{{Short description|Women's soccer match in Kentucky, US}} {{Use American English|date=August 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=August 2025}} {{Infobox football match | title = 2021 NWSL Championship | event = NWSL Championship | image = | imagesize = | team1 = Washington Spirit | team1score = 2 | team2 = Chicago Red Stars | team2score = 1 | date = {{Start date|2021|11|20}} | stadium = Lynn Family Stadium | city = Louisville, Kentucky, U.S. | player_of_the_match1 = Aubrey Bledsoe<br />(Washington Spirit) | player_of_the_match1name = Most Valuable Player | referee = Tori Penso | attendance = 10,360 | weather = | previous = 2019 | next = 2022 }}

The '''2021 NWSL Championship''' was the eighth edition of the NWSL Championship, the championship match of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL), and took place on November 20, 2021. The Washington Spirit won 2–1 against the Chicago Red Stars in extra time, becoming NWSL champions for the first time. The match was played at Lynn Family Stadium in Louisville, Kentucky.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.espn.com/soccer/report/_/gameId/621801|title=Washington Spirit wins NWSL Championship over Chicago Red Stars in extra-time thriller|date=2023-05-17|publisher=ESPN|access-date=2025-08-19}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/37622634/washington-spirit-fitting-champion-overcoming-year-controversy|title=NWSL final: Washington Spirit a fitting champion after overcoming year of turmoil|last=Murray|first=Caitlin|date=2021-11-20|publisher=ESPN|access-date=2025-08-19}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.allforxi.com/2021/11/22/22796448/the-washington-spirit-win-the-2021-nwsl-championship|title=The Washington Spirit win the 2021 NWSL Championship|date=2021-11-22|last=Musarurwa|first=Kudzi|website=All for XI|access-date=2025-08-19}}</ref>

==Road to the final== ===Washington Spirit=== {{See also|2021 Washington Spirit season}}

After the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the 2020 season (during which they came second in the 2020 NWSL Challenge Cup round robin phase), the Washington Spirit placed third in the 2021 regular-season standings.<ref name="WS"/> They were led by NWSL Golden Boot winner Ashley Hatch, NWSL Goalkeeper of the Year winner Aubrey Kingsbury, and NWSL Rookie of the Year winner Trinity Rodman.<ref name="fbr">{{cite web|url=https://fbref.com/en/comps/182/2021/2021-NWSL-Stats|title=2021 NWSL Stats|website=FBref.com|access-date=2025-08-19}}</ref> Head coach Richie Burke was fired during the season for anti-harassment policy violations.<ref name="ES"/> They also forfeited two games due to COVID-19 policy violations.<ref name="ES"/> Despite that, they returned to the playoffs for the first time since 2016.<ref name="WS">{{cite web|url=https://fbref.com/en/squads/e442aad0/history/Washington-Spirit-Stats-and-History|title=Washington Spirit Stats and History|website=FBref.com|access-date=2025-08-19}}</ref> In the first round of the playoffs, Hatch scored a 1–0 stoppage-time winner against her former team, the defending double champion and sixth seed North Carolina Courage.<ref name="fbr"/> In the semifinals, goals scored by Rodman and Ashley Sanchez gave Washington a 2–1 win over the two seed OL Reign, sending the Spirit to their second NWSL final.<ref name="ES">{{cite news|url=https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/37622484/ashley-sanchez-sends-washington-spirit-ol-reign-nwsl-final|title=Washington Spirit beat OL Reign, Chicago Red Stars down Portland Thorns to set up NWSL final|date=2021-11-14|publisher=ESPN|access-date=2025-08-19}}</ref>

===Chicago Red Stars=== {{See also|2021 Chicago Red Stars season}} After the pandemic-disrupted 2020 season (during which they reached the 2020 NWSL Challenge Cup final), the Chicago Red Stars placed fourth in the 2021 regular-season standings.<ref name="fbr"/> In the first round of the playoffs, Mallory Pugh scored the only goal of the 1–0 win over fifth seed Gotham FC.<ref name="fbr"/> In the semifinals, which they played without Pugh due to COVID-19 protocols, the Red Stars won 2–0 over NWSL Shield holders Portland Thorns FC, with goals from Katie Johnson and Sarah Woldmoe, to reach their second consecutive NWSL final after the 2019 NWSL Championship.<ref name="ES"/>

==Match==

===Details===

{{Football box | date = November 20, 2021 | time = 12:00 ET | team1 = Washington Spirit | team2 = Chicago Red Stars | score = 2–1 | report = [https://web.archive.org/web/20211122153857/https://www.nwslsoccer.com/game/washington-spirit-vs-chicago-red-stars-2021-11-20/latest Report] | goals1 = *Sullivan {{goal|67|pen.}} *O'Hara {{goal|97}} | goals2 = *Hill {{goal|45+5}} | aet = y | stadium = Lynn Family Stadium | location = Louisville, Kentucky | attendance = 10,360 | referee = Tori Penso }}

{| width=92% | |- |{{Football kit | pattern_b=_wspirit20h | pattern_sh=_nikewhite | pattern_so=_nikewhite | leftarm=000833 | body=000833 | rightarm=000833 | shorts=C32032 | socks=000833 | title = {{nowrap|Washington Spirit}} }} |{{Football kit | pattern_la= | pattern_b=_redstars20a | pattern_ra= | pattern_sh= | pattern_s2= | leftarm=fff | body=fff | rightarm=fff | shorts=fff | socks=fff | title = {{nowrap|Chicago Red Stars}} }} |}

{| style="width:100%;" |- | style="vertical-align:top; width:50%;"| {| style="font-size: 90%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" |- |colspan="4"| |- !width=25| !!width=25| |- |GK ||'''1'''||{{flagicon|USA}} Aubrey Bledsoe |- |LB ||'''9'''||{{flagicon|USA}} Tegan McGrady || || {{suboff|46}} |- |CB ||'''3'''||{{flagicon|USA}} Sam Staab |- |CB ||'''6'''||{{flagicon|USA}} Emily Sonnett |- |RB ||'''5'''||{{flagicon|USA}} Kelley O'Hara |- |DM ||'''19'''||{{flagicon|USA}} Dorian Bailey || || {{suboff|119}} |- |DM ||'''12'''||{{flagicon|USA}} Andi Sullivan (c) |- |AM ||'''10'''||{{flagicon|USA}} Ashley Sanchez || || {{suboff|88}} |- |LW ||'''27'''||{{flagicon|USA}} Tara McKeown || || {{suboff|74}} |- |FW ||'''33'''||{{flagicon|USA}} Ashley Hatch || || {{suboff|116}} |- |RW ||'''2'''||{{flagicon|USA}} Trinity Rodman |- |colspan=3|'''Substitutes:''' |- |GK ||'''18'''||{{flagicon|CAN}} Devon Kerr |- |FW ||'''7'''||{{flagicon|JPN}} Saori Takarada || || {{subon|116}} |- |DF ||'''14'''||{{flagicon|USA}} Paige Nielsen || || {{subon|119}} |- |DF ||'''16'''||{{flagicon|SWE}} Julia Roddar || {{yel|101}} || {{subon|46}} |- |FW ||'''17'''||{{flagicon|JPN}} Kumi Yokoyama |- |FW ||'''20'''||{{flagicon|VEN}} Mariana Speckmaier |- |DF ||'''21'''||{{flagicon|USA}} Anna Heilferty || || {{subon|74}} |- |MF ||'''26'''||{{flagicon|USA}} Taylor Aylmer || || {{subon|88}} |- |DF ||'''30'''||{{flagicon|USA}} Camryn Biegalski |- |colspan=3|'''Manager:''' |- |colspan=4|{{flagicon|USA}} Kris Ward |} || {| style="font-size:90%; margin:auto" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" |- !width=25| !!width=25| |- |GK ||'''38'''||{{flagicon|USA}} Cassie Miller |- |LB ||'''3'''||{{flagicon|USA}} Arin Wright |- |CB ||'''26'''||{{flagicon|USA}} Tierna Davidson |- |CB ||'''11'''||{{flagicon|USA}} Sarah Gorden |- |RB ||'''23'''||{{flagicon|USA}} Tatumn Milazzo || || {{suboff|91}} |- |DM ||'''16'''||{{flagicon|USA}} Sarah Woldmoe |- |DM ||'''13'''||{{flagicon|USA}} Morgan Gautrat |- |AM ||'''10'''||{{flagicon|USA}} Vanessa DiBernardo (c) || || {{suboff|13}} |- |LW ||'''9'''||{{flagicon|USA}} Mallory Pugh || || {{suboff|46}} |- |FW ||'''33'''||{{flagicon|MEX}} Katie Johnson |- |RW ||'''5'''||{{flagicon|USA}} Rachel Hill || || {{suboff|79}} |- |colspan=3|'''Substitutes:''' |- |GK ||'''21'''||{{flagicon|USA}} Emily Boyd |- |FW ||'''4'''||{{flagicon|USA}} Alyssa Mautz || || {{subon|79}} |- |MF ||'''7'''||{{flagicon|USA}} Nikki Stanton || || {{subon|116}} |- |DF ||'''14'''||{{flagicon|USA}} Zoe Morse |- |FW ||'''15'''||{{flagicon|USA}} Makenzy Doniak || || {{subon|15}} |- |DF ||'''22'''||{{flagicon|CAN}} Bianca St-Georges || || {{subon|91}} {{suboff|116}} |- |MF ||'''24'''||{{flagicon|USA}} Danielle Colaprico || || {{subon|46}} |- |DF ||'''28'''||{{flagicon|USA}} Kayla Sharples |- |DF ||'''32'''||{{flagicon|USA}} Zoey Goralski |- |colspan=3|'''Manager:''' |- |colspan=4|{{flagicon|ENG}} Rory Dames |} |}

{| width=100% style="font-size:90%" | '''Most Valuable Player:''' <br />{{flagicon|USA}} Aubrey Bledsoe

'''Assistant referees:''' <br />Tiffini Turpin (United States) <br />Kali Smith (United States) <br />'''Fourth official:''' <br />Natalie Simon (United States) |style="width:60%; vertical-align:top;"| '''Match rules''' *90 minutes. *30 minutes of extra time if necessary. *Penalty shootout if scores still level. *Maximum of five substitutions. |}

==References== {{Reflist}}

{{2021 in American soccer}}

2021 * Category:Washington Spirit Category:Chicago Stars FC Category:November 2021 sports events in the United States NWSL Championship Category:Soccer competitions in Louisville, Kentucky