After a dominant performance in the Bay last week, the Kansas City Current (49 points, 4th place in NWSL league standings) are gearing up to take on San Diego Wave (22 points, 12th place in NWSL league standings) this Saturday in the sixth edition of the "water derby."
Interestingly, since San Diego entered the league in 2022, the Current have claimed victory in all three matchups in Southern California by a 2-1 margin. However, the Wave remain unbeaten in Kansas City, with a 2-2 draw in 2022 and a 2-0 win in 2023. As Kansas City pushes for a top-two finish and the home-field advantage it brings, they'll be determined to flip that script.
Despite being a year younger as a franchise, San Diego has already accumulated more silverware than their midwestern rivals. They claimed the NWSL Shield last season for the best regular-season record and captured this year's Challenge Cup with a win over Gotham FC.
However, this season has been a struggle for San Diego, as they are virtually out of playoff contention. They currently sit 12th in the 14-team league, managing just five wins against twelve defeats throughout the campaign.
Here GOAL brings you everything you need to know about how to watch, including TV channel, streaming details and more.
How to watch Kansas City Current vs San Diego Wave FC online - TV channels & live streams
The match will be shown live on Fubo, DirecTV Stream, Sling TV, Paramount+ and CBS in the US. Live updates can be found here on GOAL.
How to watch anywhere with VPN
If you are abroad, you may need to use a virtual private network (VPN) in order to watch games using your usual streaming service. A VPN, such as NordVPN, allows you to establish a secure connection online when streaming. If you are not sure which VPN to use, check out GOAL's guide to the best VPNs for streaming sport.
Kansas City Current vs San Diego Wave FC kick-off time
| Date: | Saturday, October 19, 2024 |
| Kick-off time: | 1:00 pm ET/ 10:00 am PT |
| Venue: | CPKC Stadium |
The NWSL match between the Kansas City Current and San Diego Wave will be played at CPKC Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri.
It will kick off at 1 pm PT / 10 am ET on Sunday, October 19, in the US.
Team news & squads
Kansas City Current team news
The Kansas City Current kicked off 2024 with an impressive 15-match unbeaten run, putting them in a prime position to secure a top-two finish in the standings.
This season has been filled with key storylines for KC, from an influx of rookies and international players to a midseason defensive overhaul, the opening of their own stadium, the hiring of former USWNT coach Vlatko Andonovski, and setting a league record for the most different goal scorers in a single season.
However, the standout narrative has been the breakout campaign of Temwa Chawinga, who shattered the National Women's Soccer League's single-season goal-scoring record. Her 19th goal of the year secured a 1-0 victory for the Current against Bay FC at San Jose's PayPal Park, further cementing her star status in the league.
This upcoming match marks the final regular-season home game that might see Desiree Scott, an FCKC original and longtime Canadian international, take the field. Earlier this week, Scott shared on social media her decision to retire after the 2024 season, closing the curtain on a remarkable career.
Kansas City Current possible XI: Schult; Mace, Cook, Sharples, Rodriguez; LaBonta; Wheeler, Debinha, DiBernardo; Chawinga, Prince.
| Position | Players |
|---|---|
| Goalkeepers: | Franch, Schult |
| Defenders: | Steigleder, Mace, Wheeler, Ball, Pedersen, Cook, Rodriguez, Weber, Robinson, Sharples |
| Midfielders: | LaBonta, Scott, Braun, Hutton, DiBernardo, Feist, Debinha |
| Forwards: | Chawinga, Prince, Bia, Cooper, Hamilton, Jereko, Pfeiffer, Magaia |
San Diego Wave FC team news
Despite having standout players like Kailen Sheridan, Naomi Germa, Jaedyn Shaw, and María Sanchez, the Wave find themselves nearly out of the playoff race. Their offensive struggles have been particularly pronounced, with just 20 goals scored over 24 matches—an astonishing 30 goals fewer than what Kansas City has achieved.
On top of their challenges on the pitch, the Wave have faced several off-field issues, including a midseason coaching change that brought in Landon Donovan as interim head coach and a discrimination lawsuit filed by five former employees. The team is likely eager to put behind them a difficult 2024 season—similar to what Kansas City experienced last year.
San Diego Wave possible XI: Sheridan; Lundkvist, Girma, McNabb, Morroni; Van Egmond, Colaprico; Doniak, Barcenas, Sanchez; Ali.
| Position | Players |
|---|---|
| Goalkeepers: | Sheridan, Beall, Messner |
| Defenders: | Girma, Lundkvist, Wesley, McNabb, Torpey, Westphal, Morroni |
| Midfielders: | Van Egmond, Ascanio, McCaskill, Colaprico |
| Forwards: | Ali, Shaw, Doniak, Jones, Bennett, Barcenas, Cascarino, Sanchez |
Head-to-Head Record
| Date | Game | Competition |
|---|---|---|
| 03/24/24 | San Diego Wave FC 1-1 Kansas City Current | NWSL |
| 09/17/23 | San Diego Wave FC 1-2 Kansas City Current | NWSL |
| 05/15/23 | Kansas City Current 0-2 San Diego Wave FC | NWSL |
| 08/08/22 | San Diego Wave FC 1-2 Kansas City Current | NWSL |
| 06/05/22 | Kansas City Current 2-2 San Diego Wave FC | NWSL |