The Chicago Red Stars have plenty to play for in their regular season finale

The Chicago Red Stars enter the final weekend of the 2024 NWSL regular season with their playoff spot secured, but there's still plenty of room for the club to drop should results not go their way on Sunday.

Chicago, which currently occupies the No. 6 seed with 32 points, can drop to as low as the eighth and final playoff spot depending on how things go this weekend. The Red Stars lead the Portland Thorns and Bay FC by a single point entering Decision Day weekend, so a win at home against the Kansas City Current will secure the sixth seed for Chicago.

These two sides faced off earlier in the season and Chicago left Kansas City with a point following a 2-2 draw after Mallory Swanson served up a late goal to Sam Staab.

Despite having a side that will look a little different facing Kansas City for the second time, Red Stars head coach Lorne Donaldson wants his team to bring a mentality that can be carried over into the postseason.

“We have to go in there with a mentality that we still want to win,” Donaldson said during his weekly media availability. “We want to win the game, but to be also familiar with one eye looking at the playoffs. But this is preparation for the playoffs.”

Ludmila's Suspension

The Red Stars will be without Ludmila for their next three matches, including the playoffs. The NWSL issued an additional two-match suspension to the Red Stars forward after she received a red card in their match against Washington on Oct. 20.

International Break Roundup

Mallory Swanson (USWNT)

Swanson featured in all three of the USWNT’s matches during the international window, but the biggest moment for Chicago’s No. 9 came on Oct. 27 in Nashville. Swanson was honored ahead of kickoff after making 100 senior national team appearances and wore the captain’s armband for the first time in another 3-1 win over Iceland.

Alyssa Naeher (USWNT)

The Red Stars’ goalkeeper only featured in the USWNT’s first match of the international window when she played the entirety of their 3-1 win over Iceland on October 24 in Austin, Texas.

Natalia Kuikka (Finland)

Kuikka’s Finland side had a massive international window and they came away from it one step away from a spot in next year’s Women’s EURO. Kuikka played the entirety of both matches against Montenegro during the window and her side won those contests 6-0 on aggregate, setting them up for a win-and-they’re-in scenario during the next international window when they have two matches against Scotland.

Julia Grosso (Canada)

Grosso played the second half of Canada’s 1-1 draw against Spain on Oct. 25 in Almendralejo.

Ludmila (Brazil)

Ludmila only featured in one of Brazil’s two friendlies against Colombia during the international window when she started and played 62 minutes in their 1-1 draw on Oct. 26 in Cariacica.

Rosella Ayane (Morocco)

Ayane only made Morocco’s bench for their match on Oct. 29 against Senegal in Casablanca, which her side won 7-0.

What’s On Tap Next?

The Red Stars host the Kansas City Current on Sunday at SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview. The match is scheduled to kick off at 2:00 p.m. CT and will air on ESPN.