The Fan Traditions You Need to Know This NWSL Postseason

3 min readThe 2026 NWSL playoffs kick off on Friday, with single-elimination play that's guaranteed to be a nail-biter. Eight teams made the playoffs, but only one will hoist the championship trophy on November 21.Of course, part of the fun of watching any playoff game is knowing insider-y details about each team. That includes fan traditions that make a team unique—and that you can join in on, too.Every team has its own special chants and traditions that are uniquely theirs, and knowing what they are before kickoff immediately creates a level of familiarity you wouldn't have otherwise. You may already have "your" NWSL team that you root for, and you're probably familiar with their special traditions. But there are also likely teams you'll be watching during playoffs that you don't know the ins and outs of.Whether you're looking for another club to root for when yours isn't playing or you just want to brush up on the details, these are the unique and sometimes hilarious fan traditions to know this NWSL postseason.San Diego WaveThe San Diego Wave fans aren't messing around. They've formed their own supporters' group called the San Diego Sirens, and they're happy to include everyone in the club.The Sirens have an online breakdown of songs and chants to know ahead of games. They even included helpful clips, so you can learn the melodies ahead of games. (There's a lot of water-themed content in there, making these very on-brand.)Utah RoyalsThe Utah Royals' fandom is called the Throne, and they march into the stadium as a united front before kickoff. (The Throne also says that everyone is welcome to join in.) The Royals also list their go-to chants online, allowing fans new and old to brush up before games.Gotham FCCloud 9 is Gotham's supporters club, and they've borrowed a few traditions from the UK's Manchester United. That includes incorporating John Denver’s “Take Me Home, Country Roads,” and making it “Gotham Roads,” as a tribute to the team.You can download the club's songs on your phone and take them to the game or to your watch party to follow along.Seattle Reign FCThe Royal Guard is Seattle Reign's fan club, and they've got plenty of traditions to share. The group does a walk toward Lumen Field before kickoff and incorporates a match-day band that might be the largest in NWSL. Check out their chants—with emojis to show when to clap—to get in the spirit.Kansas City CurrentThe Kansas City Current has three different groups of supporters to make game day a high-energy event. That includes the KC Blue Crew, Surface Tension Drumming Club, and Undertow KC.The organizations work together and have an online list of chants, the music they're set to, sheet music for drummers, and even videos to help fans get up to speed.Angel City FCNot to be outdone, Angel City has six recognized supporter groups to cheer on its team—the most in the NWSL. Those groups regularly pack “La Fortaleza,” the supporters section. The groups share chants, and you can brush up on them online.Rebellion 99 is Angel City's largest supporter group. Along with the other groups, they do chants and set off flares to keep the energy going. Rebellion 99 even has a scholarship program for local youth, stressing the importance of community-buildinWashington SpiritWashington Spirit offers four different fan clubs to choose from. One of the team's major groups, called the Spirit Squadron, marches to the stadium together before games. They also hilariously have a chant that they stole from the English Premier League called "Let’s pretend we scored a goal" when things aren't going so well.There's also a stadium tradition: At the 51st minute, a "Free D.C." chant starts as a nod to the push for Washington, D.C., to become the 51st state.Portland ThornsThe Portland Thorns' support groups are the Rose City Riveters and Timbers Army. They have a slew of chants you can download to follow along. In the mix: A chant called "Rose City 'Til I Die," which they do when the other team scores.Korin Miller is a seasoned freelance writer specializing in general wellness, sexual health and relationships, and lifestyle trends, with work appearing in Men’s Health, Women’s Health, Everyday Health, Food & Wine, and more. She has a master’s degree from American University and lives by the beach.