Overview
- The eight-team, single-elimination tournament opens Friday with No. 4 Orlando Pride hosting No. 5 Seattle Reign at 8 p.m. ET on Prime Video.
- The weekend slate also features No. 2 Washington vs. No. 7 Racing on Saturday (12 p.m. ET, CBS/Paramount+) and No. 3 Portland vs. No. 6 San Diego on Sunday (3 p.m. ET, ABC), culminating in a Nov. 22 final at PayPal Park on CBS/Paramount+.
- Orlando recovered from a nine-match winless stretch to finish fourth, and the Pride will lean on Jacquie Ovalle and Marta to spark the attack in Banda’s absence.
- Friday’s tie is an immediate rerun of last week’s 1-1 draw in Orlando, and the Pride’s availability list includes forward Ally Watt as out and Simone Charley as questionable.
- Top-seeded Kansas City, winners of the Shield with 65 points, face No. 8 Gotham on Sunday (12:30 p.m. ET, ABC), though former USWNT star Sam Mewis has cautioned that an upset is possible.