© Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports
After years of clamoring from fans and media, the National Women’s Soccer League was finally ready to implement Decision Day for the final match day of the 2023 season.
They picked a good year to take the plunge. All 12 teams will be in action Sunday at 5 p.m. ET (all matches on Paramount+, plus a whip-around show on CBS Sports Network), and every match carries some sort of playoff implication.
The top and bottom of the table are mostly worked out. The Portland Thorns and San Diego Wave have clinched playoff berths and home semifinals with only the Shield to be decided this weekend. The Kansas City Current and Chicago Red Stars have been eliminated.
The middle of the table will feature two hours of Sunday drama, as eight teams vie for the other four slots. Seven of the eight are in with a chance to host playoff matches a week later. To illustrate the chaos and possibilities, there is a scenario where a team that hosts a playoff game finishes equal on points as a team that misses out. And the…
