Gotham Lift First NWSL Shield as Seattle Snatch Final Playoff Spot on Decision Day

The 2026 NWSL regular season ended in dramatic fashion on Sunday, with the Shield and the last playoff ticket both decided on the final day. Gotham FC finished top of the table on 61 points after beating the Utah Royals 2-0, claiming the club's first Shield and home advantage throughout the playoffs. Guro Reiten opened the scoring before Jaedyn Shaw, who finished the season with 11 goals, sealed the win late on. Gotham, the defending champions, will now host Seattle in the quarter-finals. The final playoff place went to Seattle Reign, who edged Orlando Pride 1-0 thanks to a 68th-minute winner from defender Jordyn Bugg. The result extended the career of club legend Jess Fishlock, who was playing her final regular-season home game before retirement, into one last postseason run. There was heartbreak for North Carolina Courage, who beat Denver Summit 1-0 but still finished ninth and missed the playoffs by a single place. The quarter-finals run November 6-8, with San Diego facing Utah, Washington meeting Portland, and Kansas City taking on Angel City, before the championship game on November 21 at Audi Field in Washington, D.C.