Note: No regular season or playoffs were held in 2020.

My, my, my how things can change. Since the league launched in 2013, it has grown rapidly. Things look very different now than they did then, and that includes the playoffs.

Playoffs? Yes, we’re talking about playoffs.

We’re taking a look back at the history of the NWSL playoffs – from 2013 to 2024.

Get your notebooks out and take your seats. NWSL history class is in session.

2013

With just eight teams in the league and 22 regular-season games, the first round of the playoffs was also the semifinals. The Portland Thorns kicked off the first-ever NWSL Championship with an upset of the No. 1 Western New York Flash.

SEMIFINALS

No. 2 FC Kansas City vs. No. 3 Portland Thorns

Thorns win, 3-2

No. 1 WNY Flash vs. No. 4 Sky Blue FC

WNY Flash win, 2-0

CHAMPIONSHIP

No. 1 WNY Flash vs. No. 3 Portland Thorns

Thorns win, 2-0

Championship MVP: Tobin Heath

2014

With the Houston Dash added into the mix, the league was now up to nine teams, but only four would qualify for the playoffs.

SEMIFINALS

No. 2 FC Kansas City vs. No. 3 Portland Thorns

FC Kansas City wins, 2-0

No. 1 OL Seattle vs. No. 4 Washington Spirit

Seattle Reign wins, 2-1

CHAMPIONSHIP

No. 2 FC Kansas City vs. No. 1 OL Seattle

FC Kansas City wins, 2-1

Championship MVP: Lauren Holiday

2015

After 24 games in 2014, the regular season dropped back down to 20 regular season games, keeping the original playoff format in place. It was a 2014 rematch in the final, and unfortunately for Seattle, it yielded the same results. Kansas City earned back-to-back championships in the first NWSL Final to be played in a predetermined venue and aired on primetime.

SEMIFINALS

No. 2 Chicago Red Stars vs. No. 3 FC Kansas City

FC Kansas City wins, 3-0

No. 1 OL Seattle vs. No. 4 Washington Spirit

OL Seattle wins, 3-0

CHAMPIONSHIP

No. 1 OL Seattle vs. No. 3 FC Kansas City

FC Kansas City win, 1-0

Championship MVP: Amy Rodriguez

2016

In 2016, the Orlando Pride entered the chat, and after back-to-back championships featuring Seattle and Kansas City, neither team qualified for the playoffs. Not only was this the first championship to be won by the No. 4 seed, it was also the first to be determined by PKs.

SEMIFINALS

No. 2 Washington Spirit vs. No. 3 Chicago Red Stars

Washington Spirit wins, 2-1

No. 1 Portland Thorns vs. No. 4 WNY Flash

WNY Flash wins, 4-3

CHAMPIONSHIP

No. 2 Washington Spirit vs. No. 4 WNY Flash

WNY Flash wins, 3-2 (PKs)

Championship MVP: Sabrina D’Angelo

2017

Though no expansion teams were added, the WNY Flash picked up and moved to Cary, North Carolina, where they rebranded to the Courage. A new city and a new brand, but the winning ways continued, making it to the championship.

SEMIFINALS

No. 2 Portland Thorns vs. No. 3 Orlando Pride

Portland Thorns win, 4-1

No. 1 North Carolina Courage vs. No. 4 Chicago Red Stars

North Carolina Courage wins, 1-0

CHAMPIONSHIP

No. 1 North Carolina Courage vs. No. 2 Portland Thorns

Portland Thorns win, 1-0

Championship MVP: Lindsey Horan

2018

Both FC Kansas City and the Boston Breakers folded over the offseason, but with the addition of the Utah Royals, the NWSL was back to nine teams and 24 regular season games. The era of Courage dominance begins with North Carolina becoming the first team to win the NWSL Shield and Championship in the same year.

SEMIFINALS

No. 2 Portland Thorns vs. No. 3 Seattle Reign

Portland Thorns win, 2-1

No. 1 North Carolina Courage vs. No. 4 Chicago Red Stars

North Carolina Courage win, 2-1

CHAMPIONSHIP

No. 1 North Carolina Courage vs. No. 2 Portland Thorns

North Carolina Courage win, 3-0

Championship MVP: Jess McDonald

2019

The road to the victory, yet again, ran through the Courage. They were the first team to win both the Shield and the Championship in back-to-back seasons, and it remains the largest margin of victory in league history.

SEMIFINAL

No. 1 North Carolina Courage vs. No. 4 OL Seattle

North Carolina Courage win, 4-1

No. 2 Chicago Red Stars vs. No. 3 Portland Thorns

Chicago Red Stars win, 1-0

CHAMPIONSHIP

No. 1 North Carolina Courage vs. No. 2 Chicago Red Stars

North Carolina Courage win, 4-0

Championship MVP: Debinha

2021

Racing Louisville became the ninth team in the league, and Kansas City got back in the game as the KC Current. For the first time, six teams qualified for the playoffs. As the top two teams, the Portland Thorns and OL Seattle earned a first round bye, but that didn’t help either team advance to the finals.

QUARTERFINALS

No. 4 Chicago Red Stars vs. No. 5 Gotham FC

Chicago Red Stars win, 1-0

No. 3 Washington Spirit vs. No. 6 North Carolina Courage

Washington Spirit win, 1-0

SEMIFINALS

No. 2 OL Seattle vs. No. 3 Washington Spirit

Washington Spirit win, 2-1

No. 1 Portland Thorns vs. No. 4 Chicago Red Stars

Chicago Red Stars win, 2-0

CHAMPIONSHIP

No. 3 Washington Spirit vs. No. 4 Chicago Red Stars

Washington Spirit win, 2-1

Championship MVP: Aubrey Bledsoe (now Kingsbury)

2022

Southern California gained two NWSL teams over the offseason: Angel City FC and the San Diego Wave. Though the league had grown, six teams, again, could qualify for the playoffs.

QUARTERFINALS

No. 4 Houston Dash vs. No. 5 Kansas City Current

Kansas City Current win, 2-1

No. 3 San Diego Wave vs. No. 6 Chicago Red Stars

San Diego Wave win, 2-1

SEMIFINALS

No. 1 OL Seattle vs. No. 5 Kansas City Current

Kansas City Current win, 2-0

No. 2 Portland Thorns vs. No. 3 San Diego Wave

Portland Thorns win, 2-1

CHAMPIONSHIP

No. 2 Portland Thorns vs. No. 5 Kansas City Current

Portland Thorns win, 2-0

Championship MVP: Sophia Smith

2023

Bay FC and Utah Royals put the league at 14 teams, where it will stay until the 2026 season kicks off. This would be the last year only six teams make the playoffs.

QUARTERFINALS

No. 4 OL Reign vs. No. 5 Angel City

Reign win, 1-0

No. 3 NC Courage vs. No. 6 Gotham FC

Gotham win, 2-0

SEMIFINALS

No.1 San Diego vs. No. 4 OL Reign

OL Reign win, 1-0

No. 2 Portland vs. No. 6 Gotham FC

Gotham FC win, 1-0

CHAMPIONSHIP

No. 4 OL Reign vs. No. 6 Gotham FC

Gotham FC win, 2-1

Championship MVP: Midge Purce

2024

Bye, bye to the bye week! This is the first season eight teams qualified for the playoffs and each team competed in the quarterfinals.

QUARTERFINALS

No. 1 Orlando Pride vs. No. 8 Chicago Red Stars

Orlando Pride win, 4-1

No. 4 Kansas City Current vs. No. 5 North Carolina Courage

Kansas City Current win, 1-0

No. 3 Gotham FC vs. No. 6 Portland Thorns

Gotham FC win, 2-1

No. 2 Washington Spirit vs. No. 7 Bay FC

Washington Spirit win, 2-1

SEMIFINALS

No. 2 Washington Spirit vs. No. 3 Gotham FC

Washington Spirit win in PKs

No. 1 Orlando Pride vs. No. 4 Kansas City Current

Orlando Pride win, 3-2

CHAMPIONSHIP

No. 1 Orlando Pride vs. No. Washington Spirit

Orlando Pride win, 1-0

Championship MVP: Barbra Banda