Match Preview: Kansas City Current Returns Home to Host San Diego Wave

KANSAS CITY (July 16, 2026) – For the first time in over six weeks, the Kansas City Current (8-6-0, 6th place, 24 pts.) returns home to host the top-of-the-table San Diego Wave (9-5-1, 1st place, 28 pts.) on Friday, July 17. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. CT at CPKC Stadium. The match will serve as Kids Night Out, presented by CVS Health. 

The game will broadcast nationally on Prime Video with Aly Trost Martin and Jill Loyden on the call as well as on the World Feed with Marion Crowder and Gary Bailey. Fans can tune in to 90.9 The Bridge with Jillian Carroll Letrinko and Dave Borchardt, and the game will also be available on the KC Current App in English, Spanish and Portuguese.

MATCH INFO

Who: Kansas City Current vs. San Diego Wave

Where: CPKC Stadium – Kansas City, Mo. 

When: Friday, July 17

Kickoff: 7 p.m. CT 

TV: Prime Video, World Feed

Radio: 90.9 The Bridge

TEN THINGS TO KNOW

1. Friday will be the ninth edition of the “Water War” between the Current and the Wave. Kansas City, which has won the last five meetings with San Diego, leads the series at 6-1-1. 

2. The last meeting between the two sides was on Nov. 2, 2025, for a 2-1 Kansas City win as the Current became the sixth team in NWSL history to go unbeaten at home during the regular season. Midfielder Debinha scored the equalizer before forward Haley Hopkins had the game-winning assist. 

3. Kansas City is on an active home unbeaten run of 23 consecutive regular season matches at CPKC Stadium (20-0-3), an NWSL record. The Current has won their last 10 regular season home games, also a league record.

4. Forward Temwa Chawinga has scored 27 regular season goals at CPKC Stadium while opponents have scored a combined 28 goals. Chawinga has been involved in at least one goal in 24 of her 29 regular season matches at home, totaling 34 goal contributions. 

5. Entering Week 13, Chawinga ranks third on the NWSL Golden Boot leaderboard with eight goals and two assists. The Current has won each of the last 23 regular season matches in which Chawinga has scored dating back to Oct. 2024, the longest streak of its kind in NWSL history. 

6. Midfielder Croix Bethune currently ranks second in the NWSL with five regular season assists. She has recorded 17 regular season assists since joining the league in 2024, the most of any active player.

7. Defender Izzy Rodriguez is set to make her 100th career regular season appearance on Friday, all for Kansas City. She is the club record holder with 13 career regular season assists and six career regular season game-winning assists. 

8. Midfielder Vanessa DiBernardo, who came off maternity leave after giving birth to her daughter in January, made her first appearance in 386 days last weekend in Orlando. The next KC Current win she plays in will be her 100th career regular season victory, becoming the fourth player in NWSL history to reach that milestone.

9. Earlier this week, Debinha – one of the most decorated players in NWSL and Brazil Women’s National Team history – signed a contract extension through the 2027 season with a mutual option for 2028. Her 80 goals across all competitions sit second in league laurels.

10. Chawinga has been called up to represent Malawi at the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON), taking place in Morocco from July 26 to Aug. 16. The tournament serves as the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup qualifier for African nations. This will be Chawinga’s first appearance for the Scorchers since Feb. 2025.

AVAILABILITY REPORT 

OUT: Alana Cook (SEI-Knee), Clare Gagne (SEI-Head), Mary Long (D-45), Lorena (Hip), Ellie Bravo-Young (Thigh), Michelle Cooper (Thigh)

QUESTIONABLE: None

INTERNATIONAL DUTY: None

KIDS NIGHT OUT, PRES. BY CVS HEALTH

July 17 will serve as Kids Night Out, presented by CVS Health, the club’s new lower-back-of-kit partner. The KC Current and CVS Health will come together to celebrate youth sports and community wellness. Kids Night Out will feature youth-focused activations, on-field moments and a special giveaway for the Current’s youngest fans.

WHAT’S NEW AT CPKC STADIUM & CURRENT LANDING

Fans returning to the Riverfront will notice several exciting additions now open:

• Founder's Park is officially accessible, providing a new community gathering space and an enhanced pedestrian experience leading to CPKC Stadium.
• The Overlook at Founder’s Park is now open, offering another unique destination allowing pedestrians an up-close-and-personal walk over the mighty Missouri River.
• The Riverfront Heritage Trail is re-opened, with the pedestrian pathway connecting Founder's Park and Current Landing Town Square completed. These updates create a seamless walk from the streetcar stop and surrounding trails to the stadium.
• Current Landing Pre-Match Food + Beverage is now open, located just north of the KC Current Team Store, giving fans another food and beverage option before entering CPKC Stadium.

PARKING & TRANSPORTATION UPDATES

The KC Current is excited to announce updates to the overall parking and transportation experience at CPKC Stadium – making the best fan experience in soccer that much better. As fans decide their mode of getting to CPKC Stadium, they are encouraged to arrive early to experience the growing pre-match activities featuring games, partner activations and special fan experiences.

Click HERE for information on how to best access CPKC Stadium on matchday, most notably the addition of the newly opened Riverfront Streetcar extension.

Be sure to check in at cpkcstadium.com, download the KC Current App (turn on push alerts) and follow along on the club’s social media channels for the most up-to-date communication and updates regarding matchday logistics. Fans can find the comprehensive plan and updated maps with the most effective ways to get to CPKC Stadium on match day HERE.

WPSL CHAMPIONSHIPS

Kansas City will host the 2026 WPSL Championships this weekend at Riverside Stadium in Riverside, Mo. More information about the WPSL can be found HERE. Tickets are available for purchase HERE.

• Semifinal 1 – Saturday, July 18, at 9 a.m. CT
  • New York Athletic Club vs. Georgia Impact
• Semifinal 2 – Saturday, July 18, at 11:30 a.m. CT
  • KC Current II vs. California Storm
• Championship – Sunday, July 19, at 7 p.m. CT 
  • Semifinal 1 winner vs. Semifinal 2 winner 

KC CURRENT 50/50 RAFFLE 
The Kansas City Current is pleased to announce the 50/50 Raffle supporting United Way of Greater Kansas City. During each KC Current 50/50 Raffle drawing period, half of the jackpot goes to one lucky winner while the other half goes back into the Kansas City community. Raffle tickets can be purchased at designated kiosks at CPKC Stadium or online, and you must be 18 or older to buy a ticket and be located in Missouri or Kansas at time of purchase. The raffle period will take place over several days, and the winner will be announced 90 minutes post-match of the final raffle-ending match at CPKC Stadium. Click HERE to access the 50/50 raffle and for more information.