NWSL announces 2026 Skills Challenge details and participants

The National Women’s Soccer League announced that, once again, it would host a Skills Challenge as part of NWSL Championship weekend. On Friday, Nov. 20, the event will feature two teams of NWSL players competing against one another in skills competitions at Episcopal High School in Washington D.C. The winning team will be awarded a $35,000 prize courtesy of CarMax to be split among the team’s players.

It will feature a representative from every club not participating in the Championship game on Saturday, Nov. 21. Fourteen participants were announced Thursday, with Seattle Reign and Utah Royals lacking representation. Additional participants are still to be confirmed, and players who are committed but reach the Championship match will not participate.

• Katie Atkinson – Chicago Stars
• Kenza Dali – San Diego Wave
• Hal Hershfelt – Washington Spirit
• Clair Hutton – Bay FC
• Savy King – Angel City FC
• Lo’eau LaBonta – Kansas City Current
• Ally Lemos – Orlando Pride
• Carson Pickett – Denver Summit
• Kat Rader – Houston Dash
• Lilly Reale – Boston Legacy
• Reyna Reyes – Portland Thorns
• Emma Sears – Racing Louisville
• Jaedyn Shaw – NJ/NY Gotham FC
• Kailen Sheridan – North Carolina Courage

The 2026 NWSL Skills Challenge will consist of three events: Gauntlet, Breakaway Circuit, and Precision Point. The Gauntlet gives one attacking player 60 seconds to use technical precision to navigate defenders and score on a series of mini goals, which each carry a different point value. The Breakaway Circuit features two teams competing head-to-head as they navigate “Cutback Course, advance through Nutmeg Gate, and finish with a Closing Shot against the opposing team’s goalkeeper.” The final event will have each team target scoring zones throughout the goal, where each target has a different point value based on size and difficulty.