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SOCCER

NWSL playoffs 2026: why Kansas City’s seeding matters

Kansas City ended Saturday two points behind fourth-place Utah. The eight-team playoff format makes the battle for home advantage worth following.

By The Sporting Page Editorial StaffTSP Original
Debinha celebrates for Kansas City Current with her arms extended.
Debinha celebrates for Kansas City Current during the October 3 win over Bay FC. The result left Kansas City fifth in the club’s post-match standings. · Credit: Kansas City Current

Kansas City Current’s 5–1 win over Bay FC on October 3 left the club on 44 points in fifth place, according to its post-match report. Utah Royals finished their 1–1 draw at Racing Louisville on 46 points in fourth. With three regular-season games remaining for each, the two-point gap has a practical consequence: the top four seeds normally host an NWSL quarterfinal.

Debinha’s second-half hat trick drove Kansas City’s win. Utah preserved its advantage with Brecken Mozingo’s stoppage-time equalizer. Their next league meeting is October 17 at America First Field in Utah, after the international break.

How the eight-team playoffs work

The 2026 regular season has 16 teams playing 30 matches apiece. The top eight qualify for a single-elimination postseason. The quarterfinal pairings are first against eighth, second against seventh, third against sixth and fourth against fifth.

That means fourth and fifth would meet immediately if those positions held at the end of the season. The higher seed normally hosts the quarterfinal. The same home advantage applies in the semifinals, although the rules allow an alternative if the higher seed’s venue is unavailable.

The bracket stays fixed. The winner of first against eighth meets the winner of fourth against fifth; the other semifinal brings together the winners of second against seventh and third against sixth.

What happens if teams finish level

Goal difference is the first tiebreaker when clubs finish with the same number of points. Total wins and then goals scored follow. Head-to-head measures come later in the sequence, so winning the October 17 meeting would not itself override the earlier criteria if Kansas City and Utah ultimately finished level.

In a tied playoff match, the teams play two 15-minute extra-time periods. If the score remains level, a penalty shootout decides who advances.

The remaining calendar

The regular season ends November 1. Quarterfinals are scheduled for November 6–8, followed by semifinals the next weekend and the championship match on November 21.

The Kansas City and Utah positions above are the clubs’ October 3 post-match snapshots. Final seeding will follow the completed regular season. The format is set out in the 2026 NWSL competition rules, with the postseason dates in Kansas City’s published league schedule.