Venue and Kickoff
Sports Illustrated Stadium (formerly Red Bull Arena), 600 Cape May St, Harrison, New Jersey. Capacity ~25,000.
Kickoff is 8:00 PM ET.
The match airs on Prime Video..
Current Weather Forecast
Expect favorable conditions for an evening match. Forecasts for Harrison, NJ on August 14 call for sunny to partly cloudy skies, highs in the mid-to-upper 80s °F (around 85–89°F / 29–32°C), lows near 70–72°F, light northwest/north winds (5–10 mph, gusts possible to ~20 mph), low precipitation chance (generally under 20–30% or near zero for the day/evening), and moderate humidity. Comfortable for play and spectators.
Team Forms and Standings Context
Gotham sits atop the NWSL table with a strong defensive record (around 24 goals for, 12 against in 19 games) and recent winning form. Recent results include wins over San Diego Wave (1-0), Houston Dash (1-0), Bay FC (1-0), a draw at Portland (2-2), and a comeback win over Seattle (3-2). They have been difficult to break down at home and on the road.
Kansas City is mid-table (around 7th), with a better home record than road record and roughly 30 goals scored. Recent form is mixed: draws at Houston (1-1) and vs. Angel City (1-1), a big home win over Racing Louisville (5-1), a loss at Boston Legacy, and a draw vs. San Diego. They have shown scoring ability but inconsistency, particularly away. Temwa Chawinga has been involved with Malawi’s WAFCON success and is expected to factor in.
Injury Reports
Gotham FC: Out/SEI — Kayla Duran (knee/ACL, season-ending earlier), Emily Sonnett (knee, season-ending), Denise O’Sullivan (knee). Other depth available; Ann-Katrin Berger has been solid in goalnwslsoccer.com +1
Kansas City Current: Alana Cook (SEI). Recent notes indicate returns or near-returns for players like Lorena and Kayla Sharples; Michelle Cooper and others have had soft-tissue issues earlier but progress reported. Temwa Chawinga returning from international duty. Full current availability should be confirmed closer to kickoff via official NWSL reports.
Current Rosters
Gotham FC: GK Ann-Katrin Berger, Teagan Wy/Shelby Hogan; Defenders Bruninha, Tierna Davidson, Jess Carter, Mandy Freeman; Midfielders Rose Lavelle, Jaelin Howell, Jaedyn Shaw, Savannah McCaskill, Taryn Torres; Forwards Sam Kerr, Guro Reiten, Midge Purce, Jordynn Dudley, Andrea Kitahata. Strong attacking and midfield talent with international experience.
gothamfc.com +1
Kansas City Current: GK Lorena, Marisa Jordan; Defenders Izzy Rodriguez, Kayla Sharples, Elizabeth Ball, Gabrielle Robinson, Laney Rouse; Midfielders Debinha, Croix Bethune, Lo’eau LaBonta, Rocky Rodríguez, Vanessa DiBernardo, Bayley Feist; Forwards Temwa Chawinga, Michelle Cooper, Haley Hopkins, Penelope Hocking, Amelia White, Gianna Paul. High-end attacking talent led by Chawinga and Debinha.
Key Player vs. Player Matchups
Temwa Chawinga / Debinha / Michelle Cooper (KC attack) vs. Tierna Davidson / Jess Carter / Bruninha and Ann-Katrin Berger (Gotham defense/GK): Chawinga’s pace, finishing, and creativity (multiple goals this season plus international form) against Gotham’s organized back line and Berger’s shot-stopping will be decisive. Debinha’s vision and set-piece threat add another layer.
Sam Kerr / Guro Reiten / Jaedyn Shaw / Rose Lavelle (Gotham attack/mid) vs. Izzy Rodriguez / Kayla Sharples / KC midfield and goalkeepers: Kerr’s movement and finishing, Reiten’s delivery, Shaw’s dynamism, and Lavelle’s creativity against KC’s defensive structure and transition play. Gotham’s midfield control (Howell et al.) will aim to limit KC’s counters.
Broader: Gotham’s possession and defensive solidity vs. KC’s home-like attacking bursts and ability to score in bunches (as seen in the 5-1 win). Set pieces and transitions are likely swing factors.
Series History
In 2026: Kansas City won the earlier regular-season meeting 2-1 at home (April 4; Debinha and Cooper scored for KC, Shaw for Gotham). Gotham defeated KC 2-0 in the NWSL Challenge Cup final (June 26; Esther González penalty and Jordynn Dudley). Prior seasons and playoffs have featured competitive matches, with Gotham holding recent championship pedigree.
MATCH ODDS
Kansas City Current + 280
NJ/NY Gotham FC – 130
Draw + 260
Over 2.5 – 175 Under 2.5 + 125
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Thursday, August 13, 2026
