All you need to know about the 2024 NWSL Playoff semifinals

Gotham City FC are looking to regain their crown with Washington Spirit looking to add to their 2021 title victory. Kansas City Current are out to avenge their 2021 final defeat and Orlando Pride are looking to make their first ever final.

Four different clubs but all with one common objective and that is to lift the 2024 NWSL Championship trophy on Saturday, 23 November, at CPKC Stadium in Kansas City.

But before we jump ahead to the final in Missouri, there is the small matter of two semifinal games to be played to determine which sides will make it to CPKC Stadium on Saturday week.

Washington Spirit (2) vs Gotham FC (3)

Can Gotham City FC emulate the feat of Kansas City in 2015 and North Carolina in 2018 when both teams managed to retain their NWSL title?

Both teams finished the regular season strongly with a trio of wins and the Spirit hold the moral upper hand going into the semi-final having beaten their rivals from the Big Apple twice in both regular season meetings.

A 20,000 capacity crowd awaits at Audi Field on Saturday for another Spirit sell-out and this is a game that quite feasibly need extra time and even penalty kicks to resolve as there is little or nothing to choose between both sides ahead of the first NWSL semi-final.

Esther Gonzalez and Rose Lavelle against Trinity Rodman and Ouleymata Sarr are also absorbing match-ups.

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Orlando (1) vs Kansas City (4)

How dearly Vlatko Andonovski and his KC side would love to make it to what would be a ‘home’ final for the Current. Advancing to a final is also redemption for the coach after he oversaw a poor performance for the USWNT side at the 2023 Women’s World Cup where his side were sent packing in the Round of 16.

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Kansas City have peaked at just the right time of the season and are on a six-match winning streak across all competitions, which also computes to a 10-game unbeaten run (W8 D2) since early September.

Striker Temwa Chawinga has been instrumental to Kansas City’s success, with the Malawi international relentless in front of goal at present bagging 14 in her last 15 matches, including the only goal in their quarterfinal win over North Carolina.

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Top seeds Orlando are looking to make franchise history in securing, what would be their first ever NWSL final berth.

The side from Florida have home advantage on their side having won 11/12 of their last league and playoff matches at Inter&Co Stadium since April.

Barbara Banda and Marta will look to wreak havoc on the KC defensive line in what promises to be a fascinating contest.