The Reign have another must-win match this weekend.
After beating Orlando 1-0 on Decision Day, the team travels to Harrison, New Jersey to take on Gotham FC in the first round of the NWSL Playoffs. The quarterfinal match, which kicks off at 9:30 a.m. PT, is a win or go home fixture.
WHEN AND WHERE: Kickoff is at 9:30 a.m. PT at Sports Illustrated Stadium in Harrison, New Jersey.
WHERE TO WATCH: Fans can tune in to the match on ABC, ESPN Deportes or ESPN+ with an unlimited subscription.
There will also be an Official Watch Party hosted at Rough & Tumble. Full event details can be found here.
2026 NWSL REGULAR SEASON RECORDS AND STANDINGS (W-L-D): Seattle Reign FC: 14-11-5 (47 points, 8th place), Gotham FC: 18-5-7 (61 points, 1st place)
Key Info Ahead of the Match:
1. LAST MEETING – The Reign and Gotham FC went head-to-head twice during the 2026 regular season – once at home and once away. Most recently, the teams met in July at Icahn Stadium in New York, and the Reign narrowly fell 3-2.
Following 2.5-hour weather delay, Reign FC scored two first half goals at Icahn Stadium but ultimately fell after conceding three goals. Seattle opened the scoring in the 12th minute of the match, as Maddie Mercado drew a penalty kick and Mia Fishel stepped up to confidently convert it. Mercado added a goal of her own just seven minutes later to double the Reign’s lead on the road.
Momentum slowly shifted in favor of the home side and the Reign were asked to defend for the final 15 minutes of the match. Esther González found Gotham’s first goal in the 81st minute of the match and then four minutes into stoppage time, she struck again to level the score. Rose Lavelle found the game-winner in the seventh minute of stoppage time with a shot to the upper-left corner of the goal.
All time, the Reign are 12-12-10 against Gotham FC and have tallied 33 goals in the series. The teams are level at 46 goals apiece and have only met twice outside of the regular season – once in the Challenge Cup where they battled to a scoreless draw and in the infamous 2023 NWSL Championship, where the Reign fell 2-1.
2. SCOUTING GOTHAM – Determined to win the 2026 NWSL Shield, Gotham FC had a strong showing against the Utah Royals to close out their 2026 regular season, winning 2-0 in front of their home crowd at Sports Illustrated Stadium.
Gotham immediately had Utah on the back foot, going up a goal just nine minutes into the match. Guro Reiten recorded her first game-winning goal for Gotham as she finished a deflected cross from Midge Purce. Jaedyn Shaw doubled the lead in the second half to solidify Gotham’s lead.
The win marked Gotham’s ninth home win of the 2026 season, tying their club record set in 2024.
In their last five matches, Gotham has tallied three wins, a loss and a draw. In each of the three wins, the team netted at least two goals but recorded just one shutout.
3. PLAYOFF HISTORY – While the Reign are still searching for their first NWSL Championship, they are no strangers to the NWSL Playoffs. This postseason campaign marks their ninth in club history – the second most of any club in the NWSL.
The Reign have played in 12 total playoff matches, garnering a 4-8-0 record across every stage of the playoffs. They have appeared in three NWSL Championships matches – 2014, 2015 and 2023. Three times, the team has entered the playoffs as the No. 1 seed; Otherwise, they have entered the playoffs twice as the No. 4 seed and once as the No. 2, No. 3, and No. 5 seed.
Sunday’s quarterfinal presents a re-match of the 2023 NWSL Championship, which saw the Reign and Gotham go head-to-head in San Diego. The match got off to a rough start for the Reign, as club legend Megan Rapinoe made an early exit due to injury. Gotham took the initial lead in the 24th minute, as Lynn Biyendolo, then Williams, who now plays for the Reign, was assisted by Midge Purce. The Reign leveled the score five minutes later courtesy of Rose Lavelle, who now plays for Gotham FC. The game was ultimately decided two minutes into first half stoppage time by an Esther González goal.
4. PLAYERS TO WATCH – Reign FC Jess Fishlock continues to be a player to watch for the Reign, as she extends her NWSL career into the playoffs. She has proven time and time again that she is a difference maker on the pitch and playoffs are no exception. The team will be looking to her not only for her skill and offensive prowess in the must-win match, but for her leadership and ability to coach in real time from the field.
Another player to watch on the Reign roster is Maddie Mercado, who reached 10 regular season goals in 2026. She recorded an NWSL-best five headed goals, which is tied for the third-most in league history. She also connected with 40 crosses this season – the most of any NWSL player.
For Gotham, Jaedyn Shaw and Sam Kerr have proven to be a consistent threat in the attack. Shaw, who just returned from injury, has 11 goal contributions this season, while Kerr has eight. Sixteen of the final 23 goals Gotham recorded this season featured a contribution from one of the two players.