melanie Anzidei: Orlando will repeat as NWSL champions. 🌶️🌶️
Tamerra Griffin: The Spirit are taking this one, and they’re going to do it with swagger. 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Meg Linehan: Cascadia Cup final. (Do I actually think this? No. Would it be an all-timer? Yes.) 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
My bold prediction is more of a dream than anything: Rodman or Current star Temwa Chawinga will be back on the field after a speedy recovery to lift their team to glory. The game is just more beautiful with them in it.
And before we move on from the season that was, I asked Tamerra to help us savor the last memories of the season that came to an end this weekend. Here are three-word memorials for the six teams that failed to qualify for the postseason:
Chicago Stars: Build around Jameese (Joseph).
Bay FC: Time to heal.
Utah Royals: Keep it going!
Angel City FC: Fresh start loading?
Houston Dash: Glass half full!
North Carolina Courage: What could’ve been 😔
You will be missed.
‘Aw’ moment of the weekend
In Chicago yesterday, Christen Press stepped onto the pitch one last time. The USWNT and Angel City forward began her NWSL journey in the city 11 years ago. Now, here she was again, representing her hometown club in the city where it all began.
The full-circle moment was punctuated by Press’ emotional encounter with her longtime teammate and U.S. goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher after the final whistle.
Press retired alongside Angel City’s Ali Riley, as the pair joined a wave of stars stepping away from the NWSL this year. Others include Kansas City’s Kristen Hamilton and Seattle Reign’s Lauren Barnes. Together, these players represent a generation of stars who helped lay the NWSL’s foundation, as a new chapter now unfolds.
If you missed it the first time, you have to read Meg’s interview with Press from last month.
Meg’s Corner: Racing to the finish line
Louisville finishing the NWSL regular season in seventh, thanks to its victory over Bay FC and some unintentional help from the Courage, has to be one of the best feel-good stories of the season so far.
Four years of ninth-place finishes were finally buried thanks to 23-year-old Ella Hase’s goal in a 1-0 win. But it was also a season of “climbing the mountain” for the players.
For all the joy and relief on display at Lynn Family Stadium last night following the final whistle — one that didn’t require the nerves of waiting on another game’s result — ultimately Racing’s story doesn’t boil down to a single moment. This is a team that finally won double-digit matches in a season, winning 10 (Louisville never won more than seven before this season) and finishing above 30 points for the first time ever. Under head coach Bev Yanez, they have found not just their identity, but actual progress.
Stack them up against anyone not named Kansas City, and it feels fair to say they have a real shot at an underdog run this postseason. As the No. 7 seed, they avoided a trip to CPKC Stadium in the quarterfinals, heading instead to Washington, D.C. The Spirit are not to be overlooked, but they will likely be without Rodman and were depleted by injuries on Decision Day. One data point to keep in the back of your mind: Louisville’s last trip to Audi ended in a 2-2 draw.
It’s going to be a hostile crowd (in the best way possible), and a new test for this Racing side. And if yesterday proved anything, it’s that this team, for the first time, can close out games.
Next Saturday, they get another crack at history.
What Did She Say? Mary Earps takes a shot on goal
There is some serious drama going on in England this week, so I’ve asked our women’s soccer writer across the pond, Megan Feringa, to help us break down what’s happening between the Lionesses’ current and former goalkeepers:
Oh Mary. What have you done? A lot, in turns out, in the space of *checks notes* three days.
For those still recovering from Halloween candy hangovers:
Former England No. 1 and current Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper Mary Earps shared excerpts with The Guardian from her soon-to-be-released autobiography, “All In: Football, Life and Learning to be Unapologetically Me,” on Friday night. She retired from international football five weeks before the 2025 European Championship.
In the excerpts, Earps speaks about that decision to retire — specifically how she told England head coach Sarina Wiegman that “bad behaviour was being rewarded” when she learned 24-year-old Chelsea goalkeeper Hannah Hampton would be given the No. 1 shirt, despite the internal “issues” Earps accuses Hampton of causing during the Euro 2022 campaign.
Fans have accused the former Manchester United keeper of acting petulant in the face of rejection and Hampton’s own success (Hampton played a critical role in England’s Euro 2025 triumph). Chelsea manager Sonia Bompastor branded Earps’ actions “disrespectful.”
Earps claimed her extracts were taken out of context and that she never intended to hurt Hampton.
Our opinion? Earps has made her name by wearing her heart on her sleeve, whether that’s taking on Nike off-pitch or her R-rated outbursts after penalty heroics on-pitch. That the attribute that exalted her might also be her downfall is as human as it gets. And perhaps that’s the moral here: Our heroes are actually human, inevitably fallible, and the height from which they will crash is now higher than ever.
Full Time First Looks
Artificial advice: Seattle Reign head coach Laura Harvey said she followed the advice of ChatGPT twice this NWSL season after curiosity got the best of her. … Resourceful, I guess.
Grand arrivals: Boston Legacy and Denver Summit will enter the NWSL next year, and we now know where to get the first glimpse of the new teams at home. Boston will open the season at Gillette Stadium, home of the New England Patriots, on March 14, and Denver will follow a couple of weeks later with its home opener at Empower Field at Mile High, home to the Denver Broncos, on March 28. A first look at first looks, if you will.
Key return: USWNT defender Naomi Girma returned to the bench for Chelsea on Saturday as she works her way back from a September calf injury. The 25-year-old was an unused sub in the 2-0 win over Michele Kang’s London City Lionesses. In Girma’s absence, U.S. head coach Emma Hayes experimented with her backline. The next chance for Girma to return to the U.S. is at the end of the month in a pair of friendlies against Italy.
G’day mate: 14-year-old Willa Pearson became the youngest player in A-League history after starting Sydney FC’s game against Melbourne City just 53 days shy of her 15th birthday. The defender played the full 90 minutes of Saturday’s 2-2 draw.
Don’t miss this: I really enjoyed this story from Tamerra on Black players’ relationship with their hair and Gummy Wax.
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This article originally appeared in The Athletic.
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