Current vs. Racing Louisville Preview: A Road Win Guarantees Kansas City a Home Playoff Game

The Kansas City Current have been the NWSL's ultimate homebodies all season. Unbeaten in 15 games at CPKC Stadium, per Racing Louisville's own preview. All nine of their losses on the road. So naturally, the only thing standing between Kansas City and a home quarterfinal is a trip to Kentucky. Somewhere, the scheduling gods are cackling.

Kickoff is 5 p.m. ET on Sunday at Lynn Family Stadium in Louisville. Kansas City arrives at 15-5-9 (wins-draws-losses) with 50 points, fourth in the table and riding a four-game winning streak. Racing Louisville FC is 7-3-19 with 24 points, 15th, and playing the last match of its season in front of its own fans.

Win and It's Home Cooking

Both clubs agree on the stakes. Kansas City's preview says a win on Sunday would clinch a top-four seed and home-field advantage for at least the quarterfinals, and Louisville's preview puts it the same way: KC must win to guarantee a home playoff game. The league's Decision Day preview has Washington and Kansas City holding the last two home spots, with fifth-place Angel City and sixth-place Utah ready to pounce if either one loses.

That is a lot of pressure for a team with Kansas City's road résumé. Louisville's preview did the homework: nearly 75 percent of KC's points have come at home (37 of 50), its minus-11 goal difference on the road is the fourth worst in the league, and it has won just two of its last seven away games, dating back to July 10. The Current's four-game streak, the longest of their season per the club, includes only one road result, a 2-0 win at Utah.

Louisville, eliminated back in Week 23, would love nothing more than to play spoiler a year after clinching its first-ever playoff berth on Decision Day with a 1-0 win over Bay. The current form says that is a big ask. Racing has not won since beating Seattle 2-1 on Aug. 19, a run of nine matches with eight losses and one draw, capped by a 6-1 defeat at Denver last week.

Where This One Gets Decided

This one is about Croix Bethune against a Louisville back line that has been leaking goals and will be without Jordyn Bloomer in goal. Bethune became the outright owner of the NWSL single-season assist record last week, setting up Vanessa DiBernardo's winner against Washington for her 11th. Per the league, the previous mark had stood since Tobin Heath in 2016 before Bethune tied it in 2024. She also leads the Current with 50 shots, so she is not just a passer.

On the other end of those passes, Temwa Chawinga has 12 goals in 18 matches and sits fifth in the Golden Boot race, per the club, which also notes she finished 10th in this year's Ballon d'Or Feminin rankings. Haley Hopkins adds 11 goals. The last time these teams met, a 5-1 Kansas City win on July 29, Hopkins and Debinha both scored twice, and KC's preview notes the Current have won the last four regular-season meetings by a combined 13-3, scoring inside five minutes in three of them.

Louisville's biggest problem is in goal. Bloomer, who has made 105 saves this season, is listed as out with a knee injury. Maddie Prohaska, the next name on ESPN's saves list, has four. Facing the league's second-highest-scoring attack with a backup keeper is the kind of plot twist nobody in Louisville asked for.

The home side does have reasons for hope. Louisville's preview notes that four of its six all-time wins over the Current came at Lynn Family Stadium, and the attack has some bite. Kayla Fischer has eight goals, Emma Sears has seven goals and five assists, and Lauren Milliet has a club-record seven assists.

Players to Watch

Croix Bethune, Kansas City. Eleven assists, a record, and the creative heartbeat of a team that has won four straight. Every KC attack goes through her.

Temwa Chawinga, Kansas City. Twelve goals and one of the scariest first steps in the league. If Louisville's defense is stretched, she will find the space.

Kayla Fischer, Louisville. Eight goals on 57 shots. Per the club, she and Sears are tied on 12 goal contributions, and one more for either sets a new Louisville single-season record.

Emma Sears, Louisville. Seven goals and five assists. The other half of that record chase, and Louisville's best bet to make KC's defense sweat.

Team News

Kansas City is without Alana Cook (knee) and Clare Gagne (head), both on the season-ending list, and Mary Long is listed as out. Louisville lists Bloomer (knee), Taylor Flint (foot), Natalie Mitchell (knee), Makenna Morris (foot) and Savannah DeMelo as out. Nobody on either side is listed as questionable.

By the Numbers

• DraftKings lists Kansas City at -115 on the moneyline, Louisville at +215 and the draw at +300, with a total of 3.5 goals, via ESPN, as of Saturday.
• In ESPN's last five meetings, Kansas City has four wins and one draw, most recently 5-1 on July 29.
• Kansas City has 52 goals, second in the league, per the club.
• KC has won two of its last seven road games, per Louisville.
• Louisville has not won in nine matches since Aug. 19.

The Pick

Kansas City's road form is a real concern, and Louisville will be playing loose in its finale. But KC has the record-setting playmaker, two double-digit scorers and a clear reason to win, while Louisville is missing Bloomer and has not won in more than two months.

Our pick: Kansas City 3-1. Bethune adds to her record, Chawinga scores early, and Fischer or Sears gets the club record as a consolation.

Odds from DraftKings via ESPN as of Oct. 31. Standings and stats from ESPN. Playoff picture and availability from NWSLsoccer.com. Additional notes from KansasCityCurrent.com and RacingLouFC.com.