NWSL Playoffs Preview: How can each team win the championship?

The largest playoff field in National Women's Soccer League history is upon us, and there are clear favorites in all four quarterfinals.

For better or for worse, the playoffs have grown from six to eight teams, meaning the top two finishers no longer receive a bye to the semifinals like in recent years. That also means there are three teams under .500 in the postseason, which isn't ideal.

The gap from fourth to fifth place was 16 points, showing how superior the top four teams – Orlando Pride, Washington Spirit, NJ/NY Gotham FC and Kansas City Current – ​​were this season.

However, the regular season records are now just history. All eight teams must win three games to win the NWSL Championship Cup. Why will everyone win? And what could be the downfall of each team?

Seeds: #1
Next game: vs. No. 8 Chicago Red Stars, Friday, 8 p.m. ET, Prime Video

Why they will win: Orlando was the best team throughout the regular season as every player performed at or near career-high levels, and that doesn't change overnight. Don't be fooled by two losses after winning the Shield, resting some players and escaping a hurricane. This is also the best defense in the league and that will pay off

Why they don't do it: Barbra Banda has gone cold. Orlando is much more than a one-player show, but if the Pride want to cap their historic Shield with an NWSL championship, they will need their record-breaking striker to lead the scorers. Banda is sensational but the defense has adapted and she has only scored one goal in ten games since the Olympics.

Seeds: #2
Next game: vs. No. 7 Bay FC, Sunday, 12:30 p.m. ET, ABC

Why they will win: Washington is arguably the best team in transition, with a roster that can apply relentless pressure and strike at the slightest opportunity. The Spirit did that in Saturday's regular season finale, securing second place. Ashley Hatch has found her form in the striker role and Trinity Rodman is a game-changer in wide areas. The mind doesn't need to have too much control over a game to win.

Why they don't do it: It was a long season for every team, but the Spirit teams were particularly struggling as it progressed. Recently, half of the starting lineup was missing due to injuries (and last month Andi Sullivan was forced out with a torn ACL). Several players, including Rodman, are back on the field, but will the Spirit squad have the comparative strength needed to put the results together, especially if extra time is required? This question could be asked of any playoff squad, but the Spirit's injury report is longer than it has been in recent memory.

Seeds: No. 3
Next game: vs. No. 6 Portland Thorns, Sunday, 3 p.m. ET, ABC

Why they will win: A strong identity. The defending champions have retreated into depth and are able to maintain a consistent game plan regardless of the players on the field. That sense of identity paid off in last year's playoffs when Gotham put up strong defensive performances on the road, and this team is even more comfortable in its “organized chaos” this season. Big names like Esther González continue to deliver, as do lesser-known players like Ella Stevens and Delanie Sheehan. Good teams win, and this team is as good as any from top to bottom. Gotham enters the playoffs in great shape, having found winning form (four straight games in the regular season) and finally finding their top scorer.

Why they don't do it: While Washington has struggled with injuries, Gotham has played more and traveled more than any other team this season. Sunday's quarterfinal will be the team's 40th game of the campaign, including a preseason tournament in Colombia, and they have had some wild cross-country treks of late, leading them into the trip to Jamaica to become new Concacaf W Champions Cup had to fit in during the week, plus a trip to the White House.

Seeds: No. 4
Next game: vs. No. 5 North Carolina Courage, Saturday, 12 p.m. ET, CBS/Paramount+

Why they will win: They are in top form and their defense, which has been their Achilles heel, has improved significantly since the start of the season. Kansas City's midfield may be the best in the league and the team scored a record 57 goals this season. Have you heard of Temwa Chawinga? She will undoubtedly win the MVP award, and she has scored in eight of the nine league games she has appeared in since the Olympics, missing the season finale due to injury.

Why they don't do it: The bracket. They narrowly defeated North Carolina, their quarterfinal opponent, and if they advance they face a semifinal tie with Orlando. That year, Kansas City lost at home to Orlando despite having one more player and one more goal, then played a scoreless chess game in Orlando in September. The Pride appears to have Kansas City's number. This team also struggled a lot with defensive set pieces early in the season, and while that has improved, the playoffs will require excellence in that area.

Seeds: No. 5
Next game: at No. 4 Kansas City Current, Saturday, 12 p.m. ET, CBS/Paramount+

Why they will win: North Carolina is the best possession team in the NWSL, allowing courage to dictate games. It starts at the back with a defensive unit dictating the play and moves into midfield where Denise O'Sullivan and Narumi Miura patrol behind Ashley Sanchez. The Courage will have a lot of possession and that could give them confidence. Will there be a finished product in front of the goal? The health of last year's MVP, Kerolin, is the deciding factor in all of this.

Why they don't do it: Road problems. North Carolina's away record this year is terrible: 10 losses in 13 road games. This is a very different team away from home than it is at home, and CPKC Stadium is probably the toughest venue in the league with a loud, sellout crowd right at the front of the field. North Carolina's path to the title would almost certainly have to take place entirely on the road.

Seeds: No. 6
Next game: at #3 NJ/NY Gotham, Sunday, 3 p.m. ET, ABC

Why they will win: “Sophia Smith” is really the short answer to that question, assuming she’s willing to play 90 minutes. The Thorns have struggled for much of this season, but talent has never been an issue. Their front six can compete with almost anyone in the league, and Smith can single-handedly change games. Sam Coffey is a midfield general, Morgan Weaver is back on the field and Christine Sinclair is playing with the fire of a legend

Why they don't do it: Will Jekyll or Hyde show up? No team's performance was more erratic than Portland's for much of the season. The Thorns were winless in their first four games before a coaching change and then won six games in a row. After the Olympic break, they went seven games without a win before finally getting back on the road to success recently. They have failed to consistently put together cohesive performances and have all too often lacked a creative identity. If any of these attributes creep back in, Gotham will take the plunge in the quarterfinals.

Seeds: No. 7
Next game: at No. 2 Washington Spirit, Sunday, 12:30 p.m. ET, ABC

Why they will win: Pardon the dynamic cliché, but this is a team that figured out its identity at just the right time. A mid-summer reshuffle focused on defense, aided by the arrival of center back Abby Dahlkemper, brought Bay back into balance. This team finally has the defensive support to support a strong attacking team. This might be the bottom seed that no one wants to play. It's not inconceivable that Bay steals an ugly result in Washington, DC

Why they don't do it: There are still deficiencies on this roster, and while there are several veterans, this expansion team still needs to learn how to adapt to the NWSL. The recent 5-1 loss to Gotham highlighted not only the divide between the teams, but also how quickly things can unravel when one team lets it. As much as this could be a dark horse for the playoffs, the reality is still that they will have to play a near-perfect game to beat a Spirit team that has collectively set a new NWSL record for wins this season (18).

Seeds: No. 8
Next game: at No. 1 Orlando Pride, Friday, 8 p.m. ET, Prime Video

Why they will win: The task against Orlando is monumental, but the Red Stars have pulled off surprises before – including a shocking 2021 semifinal win in Portland. If the Red Stars want to win — which might be the biggest playoff upset in league history — they need moments of brilliance from Mallory Swanson. Ludmila's absence due to suspension adds even more pressure on Swanson at the top. The Red Stars also have goalkeeper Alyssa Naheher, who has answered the call for heroics before.

Why they don't do it: The Red Stars haven't been very good lately. While they succeeded earlier in the year with more grit and less possession, that approach has led to less organized performances of late: their only points from their last five games came from a win over bottom-placed Houston. Tis the season for resilient defensive performances from teams that get results, but that description was more fitting of Chicago in the first half of the season than the Red Stars of late, who have looked more like a team their opponents have understood.