NWSL Playoffs

Updated August 27, 2026

Recent Changes

NC logo North Carolina Courage entered bracket (seed 5)
SD logo San Diego Wave FC left bracket
POR logo Portland Thorns FC (seed 5 → 3)
WAS logo Washington Spirit (seed 3 → 2)
UTA logo Utah Royals FC (seed 3 → 4)

NWSL Playoff Format and Rules

Teams will be seeded based on points scored throughout the season. The top 6 teams will qualify, with the top 2 teams receiving first-round byes.

Tiebreakers

  1. Goal differential
  2. Most total wins (Regular Season only)
  3. Most goals scored (Regular Season only)
  4. Head-to-head results (total points accumulated)
  5. Head-to-head most goals scored
  6. Least Disciplinary Points Accumulated