{{Short description|Women's soccer match in Missouri, US}} {{Use American English|date=August 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=August 2025}} {{Infobox football match | title = 2024 NWSL Championship | event = NWSL Championship | image = | imagesize = | team1 = Orlando Pride | team1score = 1 | team2 = Washington Spirit | team2score = 0 | date = {{Start date|2024|11|23}} | stadium = CPKC Stadium | city = Kansas City, Missouri, U.S. | player_of_the_match1 = Barbra Banda<br />(Orlando Pride) | player_of_the_match1name = Most Valuable Player | referee = Alyssa Nichols | attendance = 11,500 | weather = | previous = 2023 | next = 2025 }}

The '''2024 NWSL Championship''' was the 11th edition of the NWSL Championship, the championship match of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL), and took place on November 23, 2024. The Orlando Pride won 1–0 against the Washington Spirit, becoming NWSL champions for the first time. The match was played at CPKC Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.espn.com/soccer/report/_/gameId/723586|title=Barbra Banda's goal lifts Orlando Pride over Washington Spirit|last=Kassouf|first=Jeff|date=2024-11-24|publisher=ESPN|access-date=2025-08-19}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5942976/2024/11/23/nwsl-championship-orlando-pride-barbra-banda/|title=Orlando Pride, Marta win first NWSL championship thanks to a goal from Barbra Banda|last=Rueter|first=Jeff|date=2024-11-23|website=The Athletic|access-date=2025-08-19}}</ref>

By winning the NWSL Shield and the NWSL Championship, Orlando completed the third double in NWSL history after the North Carolina Courage in 2018 and 2019.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.allforxi.com/2024/11/24/24304446/nwsl-championship-orlando-pride-beats-washington-spirit-in-final-on-controversial-goal-marta-banda|title=NWSL Championship: Orlando Pride beats Washington Spirit in final on controversial goal|last1=Westlake|first1=Amanda|last2=Nguyen|first2=Phuoc|date=2024-11-24|website=All for XI|access-date=2025-08-19}}</ref>

==Road to the final==

===Orlando Pride=== {{See also|2024 Orlando Pride season}}

After missing the playoffs on goal difference the previous season, the Orlando Pride opened the 2024 season by going 23 consecutive games without defeat (24 dating back to last season), a league record.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/41631666/orlando-pride-1st-nwsl-shield-unbeaten-washington-spirit|title=Unbeaten Orlando Pride clinch 1st NWSL Shield|date=2024-10-06|last=Kassouf|first=Jeff|publisher=ESPN|access-date=2025-08-19}}</ref> Zambian striker Barbra Banda joined the Pride early in the season and led the team in scoring, becoming the NWSL Golden Boot runner-up.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://themaneland.com/2024/12/22/2024-orlando-pride-season-in-review-barbra-banda/|title=2024 Orlando Pride Season in Review: Barbra Banda|last=Citro|first=Michael|date=2024-12-22|website=The Mane Land|access-date=2025-08-19}}</ref> Brazilian star Marta found the best form of her recent career and was tied for fourth in the league in goals.<ref name="MA">{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5942009/2024/11/23/marta-orlando-pride-nwsl-championship/|title=Marta already has an illustrious legacy, but this year with the Pride was one of her best ever|last=Linehan|first=Meg|date=2024-11-23|website=The Athletic|access-date=2025-08-19}}</ref> They were joined in the NWSL Best XI by NWSL Defender of the Year Emily Sams, who led a defense that allowed the fewest goals in the league.<ref name="fbr">{{cite web|url=https://fbref.com/en/comps/182/2024/2024-NWSL-Stats|title=2024 NWSL Stats|website=FBref.com|access-date=2025-08-19}}</ref> After clinching the NWSL Shield, the club's first major trophy, with a 2–0 win over the Washington Spirit, the Pride dropped two of their last three games of the regular season.<ref name="fbr"/> They made the playoffs for the first time since 2017, Marta's debut season.<ref name="MA"/>

In the playoff quarterfinals, goals scored by Haley McCutcheon, Banda (twice), and Marta powered the Pride to a 4–1 win over the eighth seed Chicago Red Stars at Inter&Co Stadium.<ref name="fbr"/> Orlando hosted the fourth seed Kansas City Current in the semifinals. Debinha's opening goal for the Current was answered by McCutcheon, Banda, and Marta, who scored Orlando's third goal after making multiple defenders fall. A stoppage-time penalty could not affect a 3–2 victory for the Pride, sending the team to Kansas City for their first NWSL final.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/42450783/marta-pride-kc-current-nwsl-final-spirit|title=Marta, Pride down K.C. Current to set up NWSL final with Spirit|date=2024-11-17|publisher=ESPN|access-date=2025-08-20}}</ref>

===Washington Spirit=== {{See also|2024 Washington Spirit season}}

After missing the playoffs by one point the previous season, the Washington Spirit placed second in the 2024 regular-season standings.<ref name="fbr"/> Head coach Jonatan Giráldez joined the team midseason after an interim stint with Adrián González.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://apnews.com/article/washington-spirit-giraldez-barcelona-nwsl-ddf2586e06c93f448b583e02b907b8cb|title=Jonatan Giraldez joins the Spirit, will transition to head coach role|date=2024-06-20|publisher=Associated Press|access-date=2025-08-20}}</ref> Croix Bethune, the NWSL Rookie of the Year and NWSL Midfielder of the Year, tied the league's record for assists in a single season, but missed the end of the season after tearing her meniscus.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2024/09/04/croix-bethune-nationals-first-pitch-knee-injury/ |title=A first pitch gone awry — and Spirit star Croix Bethune is out for season |last=Goff |first=Steven |date=September 4, 2024 |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=September 4, 2024}}</ref> She was joined in the NWSL Best XI by defender Casey Krueger and winger Trinity Rodman, the team's leading scorer alongside Ouleymata Sarr.<ref name="fbr"/> The Spirit made the playoffs for the first time since they won the 2021 NWSL Championship.<ref name="fbr"/>

Washington needed a long-distance strike from defender Tara McKeown to force extra time against Bay FC in the quarterfinals, where an own goal by Caprice Dydasco resulted in the Spirit's 2–1 win at Audi Field.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2024/11/10/washington-spirit-bay-fc-nwsl-playoffs-tara-mckeown/|title=Tara McKeown's last-gasp strike saves the Spirit in playoff opener|date=2024-11-10|last=Floyd|first=Thomas|newspaper=The Washington Post|url-access=subscription|access-date=2025-08-20}}</ref> Rookie midfielder Hal Hershfelt scored the 1–1 stoppage-time equalizer against NJ/NY Gotham FC in the semifinals, and goalkeeper Aubrey Kingsbury saved all three penalties she faced in the resulting shootout, as the Spirit to advanced to their third NWSL final.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/42428167/washington-spirit-gotham-fc-shootout-nwsl-semifinal-championship|title=Washington Spirit beat Gotham in shootout to reach NWSL final|last=Kassouf|first=Jeff|date=2024-11-16|publisher=ESPN|access-date=2025-08-20}}</ref>

==Match==

===Details=== <onlyinclude>{{Football box | date = November 23, 2024 | time = 8:00 pm EST | team1 = Orlando Pride | score = 1–0 | team2 = Washington Spirit | report = [https://www.nwslsoccer.com/match/5e3bfdb3de07408383e27bf294abc73e/tbc-vs-tbc Report] | goals1 = Banda {{goal|37}} | goals2 = | stadium = CPKC Stadium | location = Kansas City, Missouri | attendance = 11,500 | referee = Alyssa Nichols }}</onlyinclude>

{| width=92% | |- |{{Football kit | pattern_b=_nike24diagonal | pattern_sh= | pattern_so= | leftarm=897C9D | body=3b265d | rightarm=897C9D | shorts=3b265d | socks=3b265d | title = {{nowrap|Orlando Pride}} }} |{{Football kit | pattern_la= | pattern_b=_nike24diagonal | pattern_ra= | pattern_sh= | pattern_s2= | leftarm=EDE939 | body=EDE939 | rightarm=EDE939 | shorts=EDE939 | socks=EDE939 | title = {{nowrap|Washington Spirit}} }} |}

{| style="width:100%;" |- | style="vertical-align:top; width:50%;"| {| style="font-size:90%; margin:auto" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" |- !width=25| !!width=25| |- |GK ||'''1'''||{{flagicon|ENG}} Anna Moorhouse |- |LB ||'''25'''||{{flagicon|USA}} Kerry Abello || {{yel|31}} || {{suboff|86}} |- |CB ||'''3'''||{{flagicon|USA}} Kylie Strom |- |CB ||'''6'''||{{flagicon|USA}} Emily Sams |- |RB ||'''31'''||{{flagicon|USA}} Cori Dyke |- |DM ||'''2'''||{{flagicon|USA}} Haley McCutcheon |- |DM ||'''15'''||{{flagicon|BRA}} Angelina || || {{suboff|86}} |- |AM ||'''10'''||{{flagicon|BRA}} Marta (c) |- |LW ||'''9'''||{{flagicon|BRA}} Adriana || || {{suboff|66}} |- |FW ||'''22'''||{{flagicon|ZAM}} Barbra Banda || {{yel|70}} |- |RW ||'''11'''||{{flagicon|USA}} Ally Watt || || {{suboff|74}} |- |colspan=3|'''Substitutes:''' |- |GK ||'''40'''||{{flagicon|USA}} McKinley Crone |- |DF ||'''12'''||{{flagicon|USA}} Carrie Lawrence |- |DF ||'''13'''||{{flagicon|ESP}} Celia |- |MF ||'''14'''||{{flagicon|USA}} Viviana Villacorta |- |MF ||'''16'''||{{flagicon|USA}} Morgan Gautrat || || {{subon|86}} |- |DF ||'''19'''||{{flagicon|USA}} Carson Pickett || || {{subon|86}} |- |FW ||'''20'''||{{flagicon|USA}} Julie Doyle || || {{subon|74}} |- |DF ||'''28'''||{{flagicon|USA}} Summer Yates || || {{subon|66}} |- |DF ||'''30'''||{{flagicon|USA}} Ally Lemos |- |colspan=3|'''Manager:''' |- |colspan=4|{{flagicon|ENG}} Seb Hines |} || {| style="font-size: 90%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" |- |colspan="4"| |- !width=25| !!width=25| |- |GK ||'''1'''||{{flagicon|USA}} Aubrey Kingsbury (c) |- |LB ||'''3'''||{{flagicon|USA}} Casey Krueger |- |CB ||'''24'''||{{flagicon|ENG}} Esme Morgan |- |CB ||'''9'''||{{flagicon|USA}} Tara McKeown |- |RB ||'''26'''||{{flagicon|USA}} Paige Metayer || {{yel|50}} || {{suboff|61}} |- |CM ||'''10'''||{{flagicon|COL}} Leicy Santos |- |CM ||'''17'''||{{flagicon|USA}} Hal Hershfelt || {{yel|42}} |- |AM ||'''8'''||{{flagicon|USA}} Makenna Morris || || {{suboff|73}} |- |LW ||'''19'''||{{flagicon|CIV}} Rosemonde Kouassi || {{yel|28}} |- |FW ||'''33'''||{{flagicon|USA}} Ashley Hatch |- |RW ||'''2'''||{{flagicon|USA}} Trinity Rodman |- |colspan=3|'''Substitutes:''' |- |GK ||'''28'''||{{flagicon|USA}} Nicole Barnhart |- |FW ||'''4'''||{{flagicon|USA}} Lena Silano || || {{subon|73}} |- |DF ||'''5'''||{{flagicon|FRA}} Annaïg Butel |- |DF ||'''6'''||{{flagicon|USA}} Kate Wiesner |- |FW ||'''13'''||{{flagicon|USA}} Brittany Ratcliffe |- |DF ||'''14'''||{{flagicon|CAN}} Gabrielle Carle || {{yel|90+7}} || {{subon|61}} |- |MF ||'''16'''||{{flagicon|USA}} Courtney Brown |- |MF ||'''22'''||{{flagicon|USA}} Heather Stainbrook |- |FW ||'''39'''||{{flagicon|USA}} Chloe Ricketts |- |colspan=3|'''Manager:''' |- |colspan=4|{{flagicon|ESP}} Jonatan Giráldez |} |}

{| width=100% style="font-size:90%" | '''Most Valuable Player:''' <br />{{flagicon|ZAM}} Barbra Banda

'''Assistant referees:''' <br />Tiffini Turpin (United States) <br />Brian Marshall (United States) <br />'''Fourth official:''' <br />Brad Jensen (United States) <br />'''Video assistant referee:''' <br />Katja Koroleva (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}}

{{2024 in American soccer}} 2024 * Category:Orlando Pride Category:Washington Spirit Category:November 2024 sports events in the United States Category:2024 in sports in Missouri Category:Sports competitions in Kansas City, Missouri Category:Soccer competitions in Missouri