Just like in 2025, San Diego Wave FC lost in the quarterfinal round of the NWSL playoffs – and by the same score of 1-0, only this time their elimination came at home against a team the club was favored to beat.
Many might think that ending casts a pall over the entire season, especially since the Wave came in undefeated in its previous seven matches while its lower-seeded opponent, the Utah Royals, had been winless in its previous four. Worse, Utah had been shutout in its last three contests.
However, that result is just a stark reminder as to why soccer is known as “The Beautiful Game.” Anything can happen regardless of who the adversary is.
“I refuse letting this game define our season even if it hurts so much now,” said Wave head coach Jonas Eidevall. “The players deserve to be celebrated,” he said for what they accomplished in 2026.
And he added this: “We need to use this year as fuel for how we build and we come back next season.”
The Wave started off strong, winning five in a row after dropping their opener to Houston at home. Then they lost back-to-back matches, while failing to score against Portland and Bay FC.
It was at this point where concerns over the Wave’s lack of scoring punch came to the forefront, but the team bounced back, scoring six goals against its next three opponents. The span included wins against Los Angeles and Washington. Despite the mixed results, Eidevall opted for consistency
“You can’t change the starting eleven every game just because people have had a good training week,” Eidevall said. “Every training session matters when you look at the players and you want to play the best players. You need to spend time playing together so you can understand each other.”
After a home defeat to Orlando and a road win versus Chicago, SD Wave went on a month-long break due the 2026 FIFA World Cup, but remained active by signing Spanish goalkeeper Sandra Paños on June 10.
Paños soon became the mainstay for the club in net.
She made her first start on July 26 in a 2-0 defeat to the Seattle Reign after the team had gone 1-1-1 in the previous three. In its final 13 regular season games after Paños’ first appearance, the Wave suffered just two defeats.
“We created so many chances and I think that’s been a common theme for us throughout our season,” said Wave co-captain Kennedy Wesley. Though they didn’t come through against Utah, she said, “ultimately, I am so so proud of this team.”
The team had several standouts including Wesley, who is among the finalists for NWSL Defender of the Year, Kenza Dali, nominated for Midfielder of the Year), Mimi Van Zanten, up for Rookie of the Year) and Eidevall, for Coach of the Year.
Among the questions for the Wave are the status of injured forwards Dudinha, who ruptured her ACL and suffered a meniscus tear in her right knee in June, and Catarina Macario, who was placed on the season-ending injury list on Sept. 14, due to an ongoing knee issue and a recent procedure.
Macario signed with San Diego on March 27. The deal, through the 2030 season, is worth roughly $8 million in fully guaranteed money, making it one of the largest contracts in women’s soccer history.
The Wave takes the pitch again at the 2027 preseason Coachella Valley Invitational, starting Jan. 30, 2027.
