WASHINGTON — The Washington Spirit won’t have to play their NWSL semifinal at Northwest Stadium after all.
Hours after the Spirit beat the Portland Thorns 4-1 at Audi Field in a quarterfinal match on Sunday, Nov. 8, the NWSL announced that the Spirit’s semifinal against the Utah Royals on Saturday, Nov. 14 would take place at Audi Field.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
The Spirit were expected to move the match to Northwest Stadium, home of the NFL‘s Washington Commanders, due to a scheduling conflict.
Audi Field had previously been booked on Nov. 14 for an NCAA Division III college football game between the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy and the U.S. Coast Guard Academy.
The football game, known as the Secretaries’ Cup, was scheduled for a 1 p.m. local time kickoff, but will be moved as the Spirit-Royals game is set for a noon kickoff.
There was no immediate word on the fate of the Secretaries’ Cup game.
1 / 17
NWSL champions through the years
2026: Gotham FC (Challenge Cup winner)
(Barbara Perenic, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
1 / 17
NWSL champions through the years
2026: Gotham FC (Challenge Cup winner)
(Barbara Perenic, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
2 / 17
NWSL champions through the years
2025: Gotham FC (defeated Washington Spirit in the 2025 NWSL Championship game)
(John Hefti, Imagn Images)
3 / 17
NWSL champions through the years
2025: Washington Spirit (Challenge Cup winner)
(Russell Lansford, Imagn Images)
4 / 17
NWSL champions through the years
2024: Orlando Pride (defeated Washington Spirit in the 2024 NWSL Championship game)
(Kylie Graham-Imagn Images)
5 / 17
NWSL champions through the years
2023: NJ/NY Gotham FC (defeated OL Reign in the championship game)
(Ray Acevedo, USA TODAY Sports)
6 / 17
NWSL champions through the years
2023: North Carolina Courage (Challenge Cup winner)
(Bob Donnan, USA TODAY Sports)
7 / 17
NWSL champions through the years
2022: Portland Thorns FC (defeated Kansas City Current in the championship game)
(Geoff Burke, USA TODAY Sports)
8 / 17
NWSL champions through the years
2022: North Carolina Courage (Challenge Cup winner)
(Nathan Ray Seebeck, USA TODAY Sports)
9 / 17
NWSL champions through the years
2021: Washington Spirit (defeated Chicago Red Stars in the championship game)
(Jamie Rhodes, USA TODAY Sports)
10 / 17
NWSL champions through the years
2021; Portland Thorns FC (Challenge Cup winner)
(Soobum Im, USA TODAY Sports)
11 / 17
NWSL champions through the years
2020: Houston Dash (Challenge Cup winner)
(Jeffrey Swinger, USA TODAY Sports)
12 / 17
NWSL champions through the years
2019: North Carolina Courage (defeated Chicago Red Stars in the championship game)
(Streeter Lecka, Getty Images)
13 / 17
NWSL champions through the years
2018: North Carolina Courage (defeated Portland Thorns FC in the championship game)
(Icon Sportswire, Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
14 / 17
NWSL champions through the years
2016: Western New York Flash (defeated Washington Spirit in the championship game)
(Scott Halleran, Getty Images)
15 / 17
NWSL champions through the years
2015: FC Kansas City (defeated Seattle Reign FC in the championship game)
(Steve Dykes, Getty Images)
16 / 17
NWSL champions through the years
2014: FC Kansas City (defeated Seattle Reign FC in the championship game)
(Steven Bisig, USA TODAY Sports)
17 / 17
NWSL champions through the years
2013: Portland Thorns FC (defeated Western New York Flash in the championship game)
(Brett Carlsen, Getty Images)
Why were the Spirit set to move their semifinal?
The Spirit are tenants at Audi Field, which is owned by MLS team D.C. United.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
The management of Audi Field booked the Secretaries’ Cup several months in advance, before the Spirit or D.C. United knew their playoff fates.
But thanks to some last-minute movement behind the scenes, the Spirit will be able to return to “Rowdy Audi” for a decisive semifinal match.
“We’re excited to host our semifinal at Audi Field next Saturday,” said Washington Spirit CEO Kim Stone. “Thanks to the collaboration of D.C. United and the generosity of Lafayette Federal Credit Union, who stepped forward to underwrite the additional costs necessary to bring this semifinal match home. Let’s sell out Audi Field for the sixth straight playoff game!”
Should the Spirit defeat Utah, they would return home to Audi Field for the NWSL championship game on Nov. 21.
