Racing Louisville can clinch home-field advantage at Lynn Family Stadium in the UKG NWSL Challenge Cup semifinals – and a potential final – if certain results fall in line in this weekend’s group stage finales around the competition.
We already know Racing has qualified for the semifinals on Sept. 6, but this weekend’s games will determine opponent as well as pertinent match details, such as location and kickoff time.
The first step in that determination comes at 8 p.m. ET Saturday when Racing takes on the hosting Kansas City Current at Children’s Mercy Park with first place in the Central Division on the line. Racing (4-1-0, 12 points) only needs a draw against KC (3-1-1, 10 points) to win the group, while a Louisville win could go a long way toward hosting rights throughout the knockout rounds.
Here are Racing’s home-field advantage-clinching scenarios as the weekend of Challenge Cup action approaches:
IF RACING WINS AT KC
- Finishes on 15 points
- Wins Central Division
- Clinches top-two seed and at least a home game for the Challenge Cup semifinals
- Would clinch top seed and home-field advantage throughout knockout stage IF OL Reign loses or draws at Portland on Sunday
IF RACING DRAWS AT KC
- Finishes on 13 points
- Wins Central Division
- Clinches top-three seed
- Would clinch semifinal home match IF North Carolina draws at Gotham
- Would clinch semifinal home match IF OL Reign loses vs. Portland AND North Carolina beats Gotham
- Would clinch semifinal home match IF North Carolina loses at Gotham AND Gotham loses or draws at Orlando OR Gotham wins at Orlando and Racing has better goal differential
- Would clinch knockout rounds home-field advantage IF OL Reign loses to Portland AND North Carolina draws vs. Gotham
- Would clinch knockout rounds home-field advantage IF OL Reign AND North Carolina lose THEN Gotham loses or draws vs. Orlando
IF RACING LOSES AT KC
- Finishes on 12 points
- Finishes with most points among second-place teams in group stage
- Would play Challenge Cup semifinal on the road
