2023 NWSL Championship
The 2023 National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) Championship match took place on November 11, 2023, at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego, California, the first time the NWSL Championship was held in San Diego. The final saw OL Reign fall to Gotham FC, 2-1.
San Diego Wave FC did not make it to the final, despite finishing first in the regular season standings and winning the NWSL Shield. They lost in the semifinals to the Reign, 1-0.
2024 NWSL Championship
The 2024 NWSL Championship was held at CPKC Stadium in Kansas City on November 23, 2024. This stadium, which opened in March 2024, is the first soccer stadium purpose-built for a women’s professional team. The Orlando Pride beat the Washington Spirit, 1-0. The match was broadcast live on CBS and streamed on Paramount+.
2025 NWSL Championship
The 2025 NWSL Championship was held at PayPal Park in San Jose, California, on November 22, 2025. Gotham FC beat the Washington Spirit, 1-0, in front of 18,000. The Wave’s season ended two weeks earlier with a 1-0 extra-time loss at Portland in the quarterfinals.
2026 NWSL Championship
The 2026 NWSL Championship is Saturday, November 21, 2026, at Audi Field in Washington, D.C. Kickoff is 5:00 PM PT (8:00 PM ET) on CBS and Paramount+.
To get there, the Wave have to beat Utah in the quarterfinal on November 6, then win a home semifinal the weekend of November 13-15. It would be their first NWSL Championship.
Historical Performance of the Wave in Playoffs
Since joining the NWSL in 2022, San Diego Wave FC have made the playoffs in four of five seasons. Below is a summary of their playoff performances by season:
| Season | Regular Season Finish | Playoff Result | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 3rd | Semifinals | Wave reached the playoffs in their inaugural season, defeating the Chicago Red Stars in the quarterfinals before falling to Portland Thorns FC in the semifinals. |
| 2023 | 1st (NWSL Shield winners) | Semifinals | Wave earned their first regular-season title but lost 1-0 to OL Reign in the semifinals at Snapdragon Stadium. |
| 2024 | 10th | Did Not Qualify | After a strong first two years, the team missed the playoffs amid a transition season. |
| 2025 | 6th | Quarterfinals | Wave lost 1-0 in extra time at Portland Thorns FC. |
| 2026 | 2nd | Quarterfinals, match on November 6 | Wave finished 18-8-4, set a club record with 45 goals and host the Utah Royals at Snapdragon Stadium. |
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