Spirit host last-place Chicago Stars at Audi Field on Sunday

The Washington Spirit return to Audi Field on Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026, to host Chicago Stars FC at 5:00 p.m. ET, with the match streaming on ESPN+.

Washington enters at 16-4-9 with 52 points, third in the NWSL standings behind Gotham FC (58) and San Diego Wave FC (55). The Kansas City Current sit one spot back at 50 points, with Angel City FC at 49. All 16 clubs have played 29 matches.

Chicago arrives at the bottom of the table. The Stars are 5-2-22 with 17 points and a minus-52 goal differential, the worst in the league. Racing Louisville FC, the next-closest team, has 24 points.

Recent form

The Spirit are 3-2 over their last five matches. The stretch began with a 3-0 win at Chicago on Sunday, Sep. 20, followed by a 1-0 home loss to Angel City on Saturday, Sep. 26. Washington then won 3-2 at the Houston Dash on Sunday, Oct. 4, and beat league-leading Gotham 1-0 at home on Saturday, Oct. 17. The most recent outing was a 2-1 loss at Kansas City on Sunday, Oct. 25.

Chicago has lost five straight. After the 3-0 home defeat to Washington, the Stars fell 3-1 at Gotham on Friday, Sep. 25, lost 3-0 at home to Denver Summit FC on Sunday, Oct. 4, dropped a 3-1 home match to Seattle Reign FC on Sunday, Oct. 18, and lost 3-1 at home to Houston on Friday, Oct. 23. Chicago has been outscored 15-3 over that run and has conceded three goals in each of the five matches.

Washington leads the series with Chicago 3-1-1.

Players to watch

Trinity Rodman leads the Spirit in goals (11), assists (8) and total shots (107) across 29 matches. Tara Rudd tops the team with 1,647 accurate passes, and goalkeeper Sandy MacIver has 76 saves.

For Chicago, Jordyn Huitema leads the way with four goals in 12 matches. Maitane has two assists in 22 matches, and Nádia Gomes leads the Stars with 23 shots. Sam Staab paces the club with 1,254 accurate passes, and Katie Atkinson has made 67 saves in goal.

Matchup notes

The Spirit's plus-13 goal differential is tied with San Diego and Kansas City for third-best in the league, behind Angel City's plus-19 and Gotham's plus-14. Chicago's two draws are the fewest in the NWSL, and its 22 losses are the most.

Washington's most recent home result was the 1-0 win over Gotham on Oct. 17. Before that, the Spirit lost 1-0 at home to Angel City on Sep. 26.

See more photos from the September 13 Boston Legacy match in Daniel Sperling’s full match gallery, and explore his other sports galleries.