It's going to be a fierce competition on the pitch Saturday night as New York's Gotham FC, with Esther González, takes on the Washington Spirit and Trinity Rodman, competing for the 2025 National Women's Soccer League championship title.
There's history between the two teams. They're the most-played matchup this season.
Fans are ready for what's expected to be a nail-biting performance between rivals — with around 18,000 in attendance for the sold-out match at San Jose's PayPal Park. The NWSL closed its 2025 regular season with record-breaking numbers, reporting a 22% bump in viewership year-over-year.
Here's what to know about the highly anticipated matchup.
How to watch Washington Spirit vs. Gotham FC
You can watch the Washington Spirit vs. Gotham FC on CBS or stream the game on Paramount+ on Saturday at 8 p.m. ET. Here's more information on how you can watch pregame coverage.
Who's singing the national anthem?
Country music star Mickey Guyton is going to kick off the big game with the national anthem. Guyton, who previously performed "The Star-Spangled Banner" at the Super Bowl LVI, acknowledged it's one of the hardest songs to sing.
"Listen, I don't always feel patriotic lately, but when it comes to women and women's sports, I'm always going to show up for us," Guyton told "CBS Mornings."
Artists have different renditions of the national anthem, but Guyton said she's going to stick to what she knows. "Just keep it very traditional; just sing it through," she said.
Washington Spirit vs. Gotham FC: What to expect
Two teams are vying for one championship trophy in what's expected to be an intense matchup.
"This is going to be a nail-biter," NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman said, adding that five of the six playoff games went to penalty kicks, extra time, or were decided in the last minute.
1999 FIFA Women's World Cup winners Brandi Chastain and Briana Scurry agreed the game is going to be really exciting, but urged players to stay focused on the game plan.
"We love those dramatic moments...we love all of that as fans," Chastain told "CBS Mornings."
"Seeing the growth, seeing the activity, just seeing all the investment that's been happening has been absolutely fantastic. I'm just excited to be here and see it with my own eyes," Scurry added.
Lori Lindsey, CBS Sports NWSL lead analyst and former Women's National Team member, said the NWSL championship title will come down to "offense versus defense."
The Washington Spirit capitalizes on its offensive attacks, with plenty of players who can find the back of the net, Lindsey said. Meanwhile, she said, Gotham FC is one of the most experienced defensive teams, led by Ann-Katrin Berger in goal.
"It's so fun. We have goal scorers. We have great defense. We have great goalkeepers. I mean, you name it, those players are here," Lindsey said of NWSL players.
NWSL commissioner ready for "intense" final
NWSL commissioner tells fans to prepare for "nail-biter" championship game
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