Bay FC's 2026 season ended the way much of it went: close, but not enough. The Wave beat Bay FC 1-0 on Sunday, Nov. 1, at PayPal Park in San Jose in front of 15,927 fans on the NWSL's Decision Day.
The goal
San Diego scored in the ninth minute. Kenza Dali found defender Mimi Van Zanten on a forward run, and Van Zanten fired a shot across goal into the top-left corner for her second goal of the season, according to the Wave. Bay FC forward Agostina Holzheier forced a diving save from Wave goalkeeper Sandra Paños in the third minute, and Bay FC said it held one of the league's top attacks to two shots on target, but the home side couldn't find an equalizer.
The win gave San Diego (18-8-4) the No. 2 seed in the playoffs. Bay FC finished 7-17-6 with 27 points.
A season that ended early
Bay FC's playoff hopes died in September with a 3-1 home loss to the Orlando Pride, the second straight year the club has missed the postseason, The San Francisco Standard reported. The Standard said first-year coach Emma Coates had the team playing attractive soccer in spurts, but over a season stretched to eight months by the men's World Cup break, the club was hampered by a lack of continuity in the squad and inconsistency in the final third. Bay FC finished 14th.
What's next
The club opens its new Treasure Island performance center in January. The 2027 NWSL regular season starts Feb. 11 to 13, and Bay FC says its schedule will be announced during the offseason.