Legacies are on the line when the Washington Spirit and Orlando Pride meet in Kansas City for the NWSL finals. The Pride could win their first title in club history, while the Spirit look to become the fifth team in NWSL history to win multiple titles. Two of the best teams in the league this season, the Pride and the Spirit, deserve attention in what could be an epic final due to the stakes on both sides.
Will it be Marta’s last trip?
Soccer legend Marta has yet to lift an NWSL title in her eighth season with Orlando, but she is now one victory away from achieving it at 38. It has been an impressive season for the Brazilian and she seeks to culminate it by leading the Pride to be the first team since 2019 to do the double by winning the Shield in the regular season and triumphing in the NWSL final.
Seb Hines makes history again
Head coach Seb Hines already made history by becoming the first Black coach in NWSL history, but becoming the first Black coach to win an NWSL championship would be a defining moment for the legacy.
Can Spirit win one for Croix Bethune?
The Washington Spirit weren’t slowed down by losing star midfielder and Rookie of the Year Croix Bethune to a season-ending injury, but this final is a chance to win a final for her while also seeing another star rise against our eyes. Trinity Rodman has already become one of the faces of the league and after a season in which she scored eight goals and assisted on six more, she will be one of the top players Hines looks to stop.
Michele Kang leads the charge of the Spirit
The fight of the Spirit reaches your property. as their first NWSL title came as Michele Kang attempted to take control of the team. After becoming involved as a minority owner, Kang focused on taking control of the team following head coach Richie Burke’s abusive behavior after attempts to convince other members of the club’s hierarchy that things needed to change did not work. The players had to get involved to make a statement that the team should be sold to Kang instead of someone else and she has turned that into a part of becoming a women’s sports mogul. It is no surprise that with Kang’s participation, the Spirit has become one of the best teams in the league and they can take another step with this NWSL championship.
No matter what it is, this is a historic final as even these comments are only scratching the surface of how good these teams are and some of the stories behind them.
NWSL Championship Broadcast Schedule
All Eastern Time
Saturday November 23
Attacking Third pregame show, 6:30 pm (CBS Sports Golazo Network)
Attacking Third pregame show, 7:30 p.m. (CBS, Paramount+)
NWSL Championship: Orlando Pride vs. Washington Spirit, 8 p.m. (CBS, Paramount+)
Attacking Third post-match program, 10:30 p.m. (CBS Sports Golazo Network)
Sunday, November 24
NWSL Skills Challenge, 3 p.m. or 5 p.m. (check local listings) (CBS, Paramount+)
Best bet: Draw (+240)
No matter what happens in the NWSL Championship, history suggests it will be very close. The Spirit had to win a shootout over NY/NJ Gotham to get here and have had a penchant for critical draws and winners. In a match between very even teams, it is fair to expect the regulation 90 minutes to be exceeded. If you’re not comfortable picking a score, under 2.5 goals can also be played at -106, but there are too many star attackers involved in this final for me to hang my hat on that one.
