Even by last year's standards, the 2023 National Women's Soccer League playoff race is as tight as it ever has been with four rounds of fixtures to play.
Four points separate first-place San Diego Wave FC from the Washington Spirit, who currently hold the sixth and final playoff spot. Two points behind them? Another pair of challengers.
Only 11 points separate the 12 teams heading into the home stretch of the regular season, and while a few of those squads are (or should be) looking ahead to 2024, this year's playoff race once again confirms that the NWSL is as competitive as any league on the planet.