Kansas City Current face playoff test as Denver Summit close in

Kansas City Current host Denver Summit on Saturday in a match that could shift the NWSL playoff race. The Current sit eighth on 38 points, the last place above the playoff line, while Denver have 35 and can overtake them with a win. Five regular-season games remain.

The Current enter the fixture well short of last season’s form. They won the NWSL Shield in 2025 but were eliminated by Gotham FC in the playoffs. Their position this season leaves little room for error, with Seattle Reign also on 37 points ahead of their Friday match against Boston Legacy.

CBS Sports reports that injuries and the availability of Temwa Chawinga, Michelle Cooper and Croix Bethune have affected the Current’s consistency. The three have played together 10 times this season. Bethune, who has missed the past two matches with a hip issue, was not confirmed for Saturday.

The preview also points to changes in the club’s leadership. Vlatko Andonovski left the sporting director role this month, after previously coaching the team, and captain Lo’eau LaBonta said the departure had hurt players amid wider staff changes.

CBS Sports links the team’s weaker defensive record this season to coaching and club decisions, while noting that those assessments are open to debate. The Current have conceded an average of 1.4 goals per game this season, compared with 0.6 last season.