San Diego Wave faces home game as Gotham and Washington race for top seed

San Diego Wave fans will likely see a home playoff match on Nov. 6, but the team's position in the NWSL standings remains fluid. The Wave currently sit in second place, yet a loss to Bay FC could drop them to third.

The club's recent form has been strong. San Diego won five consecutive matches before a draw with Boston Legacy on the weekend. That result, combined with a win by Kansas City Current over Washington, left the playoff seeding in a state of uncertainty heading into Sunday's final regular season games.

The Wave's record stands at 17 wins, 8 losses, and 4 draws. They trail Gotham FC, who hold the top spot with 17 wins, 5 losses, and 7 draws. The gap between the two teams is small enough that Sunday's results will determine the order of the top seeds.

Head coach Jonas Eidevall outlined the team's requirements for Sunday's match against Bay FC. "It is quite simple for us," Eidevall said. "We need to take a point to get the second seed and we need to win in order to put pressure on Gotham. In some aspects we control our own destiny."

The math favors the Wave if they avoid defeat. Bay FC enters the game with a record of 7 wins, 16 losses, and 6 draws. They finished second to last in the league this season, sitting in 14th place. However, Bay FC does have a 1-0 win over San Diego from May 3 at Snapdragon Stadium.

Washington Spirit also plays on Sunday against the Chicago Stars. Washington holds a 16-9-4 record. Chicago is last in the league and has not won in eight games. If Washington wins and San Diego loses, both teams will finish with 55 points. Washington would claim the second seed due to a better goal differential.

Defender Kristen McNabb described the team's mindset during the final stretch of the season. "We want to finish strong and we want to put ourselves in the best possible position," McNabb said. The team has treated recent matches as decisive contests to secure their standing.

Securing the top seed would give the Wave a second Supporters' Shield in its five-year history. However, the top seed also carries a specific risk. It would likely set up a quarterfinal matchup with Seattle Reign. Seattle holds a dominant record against San Diego, with 10 wins in 14 all-time meetings.

The Wave confirmed on Thursday that they will host the Nov. 6 quarterfinal at Snapdragon Stadium. The opponent will likely be Washington Spirit, unless the Spirit lose to Chicago and other specific results occur. Eidevall noted the value of home advantage. "It is so important for us to play at home," he said.

The 2026 NWSL Championship is scheduled for Nov. 21 at Audi Field in Washington, D.C. The outcome of Sunday's games will dictate the path for the top seeds leading up to that final match.