Seattle Reign face Orlando Pride in first round of NWSL playoffs

After finishing the 2024 season in 13th place, second from the bottom, Seattle Reign are back in a familiar spot this year: the NWSL playoffs. The Reign finished the season in fifth place and will open the NWSL playoff quarterfinals on the road against fourth-place Orlando Pride on Friday night. The Pride won both the NWSL Shield and NWSL Championship in 2024.

The quarterfinal match kicks off on November 7 at 5 p.m. PT and will air on Prime Video. The Reign will also host a viewing party at Rough & Tumble in Ballard that will feature prizes and other giveaways.

The Pride are a very familiar opponent for the Reign, as the two sides met less than a week ago, on Sunday, November 2, for the final match of the regular season — drawing 1-1 to close out the season. After Carson Picket scored for Orlando in the 76th minute, Reign defender Jordyn Bugg found a similar opportunity at the far post just three minutes later. Collecting a cross into the box from Madison Curry, the 19-year-old centerback snuck her shot into the near-post corner to equalize.

The Reign stayed in Orlando this week to get the most out of their training time and get used to the sunny Orlando weather. This has allowed the team to bond more, including staying a few nights at Disney World, while also looking back at the things they could improve on from last week's draw.

"We were frustrated at the end of the game on Sunday that we didn't feel we'd played particularly well in our standards," Reign head coach Laura Harvey said. "Watching it back, we were really close to doing some really good things. So that's been our focus and mindset all week, is continue with the good things that we did in the game and just tidy up on a couple of areas. The mindset of the group is in a good spot and excited for tomorrow."

NWSL playoff structure

• The top eight teams in the NWSL qualify for the playoffs at the end of the regular season.
• The teams are seeded 1 through 8 based on the regular-season standings (with 1 playing 8, 2 playing 7, etc.).
• The higher-seeded team hosts the match in both the quarterfinal and semi-final rounds, unless venue availability prevents it.
• The playoffs are a single-elimination tournament.

Head-to-Head

• The Reign are 7-5-8 all-time against Orlando; that includes a 2-3-5 record on the road against the Pride.
• In April, the Reign lost 1-0 at home against the Pride on a Barbra Banda goal. Last week, the teams drew 1-1 in Orlando.

2025 results

• The Reign and Pride sit 1 point apart, with Orlando (11-8-7) at 40 points and the Reign at 39 points (10-7-9).
• The Reign have scored 32 goals and conceded 29.
• Orlando has scored 33 and conceded 27.

Players to watch

Orlando Pride

Marta: The 39-year-old Brazilian forward still has it. Marta and Pride newcomer Jacquie Ovalle are the two creative engines for the Pride — bringing the flair to their team. Marta knows where to find space, can slip a pass to her teammate, and can dribble around defenders with ease. She has four goals, three of them from the penalty spot, and earned one assist this year. She leads the team in chances created (39). The Reign did pretty well to stop her last week, but they will need to mark her even more tightly and limit her time on the ball without pressure.

Jacquie Ovalle: Jacquie Ovalle joined the Pride in August and is starting to really settle into the squad. That's scary for the rest of the league. Ovalle joined the Pride in August on a world record $1.5 million fee, the highest in women's soccer. She has one goal and two assists in eight NWSL games. Ovalle is unpredictable and crafty on the ball, she loves pressure, and as she demonstrated last week against the Reign, she can whip in a dangerous cross.

Seattle Reign

Jess Fishlock: The 38-year-old just retired from international play with Wales, where she holds the distinction as the nation's leading goalscorer. She's also tied with Emeri Adames as the Reign's leading goalscorer this year, notching six goals and two assists in just 800 minutes of play. She leads the NWSL in goals + assists per 90 minutes. Whether she starts or comes off the bench, the Reign midfielder is ready for the moment. And Fishlock loves big moments.

Maddie Dahlien: The Reign rookie has four goals and four assists this season. She didn't start last week after returning from the U.S. Women's National Team U-23 camp, but she's been one of the Reign's most dangerous attackers all season. Look for Dahlien to make darting runs up the left wing, as she's got the speed to hurt opponents in transition. Dahlien is second in the league in carries into the penalty box. She gets the ball forward quickly and can either unleash a shot or find a teammate in the box.

What to watch

Formations: The Reign have altered their formation between a five-back system and a four-back throughout the season. Last week, they lined up with five players on the backline – allowing wingbacks Madison Curry and Sofia Huerta to push high into the attack and drop deeper when defending. At times, the Reign backline sat too deep, which made it hard to get out of their own half. While the Reign aren't a team that likes to dominate possession, they are a lot more successful when they don't have to build out from deep positions on the field and under significant pressure. They were at their best last week when they pressed Orlando high, allowing Curry and Huerta to combine with teammates on the wings or whip in crosses. The Pride, meanwhile, typically sit in a 4-2-3-1 formation, and did that last week against the Reign. The wings and middle of the pitch will be an important spot for both teams. Who dominates in those areas?

Stopping crosses: The Pride attempt the most crosses in the league and also average the second most corner kicks per game. They like to use their width — pushing their fullbacks high to overlap with their wing players, or sending balls over the top to their speedy wingers (the Pride lead the league in completed long balls). The Reign defended these well for the most part last week, but the one time they lost their mark, Orlando scored. They'll need to put pressure on the ball higher up the field to prevent those long balls, and on the wings to limit uncontested crosses into the box. And they'll need to stay tightly marked on crosses, set pieces, and corner kicks, as the Pride have five set-piece goals this year.

Final minutes: The Reign and Pride both scored after the 75th minute last weekend. That marked one of just four goals that the Reign have conceded in the final 15 minutes of a match this season, tied for the third-fewest in the league, while they've scored nine of their own in that same span. Hold onto your seats, as those final minutes could prove to be rather exciting again.

Injury / Availability Report

Seattle Reign

OUT: Lynn Biyendolo (maternity leave), Veronica Latsko (SEI – lower leg), Cassie Miller (D45 – leg), Olivia Van der Jagt (excused absence)

Orlando Pride

OUT: Barbra Banda (SEI – hip), Kylie Nadaner (excused absence), Ally Watt (D45 – knee), Summer Yates (lower leg)

QUESTIONABLE: Simone Charley (head)

How to watch

The Reign face the Pride on Friday, November 7, at 5 p.m. PT. The match will air on Prime Video.