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For the National Women’s Soccer League, growth is ubiquitous. The league expanded to 14 teams this year and had record-breaking attendance, plus new performance records in goals scored and unbeaten streaks.
The playoffs are bigger than ever, too. Eight teams enter the postseason for the first time, up from six in past years. That means no byes for the top two seeds, and one more victory required to win a championship.
In its 12th year, the NWSL is known for its unpredictability and competitiveness, including quality from top to bottom in the standings. It all begs the question: Is an expanded playoff field a good thing?
Although the NWSL playoff race included some crucial moments for the final two spots, even teams at the bottom of the table showed grit in the final weekend of the NWSL regular season.
The Utah Royals they struggled in their return back to the NWSL and concluded the regular season with a 7W-15L-4D record. However, in their final few games under interim and now newly appointed…
