
Gotham FC Looks to Secure Playoff Berth against Louisville
Published on October 18, 2025 under National Women's Soccer League (NWSL)
NJ/NY Gotham FC News Release
JERSEY CITY, N.J. - Gotham FC can clinch its spot in the 2025 NWSL Playoffs, presented by Google Pixel, when it hosts Racing Louisville FC on Sunday at Sports Illustrated Stadium.
Kickoff is set for 3 p.m. ET, with local coverage on MSG Networks and streaming on NWSL+ and Paramount+.
NWSL+ is accessible for free via several platforms. For more details on how to find NWSL+, visit here.
Gotham FC (9-7-8, 35 points) sits in fifth place ahead of Saturday's matches in an ultra-competitive NWSL table, where just three points separate fourth from eighth. A win on Sunday would move Gotham closer to securing home-field advantage for the quarterfinals and hosting its second-ever home playoff match.
In Week 24, Gotham's 11-match unbeaten run across all competitions came to an end with a 2-0 loss to the 2025 NWSL Shield winners, the Kansas City Current. Despite the result, Gotham held the league leaders to their lowest expected goals total at home this season (0.69) and their second-fewest shots in a match (7).
Racing Louisville FC (9-9-6, 33 points) currently holds the final playoff position in eighth place, seeking to qualify for the postseason for the first time in club history. After a three-match losing streak, Louisville has found form and is unbeaten in its last three matches.
In its most recent outing, Louisville earned a dramatic 1-1 draw against the Chicago Stars. After Chicago's Jameese Joseph appeared to score the winner in the 85th minute, Louisville substitute Bethany Balcer struck in stoppage time to rescue a valuable point.
Sunday's meeting marks the 12th all-time contest between the two clubs. Gotham trails narrowly in the overall series, with a 2-3-6 record against Racing Louisville.
The clubs last met on May 9 in Louisville, where Racing earned a 1-0 victory behind a second-half goal from Taylor Flint. Gotham will look to turn the tables this time around on home turf.
Following Sunday's match, Gotham FC will close out the 2025 NWSL regular season on the road against the North Carolina Courage on Nov. 2 at First Horizon Stadium in Cary, N.C.
Key Points:
Gotham FC's loss to Kansas City marked its first road defeat since May 9, when it fell to its next opponent, Racing Louisville FC.
Gotham FC has had only one two-match losing streak in all competitions since the start of last season. The club is 7-4-1 in matches following a loss, including wins after each of its last three defeats.
Emily Sonnett won six tackles against Kansas City on Saturday, her highest total in 165 career regular season matches. The six tackles were the most by a Gotham FC player in a match in more than 16 months, since Maycee Bell won seven against Bay FC in May 2024.
A win against Racing Louisville on Sunday would give Gotham its second-highest point total in club history, surpassing the previous mark of 36 and trailing only last season's record 56 points.
National Women's Soccer League Stories from October 18, 2025
- Chicago Stars FC Drops Points Against San Diego Wave FC, 6-1 - Chicago Stars FC
- San Diego Wave FC Clinch Playoff Spot with 6-1 Win Over Chicago Stars FC at Snapdragon Stadium - San Diego Wave FC
- Houston Dash Earn Key Points at Home and Snap Kansas City Current 17-Match Unbeaten Streak - Houston Dash
- Orlando Pride Defeat Washington Spirit in 3-2 Thriller - Orlando Pride
- Spirit Drops First Match in Four Months, Falls to Orlando 3-2 - Washington Spirit
- What to Watch for as Racing Aims to Clinch Playoff Berth at Gotham FC - Racing Louisville FC
- Gotham FC Looks to Secure Playoff Berth against Louisville - NJ/NY Gotham FC
- Preview: San Diego Wave FC vs. Chicago Stars FC - Chicago Stars FC
- Player Availability Report: Orlando Pride at Washington Spirit - Orlando Pride
- Hocking Scores in Return, But Bay FC Drops 4-1 Decision to Courage - Bay FC
- Reign FC Earns 2-1 Victory Over Utah at Lumen Field, Clinching Spot in 2025 NWSL Playoffs - Seattle Reign FC
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
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