The Utah Royals clinched the franchise's first NWSL playoff berth following a 0-0 draw against the Seattle Reign on Friday, October 23, 2026, in Sandy, Utah. The postseason qualification was secured after the Portland Thorns secured a 1-0 victory over the North Carolina Courage, providing the necessary assistance for the Royals to clinch a spot in the postseason.
A Historic Postseason Milestone
The historic achievement took place at America First Field before a crowd of 14,149 fans during the Royals' final home game of the 2026 regular season. The result marks a significant turnaround for the club, which finished in 11th place in 2024 and 12th place last season.
Strategic Play in Sandy
Despite the excitement of the milestone, the match itself was a scoreless battle. The Royals could have secured the playoff spot outright with a victory over Seattle, but the teams ended in a stalemate. Utah coach Jimmy Coenraets described the performance as a "let's-not-lose" game, noting that while the team wanted to win, they were smart about avoiding a loss.
Defensive Dominance
The Royals' defensive unit, referred to as the "Wasatch Wall," was central to the club's success. The defense kept a clean sheet, marking the team's fourth home shutout of the season and its first since July 18 against the Orlando Pride. The defensive performance was highlighted by a single shot on target allowed to Seattle during the 90 minutes of play.
Record-Breaking Defensive Efforts
Goalkeeper Mandy McGlynn recorded her fifth clean sheet of the season and her 14th career clean sheet with the Royals, moving her into third place in the club's all-time standings. Defending the goal was Kate Del Fava, who recorded her 19th career clean sheet with Utah, setting a club record. Del Fava, a Kenosha, Wisconsin native, contributed 10 defensive actions and recorded 92 touches during the match.
Milestones for Riehl and Del Fava
Centerback Kaleigh Riehl also reached a significant milestone during the match, making her 100th career NWSL regular-season start. Riehl recorded five defensive contributions and completed 70 of 71 passes with a 99% accuracy rate. The defensive partnership between Riehl and Del Fava helped neutralize the Seattle offense for the majority of the encounter.
Offensive Efforts and Player Spotlight
On the offensive side, attacker Cece Delzer was named the Royals' player of the match. After playing as a central attacking midfielder in the previous week, Delzer returned to her natural right wing position. She created a game-high four chances and completed more dribbles than any other player in the match. Other offensive efforts included a shot from Paige Cronin that hit the crossbar and a shot from Ana Tejada that was redirected off the crossbar by Seattle goalkeeper Claudia Dickey.
Season Trajectory and Standings
The Royals' path to the playoffs included a strong first half of the season characterized by a 10-game unbeaten streak. However, the team's momentum was slowed by injuries in recent weeks. Following the draw with Seattle, the Royals hold a 14-10-5 record with 47 points, placing them in fifth place in the NWSL.
