The NWSL's regular season runs through Sunday, November 1 — about five weeks away. The playoffs follow immediately: quarterfinals the weekend of November 6–8, semifinals November 13–15, and the championship final on Saturday, November 21. With most clubs now 24 or 25 games into a 30-game season, the math on who plays in November is starting to come into focus — and the fight for the final playoff spot is as tight as it gets.
Gotham has separated — the chase for the rest of the bracket hasn't
NJ/NY Gotham FC has built real distance at the top, sitting on 51 points through 25 games — a six-point cushion over San Diego Wave FC (45) in second. From there, though, it's a genuine pile-up: Washington Spirit (43), Utah Royals (42), and Portland Thorns FC (42) are separated by a single point, and North Carolina Courage (39) and Kansas City Current (38) aren't far behind. Six teams within thirteen points of the league lead means seeding — not just qualifying — is still very much in motion.
The real fight: who grabs the last playoff spot
Seattle Reign FC holds the No. 8 and final playoff spot at 37 points through 25 games — but Angel City FC sits just one point back at 36, and with a game in hand. That's the entire margin between playing in November and missing out. Denver Summit FC (35, also with a game in hand) is the next closest challenger, meaning the No. 8 seed could realistically change hands more than once before the season ends.
| # | Team | GP | PTS | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | North Carolina Courage | 25 | 39 | In |
| 7 | Kansas City Current | 25 | 38 | In |
| 8 | Seattle Reign FC | 25 | 37 | In |
| 9 | Angel City FC | 24 | 36 | Out |
| 10 | Denver Summit FC | 25 | 35 | Out |
| 11 | Orlando Pride | 25 | 30 | Out |
Standings as of September 21, 2026. For the full 16-team table and this season's earlier storylines, see 10 Weeks Left in the NWSL.
The Golden Boot race has a new leader
North Carolina Courage's Ashley Sanchez has taken over the scoring lead with 18 goals, overtaking Orlando Pride's Barbra Banda after a hat trick earlier this month. It's a sharp turn atop a race that was a bunched-up group of players tied at nine goals apiece as recently as late August — a reminder of how quickly individual storylines can shift over the season's final stretch, same as the standings around them.
Five weeks, one point separating in and out
With the regular season's finish line in sight, every remaining matchweek carries extra weight — especially for the four clubs separated by two points at the bottom of the playoff picture. Check back as the stretch run plays out and the NWSL's 2026 playoff field takes its final shape.
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