Gotham secure their first Shield, Seattle extend Jess Fishlock's farewell and Ashley Sanchez claims the Golden Boot as GOAL ranks all 16 teams ahead of the NWSL playoffs.
The table is set. The playoffs are around the corner. And Decision Day? It gave us a little bit of everything in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL): a first Shield, a Golden Boot and a storybook moment in Seattle.
The North Carolina Courage did their part, defeating Denver Summit 1-0, but results elsewhere meant they missed out on the playoffs. With Denver, North Carolina and Seattle battling for the final spot, it was the Reign who came out on top.
Even with the disappointment for the Courage, Ashley Sanchez had reason to celebrate. Her 20 regular-season goals earned her the Golden Boot.
Gotham FC Shield winners
Gotham FC, meanwhile, made a little history of their own. The reigning champions and two-time NWSL title winners clinched their first Shield with a 2-0 victory over Utah Royals, giving fans at Sports Illustrated Stadium another reason to celebrate.
And then there was Seattle. The Reign's playoff clincher felt like something out of a fairy tale, coming in what was the one and only Jess Fishlock's final game in Seattle.
The Reign defeated the Orlando Pride 1-0 to keep their season alive, while the Pride once again had to play without leading scorer Barbra Banda.
So, the playoff field is set: Gotham FC, Washington Spirit, San Diego Wave, Angel City FC, Seattle Reign FC, Portland Thorns, Utah Royals and Kansas City Current will battle for the NWSL title.
GOALranks all 16 teams after the final weekend of NWSL regular-season play.
Prior ranking:15
Result:Lost 2-0 vs. Washington Spirit
Ramifications:Poor Chicago still had to play one more game. The Stars lost 2-0 vs the Spirit, their 23rd loss of the season. Chicago also gave up an own-goal, which felt symbolic of the season that they had.
Racing Louisville
Prior ranking:16
Result:Lost 2-0 vs. Kansas City Current
Ramifications:Racing Louisville fell 2-0 to the Current to finish the season at 7-20-3, conceding both goals from corner kicks. Racing struggled throughout the campaign, particularly on the road, where they won just twice in 15 games. A year after reaching the playoffs for the first time in club history, Louisville will be watching the postseason from home.
Bay FC
Prior ranking:14
Result:Lost 1-0 vs. San Diego Wave
Ramifications:Holding a team like San Diego to just two shots on target is something for Bay FC to feel good about, even if Mimi Van Zanten's early goal handed them a defeat on Decision Day. Bay finished 14th in the expanded 16-team league, one place lower than last year, but earned 27 points from 30 games after collecting 20 from 26 in 2025. The standings may not show it, but Bay looked stronger as a collective this season.
Orlando Pride
Prior ranking:13
Result:Lost 1-0 vs. Seattle Reign FC
Ramifications:Orlando were once again without leading goalscorer Barbra Banda, who finished second in the NWSL Golden Boot race with 17 goals. Without her, the Pride failed to register a single shot on target as Jordyn Bugg's second-half goal gave the Reign all three points and the final playoff spot. Orlando, already out of postseason contention, head into the offseason after a disappointing campaign.
Houston Dash
Prior ranking:12
Result:Lost 2-0 vs. Portland Thorns
Ramifications:There were moments this season where the Houston Dash looked like they were going to make a run at the playoffs. From Jane Campbell's leadership in goal to Avery Patterson's grind and discipline in the back, they had some promising pieces. Yet, the Dash dropped three points to the Thorns at home and will be watching the playoffs as opposed to playing in them as a result.
Boston Legacy
Prior ranking:11
Result:Lost 4-1 vs. Angel City
Ramifications:Boston Legacy had pride to play for on Decision Day, but a dangerous Angel City attack proved too much. Amanda Gutierres pulled Boston level before halftime, only for Angel City to score three unanswered goals after the break. The Legacy finished their inaugural NWSL season in 13th place with a 9-15-6 record. There were bright spots, though, including wins over playoff teams Washington and Portland.
Denver Summit
Prior ranking:8
Result:Lost 1-0 vs. North Carolina Courage
Ramifications:Denver Summit's inaugural season came to a frustrating end as a stoppage-time own goal handed North Carolina a 1-0 win. The Summit needed a victory and a Seattle loss to reach the playoffs, but the Reign's win over Orlando meant Denver would have missed out regardless. Still, there was plenty to build on: Denver finished 10th and scored 53 goals, an NWSL record for an expansion team.
North Carolina Courage
Prior ranking:10
Result:Won 1-0 vs. Denver Summit
Ramifications:The Courage got the win they needed, but not the help. A stoppage-time own goal handed North Carolina a scrappy 1-0 victory over Denver, but Seattle's win over Orlando put the final playoff spot out of reach. The Courage finished ninth with 45 points, though there was still something to celebrate: Ashley Sanchez officially claimed the Golden Boot with her 20 regular-season goals.
Utah Royals
Prior ranking:9
Result:Lost 2-0 vs. Gotham FC
Ramifications:Utah Royals gave Gotham a tougher game than the scoreline suggests, with Ann-Katrin Berger producing a sharp save to deny Miyabi an early equalizer. The Royals stayed within a goal until Jaedyn Shaw struck in the 80th minute. Even with the loss, there is history to celebrate: Utah finished seventh with 47 points and will visit San Diego Wave for the first playoff match in club history.
Seattle Reign
Prior ranking:6
Result:Won 1-0 vs. Orlando Pride
Ramifications:Jess Fishlock isn't done yet. The Reign marked their retiring captain's final regular-season home game by beating Orlando to clinch the eighth and final playoff spot. Young center back Jordyn Bugg's 68th-minute winner gave a season-high crowd of 16,095 another reason to celebrate and set up a quarterfinal trip to Shield winners Gotham.
Prior ranking:7
Result:Won 2-0 vs. Houston Dash
Ramifications:The Portland Thorns will live on to see playoffs, but will have to do so on the road. The Thorns clearly benefited from having Sophia Wilson back, as the forward scored a brace in their 2-0 result on the road.
Washington Spirit
Prior ranking:4
Result:Won 2-0 vs. Chicago Stars
Ramifications:The Spirit took care of business against Chicago, but it wasn't their most convincing performance. A Michelle Alozie own goal and Trinity Rodman's 12th goal of the season secured the win, despite the Stars outshooting Washington 19-18. The third-seeded Spirit will host Portland on Sunday, when they will need a sharper performance. They must also navigate the playoffs without Hal Hershfelt, who suffered a season-ending ACL tear against Kansas City the previous weekend.
Kansas City Current
Prior ranking:5
Result:Won 2-0 vs. Racing Louisville
Ramifications:Kansas City's 2-0 win over Racing Louisville secured fourth place and a home quarterfinal against Angel City. The Current have been on a roll, closing the regular season with five straight wins. Hosting could make all the difference: Kansas City went unbeaten at CPKC Stadium during the regular season, winning 11 and drawing four.
Angel City
Prior ranking:3
Result:Won 4-1 vs. Boston Legacy
Ramifications:Angel City are on a 10-game unbeaten streak, and they exploded past Boston Legacy with four goals and a 4-1 result on Decision Day. Angel City rookie Taylor Suarez is the talk of the town with her six goal contributions in her last seven games. Angel City are also now tied with Kansas City with goals on the year at 54.
San Diego Wave
Prior ranking:2
Result:Won 1-0 vs. Bay FC
Ramifications:The Wave had already clinched a playoff spot, but second place and a shot at the Shield were still on the line. Mimi Van Zanten's ninth-minute winner secured second, though Gotham's victory kept the Shield out of reach. San Diego will host Utah Royals in the quarterfinals after finishing with club records for wins (18) and points (58), taking a seven-match unbeaten run into the postseason.
Gotham FC
Prior ranking:1
Result:Won 2-0 vs Utah Royals
Ramifications:Goals from Guro Reiten and Jaedyn Shaw lifted Gotham past Utah and secured the first NWSL Shield in club history. A draw would have been enough, but Gotham closed the regular season with a win over a disciplined Royals side and a club-record 61 points. The reigning champions now host Seattle Reign on Sunday as they begin their pursuit of another NWSL title.
