Overview
- Quarterfinal weekend produced low-scoring, defense-first results that set the final four: Kansas City beat Angel City 1-0 on Michelle Cooper’s extra-time penalty, Gotham beat Seattle 1-0 on an early Jordyn Bugg own goal, Utah upset San Diego 1-0, and Washington routed Portland to advance.
- The semifinal matchups are confirmed as No. 1 Gotham FC vs. No. 4 Kansas City Current and No. 3 Washington Spirit vs. No. 7 Utah Royals with the semifinals scheduled for Nov. 14-15 and the championship slated for Nov. 21 at Audi Field.
- Players and coaches publicly condemned the condition of Sports Illustrated Stadium’s turf after Gotham’s quarterfinal, with multiple outlets reporting the NWSL fined Gotham $10,000 earlier over pitch quality and callers saying large worn patches and sandy areas affected play.
- The league has not finalized the physical venues and kickoff times for the Gotham and Washington semifinals because shared-venue commitments, including an MLS friendly and a college football game, overlap the reserved broadcast windows for Nov. 14-15.
- If semifinal hosts must relocate, the change could alter home-field advantage, fan access, and player safety on short notice, and the dispute underscores a wider league issue about wear on shared stadiums and the need for more dedicated, reliable playing surfaces.