Welcome to the 2025 NWSL Playoffs 🏆

Plus, ChapGPT enters the coaching ranks.

November 04, 2025

Happy Tuesday, TWG readers!

NWSL playoffs are finally set and it was down to the very last game of the season to determine the eight spots. On Decision Day Sunday, all eyes were on North Carolina and Louisville to see who would clinch… and Racing Louisville prevailed! My eyes were frantically on multiple screens as I watched, my heart hoping that North Carolina could pull it off. But I have to admit, I am happy for Bev Yanez and Louisville to make the playoffs for the first time in club history. What a moment. 🏆

Amidst all the playoff madness, we’ve got a full week of content for you. Yesterday, Becky Sauerbrunn dropped a new episode of “Teaming Up” with Rebecca Lowe. Then, on today’s “Good Vibes,” Lynn and I chatted about all things NWSL playoffs and said goodbye to the teams who are done for the year. On Thursday, we’re talking Portland Thorns and the postseason with Sam Coffey and finishing out the week on Friday when “Mewis Squared” returns! 📺

We also just announced that TWG Live!: Night of 1,000 Stars is coming to San Jose for the NWSL Championship weekend! Tickets are SOLD OUT! Some amazing guests will be joining us onstage. I cannot wait to celebrate another amazing year of NWSL goals, drama, and excitement with all of you. 🎉

The best is yet to come!

Love,
Sam

The 2025 NWSL Playoffs Are Set 🏆

Racing Louisville Make History 💜

On the final day of the NWSL season, Racing Louisville and the NC Courage battled it out for the final playoff spot and Louisville came out victorious. They made club history with a 1-0 win against Bay FC (featuring a legendary goal from rookie Ella Hase) and earned their much deserved, first-ever playoff berth in their fifth season in the league after finishing ninth for four straight years. The Courage also put on a valiant performance at home against Gotham, earning a 3-2 victory against the Bats, but were ultimately eliminated thanks to Louisville’s win. Gotham fought back with two late goals, but dropped to eighth place with the defeat. That sets them up for a difficult playoff meeting against a record-setting Kansas City squad next weekend. 

  • Sam’s Take 🗣️: A crazy turn of events for Gotham, who entered Decision Day with the possibility of placing fourth and hosting a quarterfinal at home. Now they're heading into the literal belly of the beast... CPKC Stadium against overall playoff favorites, the Kansas City Current. Eek!

The Battle for Home-Field Advantage 🏟️

Higher up in the table, the five teams that qualified for the postseason in previous weekends vied for home-field advantage in a densely packed table. With first and second place already secured by Kansas City and the Spirit respectively, two spots remained. Portland’s 2-0 win against Houston was enough to seal a third-placed finish in the standings, earning a home-field test against San Diego. And Orlando drew Seattle 1-1 at home, enough to set up a second-straight Florida-based match against the Reign next weekend. 

  • Sam’s Take 🗣️: I am REALLY struggling to pick a dark horse for the playoffs. I'm caught up in comparing recent form with results, the final standings, the matchups... Who do you think could actually make a run for it beyond KC or Spirit? Let me know in our Discord.

Next Up, the Playoffs: 

  • Orlando Pride vs. Seattle Reign (Friday, 8 p.m. ET, Prime) 💜🔷

  • Washington Spirit vs. Racing Louisville (Saturday, 12 p.m. ET, CBS) 🖤💜

  • Kansas City Current vs. Gotham FC (Sunday, 12:30 p.m. ET, ABC) ❤️🖤

  • Portland Thorns vs. San Diego Wave (Sunday, 3 p.m. ET, ABC) ❤️🩵

📬 Enjoying The Women’s Game? Check out our other MiB newsletters:

🐦‍⬛ The Raven: Our Monday and Friday newsletter where we preview the biggest matches around the world (and tell you where/how to watch them) and recap our favorite football moments from the weekend.

🔍 The Correspondent: Rory Smith’s thoughts on the world of soccer, culture, food, and how they all connect – every Thursday.

🇺🇸 USMNT Only: Your weekly update on the most important topics in the U.S. men’s game, all leading up to next year’s World Cup.

USWNT Finishes October Window w/ 6-0 Win 🇺🇸

In a game featuring nearly as many back-heels as goals, the USWNT beat the New Zealand Football Ferns 6-0 last Wednesday in Kansas City, completing their second-to-last window of 2025 with an absolute score-fest. 

Racing Louisville forward Emma Sears stole the show with a hat-trick (her first for the first USWNT and the team’s first since Sophia Wilson’s in 2022). One of the USWNT’s trio of Chelsea talents, Catarina Macario, notched a brace. And the inimitable midfield maestro, friend to all bulldogs and team veteran Rose Lavelle scored a stunning goal from outside the box, marking her second in this window, her third for the USWNT in 2025 (after only returning from injury in June), and the 27th goal in her national team career. 

October was a window marked by fast starts: the USWNT scored within the first 10 minutes of all three games, while notching a goal in the first 60 seconds of their first two tests. There were setbacks and tactical challenges—Portugal beat them in Pennsylvania, and responded with goals in both friendlies—but Emma Hayes’ squad responded with palpable progress and trademark tenacity. In a few weeks, they’ll close out 2025 with back-to-back tests against Italy in Florida. 

🥤 Olipop power everything we do here at The Women’s Game. You can use code TWG20 for 20% off your first order at drinkolipop.com/TWG20.

Across the Pond 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

Sam Kerr Scores as First-Placed Chelsea Beat London City 2-0

Saturday at Stamford Bridge, England’s top-flight WSL resumed play after the international break. Two Australians scored goals for top-of-the-table Chelsea, taking all three points against the newly-promoted Lionesses. Former Lyon talent Ellie Carpenter started things off in the sixth minute—with her former club owner Michele Kang in attendance alongside Megan Rapinoe—and Sam Kerr added a second for the Blues in stoppage time, marking a momentous return to Stamford Bridge with a seismic strike. 

Seven games into the season, last year’s treble-winners still lead the league. But second-placed Manchester City trails Chelsea by just a point in the standings after beating West Ham 1-0 this weekend, featuring a goal from 21-year-old Japanese forward Aoba Fujino. And third-placed Manchester United (who drew Chelsea 1-1 on Oct. 3 as the only team to take points off the Blues this season) is only one point behind City, after beating Brighton 3-2 on Sunday.

Goals of the Weekend, Presented by New Balance 💥

Upcoming Games to Get Excited About 🗓️

Arsenal vs. Chelsea (Saturday, 7 a.m. ET, ESPN+) 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

The first meeting of the new season between the reigning champions of Europe, Arsenal, and the treble-winning Blues takes place at the home of the Gunners. Arsenal started slow this season, and will enter this matchup in fifth. But this London derby will be no easy task for Chelsea, as Arsenal consistently draws the largest (and arguably most-passionate) crowds in the WSL.

NSL Playoff Semifinals 🇨🇦

Saturday in Montreal, AFC Toronto (who finished the inaugural season of top-flight Canadian footy in first place) beat their hosts 2-0 to secure a stable advantage ahead of the second leg. Montreal Roses FC, who finished fourth, will need to dig deep in Toronto this Sunday at 2 p.m. ET to reach the final. This evening, a west-coast tie sets off to determine the other finalist: Vancouver Rise FC (who finished the regular season in third) hosts the Ottawa Rapid at 10 p.m. ET, before finishing things up in Ottawa on Saturday at 3 p.m. ET.

News & Notes 🗞️

🇪🇺 The 2025 UEFA Women’s Nations League final is set. After winning and hosting the first legs, both Germany and Spain went on to collect points (Germany with a draw and Spain a second victory) in their second leg tests on the road against France and Sweden, and will now face one another in a two-legged joust for the trophy, starting Nov. 28 in Germany.

🏆 The 2027 Women's World Cup will be here before you know it... And this morning, European teams found out who they'll need to beat to qualify. Following the same format as the UEFA Nations League, countries will have six match days to earn their place in Brazil. The draw got the drama started early with Spain and England (who met in the 2023 World Cup and 2025 Euros final) being selected to face one another.

🌴 After a successful inaugural edition in Portugal, the second-ever World Sevens tournament is set to take place Dec. 5-7 in Florida. NWSL sides Kansas City Current and San Diego Wave are confirmed to participate.

  • Sam’s Take 🗣️: I'm so psyched for this! I loved watching the first edition in May during the build up to the Champions League final. I can't wait to see these NWSL teams competing in such a fun format.

🇺🇸 Last week in Morocco, the U.S. U-17s fell to the Netherlands on penalties in the U-17 Women’s World Cup, sending them home in the Round of 16. With the quarterfinals settled over the weekend, tomorrow’s semifinals are between Brazil and North Korea on one side of the bracket, while the Netherlands play Mexico on the other. 

🇦🇺 Sydney FC’s 14-year-old phenom Willa Pearson became the youngest A-League player ever after making her debut against Melbourne City over the weekend. Read more about her first game here.

It’s TWG Trivia Time 🤔

This week’s question: Kansas City star Temwa Chawinga remained absent this weekend due to an injury she picked up a few weeks ago, but with Esther also sidelined, Chawinga secured the 2025 NWSL Golden Boot with 15 goals in 23 regular-season appearances. After winning the Golden Boot in 2024 as well, Chawinga is now just the second player in NWSL history to win the Golden Boot multiple times. Which NWSL player achieved this first?

Respond to this email (or reply here) for a chance to win a coveted TWG patch.

Last week’s answer: Former USWNT goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher scored from the penalty spot for the USWNT in the 2023 World Cup, 2024 CONCACAF W Champions Cup, and 2024 SheBelieves Cup.

Congrats to Catherine Frazer, who was the first person to respond with the correct answer. Catherine, the patch is on its way!

Moment of Joy 🤸

Bethany writes: Hello Sam and company! Sam mentioned emailing pet Halloween photos during one of the podcasts this week so enjoy! Hope you find my dogs as cute as I do!

Meet Eloise and Gilda!

Love the podcast! ❤️

Sam writes: Oh my gosh Bethany! These photos are amazing! I love them so much and am glad to see it’s not just humans getting into the Halloween spirit. I hope you had a wonderful Halloween and that Eloise and Gilda got lots of treats. Thank you for listening to the pod! Sam

📝 Want to be featured in next week’s TWG newsletter? Send Sam an email! All your questions, comments, and dog (or wedding) photos can be sent to [email protected]

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