NWSL Decision Day 2026 recap: Gotham FC wins first Shield; Spirit, Wave and Current lock home games

After winning two NWSL Championships as the last place seed, Gotham FC will finally go into the postseason as the top team, securing their first NWSL Shield on the final day with a 2-0 win over the Utah Royals. The San Diego Wave, Washington Spirit and KC Current also secured home field advantage in the quarterfinals. The Seattle Reign held on to the eight seed to round out the NWSL playoff teams. The postseason is officially here, here’s how we ended up here. The Athletic watched every game, an