2023 National Women's Soccer League NWSL Championship Playoff semi-finals preview: Full schedule and how to watch live

The NWSL Championship has narrowed down to just four of the leagues's top teams, all vying for one of the most coveted prizes in women's club football.

NWSL Shield winners San Diego Wave automatically qualified for the semi-final round and will take on OL Reign who beat Angel City 1-0 in the quarter-finals.

OL Reign’s quarter-final win over Angel City marked NWSL icon Megan Rapinoe’s final ever home game, following her decision to retire, and she went out in style seeing as the victory was OL Reign’s first play-off win since 2015.

On the other side of the draw, Portland Thorns also received a bye into the semi-final round and will face NJ/NY Gotham following their 2-0 quarter-final win over North Carolina Courage.

Goals from Delanie Sheehan and Yazmeen Ryan were enough to secure Gotham their first playoff semi-final place since 2013.

Both semi-final fixtures will be played on Saturday 5 November, 2023. Portland Thorns host Gotham FC at Providence Park in Portland with a kick off time of 19:00 ET, whereas San Diego Wave v OL Reign will take place at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego at 21:30 ET.

Portland Thorns v NJ/NY Gotham

Reigning champions Portland Thorns will be looking to secure back-to-back NWSL Championships this season, but will have to get past Juan Carlos Amorós’ Gotham to have a chance in doing so.

Not much has separated the two sides this season. 

Gotham won 2-1 in their first league meeting earlier this season, but Portland sneaked a 1-0 win in the reverse fixture during the penultimate league fixtures.

After finishing second in the league, just two points behind San Diego Wave, Portland received a bye into this season’s NWSL playoff semi-finals. 

Their squad is packed full of experienced stars such as USWNT’s Becky Sauerbrunn and Crystal Dunn, as well as Canada’s Janine Beckie and Christian Sinclair - who announced her retirement from international football earlier this month.

USWNT star Sophia Smith, who picked up this season’s Golden Boot award, will no doubt feature for Portland Thorns and provide an integral boost in front of goal.

Gotham sneaked into the play-off places on goal difference after finishing in sixth place and joint on points with fifth place Angel City as well as seventh place Orlando Pride.

Despite the fine margins, Gotham have proved their worth in the play-offs, knocking out third placed league finishers North Carolina Courage in the quarter-finals.

The New Jersey side have only won the play-offs once before, back in the inaugural season of 2009. 

Long-standing USWNT defender and Gotham captain Ali Krieger will no doubt lead her side out for their semi-final clash against Portland Thorns, as we would expect to see 2023 Women’s World Cup winner Esther González feature alongside USWNT forward Lynn Williams who netted seven goals in the league this season.

Portland Thorns will face off against NJ/NY Gotham on Saturday 5 November, 2023 at Providence Park in Portland with a kick off time of 19:00 ET.

San Diego Wave v OL Reign

Having secured their first ever NWSL Shield, San Diego Wave will be hungry to go one step further and clinch the Championship.

To be in with a chance of doing so, however, they will have to make it past three-time Shield winners OL Reign, who despite making the playoff finals on two separate occasions, are yet to secure an NWSL Championship win.

The two sides came face to face four times this season, twice in the league and twice in the NWSL Challenge Cup, with OL Reign emerging as victorious in all four fixtures.

In fact, San Diego Wave only managed to put one goal past OL Reign in 360 minutes of football this season whereas OL Reign netted seven goals against the 2023 NWSL Shield winners.

As well as the weight of a playoff semi-final fixture, this game holds extra significance as it could be Megan Rapinoe’s last ever professional game.

The 38-year-old announced her retirement earlier this year and played her final USWNT in September, but OL Reign’s continued success in the play-offs has kept her on the pitch for a few extra games.

Should her side lose, it would mark the final game of her career. Should they win, it would see Rapinoe progress to the second playoff final of her career. Despite winning three NWSL Shields throughout her time, it is worth noting that Rapinoe has never won an NWSL Championship.

Rapinoe will be expected to start the semi-final, as she did in the quarter-final, alongside Jess Fishlock and quarter-final goalscorer Veronica Latsko. USWNT star Rose Lavelle returned from injury to feature for the last half an hour of the quarter-final, suggesting that we could see more of her in the semi-final.

Despite this being only their second season, San Diego Wave already have playoff semi-final experience.

Following a third place finish in their inaugural 2022 season, San Diego Wave made the playoff semi-finals only to lose to Portland Thorns who would go on to clinch the Championship.

This season, San Diego Wave went one step further to secure a first place finish and therefore the NWSL Shield as well as a bye through the playoff semi-finals.

Casey Stoney’s side finished two points above Portland Thorns this year, having won 11 of their 22 fixtures, drawing four and losing seven.

Despite missing out on club silverware last season, the 2022 Golden Boot winner, Defender of the Year, Coach of the Year, Goalkeeper of the Year and three players of the Best XI all came from San Diego Wave.

It was USWNT star Alex Morgan who picked up the Golden Boot award last year having netted 15 league goals. This year, Morgan managed seven and the 34 year-old will be expected to start against OL Reign.

San Diego Wave is also home to USWNT defender Naomi Girma who impressed at this summer’s Women’s World Cup. Girma has become a regular starter under Casey Stoney, pairing with Abby Dahlkemper at centre back. It was also Girma who took home the Defender of the Year award last season.

Despite a poor record against OL Reign this season, San Diego Wave will be more than ready to make their mark on the NWSL Championship and right their wrongs of last season’s semi-final loss.

San Diego Wave will face off against OL Reign on Saturday 5 November, 2023 at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego with a kick off time of 21:30 ET.

2023 NWSL Championship Playoff semi-finals: How to watch live

CBS are the official broadcasters of both semi-final fixtures, with the games available to watch live on the CBS channel or stream live on the app. 

Both games are also available to stream live on the NWSL website.