Sep 19, 2026; Cary, North Carolina, USA; The Gotham FC celebrate a late goal during the second half at First Horizon Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park. Mandatory Credit: William Howard-Imagn Images
On Saturday, September 19, following a 2-1 victory over the North Carolina Courage, NJ/NY Gotham FC secured the league’s first playoff spot in the 2026 postseason. This will be the club’s fourth consecutive playoff appearance, and comes as no surprise to followers of the league, who have seen Gotham dominate the table for the better part of this season.
Gotham is in pursuit this year of a back-to-back title, after winning the NWSL Championship in 2025, despite being the last team to clinch a playoff spot. Gotham is aiming high — the club is also in pursuit of the NWSL Shield, the award given to the team that finishes in first place at the conclusion of the regular season. Though the team has two NWSL Championships in its back pocket, they have never captured the Shield. The team can focus on securing it as the regular season winds down — playoffs don’t begin until early November.
