Spirit\u00a0looks to\u00a0maintain\u00a0strong home record against Wave FC;\u00a0club will celebrate cancer survivors throughout the day at Audi Field\u00a0<\/p>\n
Washington, D.C. (08\/01\/2026)\u00a0\u2013\u00a0The Washington Spirit will\u00a0host\u00a0San Diego Wave\u00a0FC\u00a0on Sunday with a chance to win its sixth straight home match. Kicking off at\u00a04\u00a0p.m. EDT, the\u00a0match will be the Spirit\u2019s\u00a0annual Cancer Awareness Day\u00a0at Audi Field.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Returning home from a midweek win in Utah, Washington looks to win its 12th match in the last 14 regular season contests and remain at the top of the table for the third straight week. The match will air on CBS Sports Network for Spirit fans unable to attend. Following this weekend, the Spirit will stay home to take on the North Carolina Courage on Saturday, August 8 at 6:30 p.m. EDT on ION.<\/p>\n
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On the Pitch\u00a0<\/p>\n
The Spirit enters Sunday\u2019s\u00a0top-four\u00a0matchup currently on a five-match win streak at Audi Field, having won every home match since the start of April and outscored opponents\u00a010-2 in DC. This home winning run matches Washington\u2019s best stretch in club history. The Spirit has also won 11 of its last 13 regular season matches, becoming just the fifth team in\u00a0league\u00a0history to achieve such a run. Each of the\u00a0previous\u00a0four teams went on to win the NWSL Shield as the first-place side at the regular season\u2019s end.\u00a0<\/p>\n
In the last meeting between Washington and San Diego in mid-May, Wave FC earned an important 2-1 win thanks to a late winner at home. San Diego is one of just two NWSL sides to beat the Spirit over the course of the past four and a half months. Since the loss, Washington has overtaken the top spot on the league table with 36 points through 17 matches and hopes to extend its lead with three more points on Sunday.<\/p>\n
Washington will be without several key players for the third straight match this weekend as the 2026 Women\u2019s Africa Cup of Nations continues. Midfielder Deborah Abiodun and forward Gift Monday continue to compete for their native Nigeria while forward Rosemonde Kouassi competes for her Ivory Coast. Additionally, recently signed Algerian midfielder M\u00e9lissa Bethi and Cameroonian midfielder Monique Ngock will report to DC after their runs at the tournament. Spirit players have tallied three goal contributions through the first group stage matchday at the tournament in Morocco.<\/p>\n
Across the last 12 regular season matches, the Spirit\u2019s star forward Trinity Rodman has collected eight goals and five assists for 13 total goal contributions, leading the team in both categories. Rodman has already matched her single-season career high in goals through just 17 matches. With 13 contests still to go, the forward can set new personal highs in both goals and assists while competing for the league\u2019s Golden Boot.<\/p>\n
The Spirit will have its hands full with an impressive San Diego attack this weekend. Wave FC leads Washington in shots, shots on target, rate of possession and attacking chances though the\u00a0Spirit leads in goals and assists. San Diego\u00a0is led in scoring by Trinity Byars who has six goals thus far this season with all six coming from open play.\u00a0Three other Wave FC players have scored multiple goals this year:\u00a0Dudinha, Lia\u00a0Godrey\u00a0and Melanie Barcenas.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Wave FC is averaging\u00a0nearly 2.0\u00a0expected goals\u00a0(xG)\u00a0per match so far this season, creating the\u00a0most big\u00a0chances in the attacking third in the NWSL\u00a0thus far. Only four teams in league history have averaged more than 2.0\u00a0xG\u00a0since tracking began in 2017, all\u00a0previous\u00a0four have finished in the top four of the table to host at least one playoff match.\u00a0<\/p>\n
In the defending third,\u00a0San Diego has started four different goalkeepers this season, conceding 19 goals and collecting four clean sheets.\u00a0Wave FC and the Spirit have each tallied just one clean sheet in the all-time series between the two: a scoreless draw in June 2025.\u00a0<\/p>\n
San Diego\u2019s win over Washington back in May snapped a seven-match winless\u00a0stretch in the series for the southern California-based side. After winning the inaugural meeting between the teams in July 2022, Wave FC lost three and drew four\u00a0until this spring.\u00a0The team can win back-to-back against the Spirit for the first time ever with a win on Sunday.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Following\u00a0Sunday\u2019s action,\u00a0the Spirit will\u00a0remain home to host the North Carolina Courage on Saturday, August 8. San Diego\u00a0will stay on the east coast, heading north to play Gotham FC on Friday, August 7 before returning to California.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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Around the Stadium\u00a0<\/p>\n
As fans enter the stadium Sunday afternoon, they will notice this weekend\u2019s special giveaway for Cancer Awareness Day: cancer ribbon pins in a range of colors to honor loved ones that have battled or are battling different types of cancer. Inside Gate A, fan-favorite Crashed Chords will be performing on the Spirit Stage throughout pre-match until kickoff.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Spiritville\u00a0will continue to feature activations that fans will be sure to love on\u00a0Sunday\u00a0afternoon. In addition to\u00a0fan-favorites like the temporary\u00a0airbrush\u00a0tattoo station,\u00a0facepainting station,\u00a0poster-making\u00a0station\u00a0and yard games,\u00a0Spiritville\u00a0will feature even more photo areas for fans to immortalize their visits to Audi Field\u00a0including the all-new metro set.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The concourse will also feature several new concessions options that debuted at the season opener earlier this\u00a0year. Around the southeast corner of the stadium will be\u00a0food\u00a0truck row with four unique food truck options to provide even more variety on matchday. In addition to a new pizza stand at the stadium, the north concourse will be home to a new vegan vending machine for inclusive options.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The national anthem will be performed by Jehreva Mitchell tomorrow afternoon as the DC Fire color guard presents the flags alongside them. Before kickoff, a young cancer survivor will serve as the match\u2019s honorary captain, taking part in the pre-match procession with Washington and San Diego. \u00a0<\/p>\n
After the first half of action, the Spirit will hold a special recognition in lieu of a\u00a0halftime\u00a0performance. With new club partner Children\u2019s National Hospital and the Make-A-Wish Foundation,\u00a0the club will host\u00a0other\u00a0young cancer survivors\u00a0down on the pitch for a moment of celebration as they ring a bell to signify\u00a0treatment milestones for survivors.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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About The Washington Spirit<\/p>\n
The Washington Spirit is the premier professional women\u2019s soccer team based in Washington, D.C. and plays at Audi Field in Buzzard Point. The Spirit was founded on November 21, 2012 and is an inaugural member of the National Women\u2019s Soccer League (NWSL) the fastest growing sports league in the US. The club is home to some of the best players in the world who have won championships for both club and country. For more information about the Spirit, visit WashingtonSpirit.com<\/a> and follow the club on Twitter<\/a>, Instagram<\/a> and Facebook<\/a>.<\/p>\n