Washington Spirit secure Audi Field for NWSL semifinal after scheduling conflict

Washington Spirit have confirmed that their NWSL semifinal against Utah Royals will remain at Audi Field, resolving a scheduling problem that had put their home venue in doubt. The club announced that the match will kick off at noon Eastern on Saturday, November 14, with coverage on CBS.

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In the club’s announcement, chief executive Kim Stone credited cooperation from D.C. United and financial support from Lafayette Federal Credit Union for making the arrangement possible. The credit union will cover the additional costs of staging the semifinal at Audi Field. Washington also confirmed that tickets for the match were on sale.

Axios reported that the game had nearly been shifted to Northwest Stadium in Landover because Audi Field was already booked for the Secretaries’ Cup, the college football meeting between the Coast Guard and Merchant Marine academies. Confirmation of Audi Field means Washington will keep the same venue where it secured its quarterfinal victory.

The Spirit advanced by beating Portland Thorns 4-1 on Sunday. Washington entered the playoffs as the third seed, while Portland were sixth. Seventh-seeded Utah reached the semifinal by defeating second-seeded San Diego Wave 1-0, according to the NWSL’s announcement of the final four. The fixture will be Washington’s third consecutive home semifinal, with another championship appearance at stake.

The other semifinal pairs top-seeded Gotham FC, the NWSL Shield winners, with fourth-seeded Kansas City Current on Sunday, November 15. The league confirmed a 3 p.m. Eastern broadcast on ABC. Gotham progressed with a 1-0 victory over Seattle Reign, while Kansas City needed extra time to complete a 1-0 win against Angel City.

Audi Field is also the predetermined venue for the championship on November 21, rather than a final awarded to the higher-seeded team. The NWSL confirmed an 8 p.m. Eastern broadcast on CBS and Paramount+. Under the playoff format published by Washington, teams advance through a fixed bracket without reseeding, and the higher seed hosts both the quarterfinal and semifinal rounds.