A number of NWSL teams may be forced to play playoff semifinal matches at alternate venues, with the top three seeds all navigating availability challenges at their usual home stadiums.
A league document has circulated noted some of the changes that may have to be made, according to ESPN,
The potential clashes come shortly after the WNBA experienced a similar situation, with the Atlanta Dream hosting Game 6 of the finals during the day on a Thursday, hours before an Atlanta Hawks game.
Read More: An NWSL playoff primer
After this weekend's quarterfinals, the semifinal round is set to take place Nov. 14 and Nov. 15, with the league locked into television slots for national broadcasts.
Which NWSL teams would need to move semifinal games from their home venues?
Top seed Gotham FC typically plays its matches at Sports Illustrated
Stadium, home of the New York Red Bulls of MLS. The Red Bulls are hosting Liga MX side Club América in a friendly the night of Nov. 13, likely forcing Gotham to shift to Icahn Stadium, which has a capacity of 5,000.
The second seed is the San Diego Wave, which typically plays at Snapdragon Stadium, a venue it shares with MLS' San Diego FC and the San Diego State Aztecs college football team. San Diego State is set to host a football game against Utah State with a 6:30 p.m. local kickoff.
The Washington Spirit, which finished the regular season third, also would be pushed out by college football. Typically tenants of Audi Field, the Spirit would reportedly look to Northwest Field, typically home to the NFL's Washington Commanders.
The fourth-seeded Kansas City Current own their own venue, the 11,500-capacity CPKC Stadium and wouldn't face the same scheduling hurdles as many of its rivals were it to host a semifinal.
The league's playoffs kickoff this weekend, with all four top seeds hosting in their typical venues, with the Wave hosting the Utah Royals on Friday, Nov. 6, Kansas City welcoming Angel City the next day, and Gotham hosting the Seattle Reign and the Portland Thorns traveling to meet the Spirit both on Sunday, Nov. 8.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Stadium chaos for NWSL playoffs? Top teams face semifinal hosting issues
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