The path towards the 2025 NWSL Championship is getting narrower as the postseason is down to the final four teams. Washington Spirit and Portland Thorns are the top seeds remaining and will clash on Saturday (CBS, 12 p.m.) at Audi Field in Washington, D.C., while Orlando Pride and Gotham FC meet on Sunday.
All remaining teams know the glory of lifting the NWSL trophy, as each semifinalist has been to the final over the last four seasons, and the experience of reaching the biggest stage. For the Spirit, they’re carrying the memory of runners-up in the 2025 NWSL Championship, while the Thorns are itching to return for the first time since 2022.
The matchup will be a battle of contenders where the margins of success between them will be razor thin. Despite both teams having recent playoff appearances and NWSL Championship trophies, this marks the first time that Portland and Washington face off in the postseason.
Here’s how to watch
NWSL Playoffs semifinal schedule
All times U.S./Eastern
Saturday, Nov. 15
(No. 2) Washington Spirit vs. (No. 3) Portland Thorns, 12 p.m. (CBS, Paramount+)
Sunday, Nov. 16
(No. 4) Orlando Pride vs. (No. 8) Gotham FC, 3 p.m. (ABC, ESPN+)
Thorns find joy in being underrated
The Portland Thorns are no strangers to high stakes moments. This will be the club’s tenth semifinal match in franchise history, the most by a single club in league history, three more than any other side. The Thorns have appeared in four NWSL Championships since the league’s inception and won three NWSL Championship titles (2013, 2017, 2022).
However, Sunday’s match will be a first-time semifinal appearance for the majority of Portland’s roster. Several key names retired just last season, including Becky Sauerbrunn, Meghann Klingenburg, and international leading goalscorer Christine Sinclair.
There are only five players remaining from the 2022 NWSL Championship team, with only three active players in Sam Coffey, Olivia Moultrie, and Bella Bixby. Sophia Wilson has been out on maternity leave this year, while Morgan Weaver has been out with a season-ending injury.
The question marks around how the team would fare in light of such absences have been answered with a return to the postseason and another semifinal in front of them. Ultimately, it would take everyone, from the starters to the bench, to have a successful season.
“I think we’ve had a good bit of momentum in the later half of the season, and we’ve strung together some really good performances,” Thorns midfielder Jessie Fleming told the media.
“I think different players have stepped up in different games, which I think is a special part of this team. Everybody’s kind of showed up when we needed them to. So yeah, I think we feel good as a team, and we really enjoy being around each other. So I think last week, honestly, everyone was just stoked to get to spend an extra week together, to get to play one more game together. I know it was especially special for us getting that home match at Providence Park. And so I think we take a lot of energy from that.”
While the Thorns’ defense has undergone a complete overhaul since 2022, the backline is in stable form heading into the semifinal. They’ve recorded three consecutive shutout victories and match the Spirit in 2025 with eight clean sheets. They’ll rely on the recent organized performances, as tempo in playoff games can often be unpredictable.
“I mean, I honestly think that’s something that we’ve gotten better at throughout the season. I think you kind of saw that in our last game against San Diego. They’re such a good team, and there [were] definitely a lot of moments in that game where we kind of had to to manage some waves of their pressure, and we had to do a lot of defending,” Fleming said.
“But, I think you saw how this group has matured throughout the season, and how we’re able to handle those shifts in momentum, which are always going to happen when you’re playing against a good team, when you’re playing away from home. I was really proud of how our group has matured throughout the season, and we’ve gotten better at managing those moments.”
Spirit leads the contender pack
Washington Spirit is now the top seed left in the playoffs, with 2025 NWSL Shield winners Kansas City eliminated. It’s not a scenario they’re unfamiliar with, as they were in the chase as a second-place team against last year’s NWSL Shield and Championship winners, Orlando Pride. They’re coming off a dramatic quarterfinal where they eliminated Racing Louisville on penalty kicks.
If they want another shot at the title, they’ll have to knock down one more hurdle in a rising Thorns side. It’s often a close match when the two sides meet. The Spirit holds a 5-16-9 all-time series record against the Thorns with a -26 goal differential (29-55), but the home side is currently on a two game home win streak against the Thorns, thanks to stoppage time winners by midfielder Leicy Santos and forward Trinity Rodman the past two seasons.
Plenty of attention will be on whether or not Rodman suits up and plays for the Spirit. The winger has been out with an MCL sprain since Oct. 11 and was on the game day roster during the quarterfinal, but did not play. Prior to Rodman’s MCL sprain, the forward was managing a back injury that kept her out for a large portion of the season. She had a triumphant return to play in August, where she scored the game winning goal against the Thorns after 114 days away from the pitch.
The Spirit will host its fourth consecutive playoff sellout at Audi Field on Saturday. Washington sold out its home quarterfinal and semifinal matches in 2024 before selling out last weekend’s quarterfinal. The 2025 semifinal will also be the Spirit’s sixth home sellout in the past 17 months.
Prediction
Most NWSL playoff games can lead to slim scorelines due to tense tempos. That might not be the case between two top teams and a sell-out crowd to entertain or silence. There will be goals, there will be a winner, but it’ll still be narrow. Pick: Spirit 2, Thorns 1
