SAN FRANCISCO — In case you can’t win, you’ll be able to at the very least entertain.
Bay FC was unable to place collectively a wanted victory in its historic tilt with the Washington Spirit on Saturday afternoon in San Francisco, however what the second-year NWSL membership did accomplish was a novel expertise for a record-breaking, introduced crowd of 40,091 followers at Oracle Park.
Bay FC misplaced the sport 3-2, discovering itself unable to come back again from a 3-0 first-half deficit regardless of an array of late possibilities. However what the late rally did accomplish was pumping vitality right into a collective that was determined for a motive to cheer.
“If you saw me every corner (kick), I was like, ‘Come on, keep on going,’” mentioned ahead Racheal Kundananji, whose late first-half aim put Bay FC on the board and bought the group into the sport for the primary time. “Because I loved that. And maybe that’s why we even scored the second goal, because everyone was just on their toes saying, ‘Oh, the fans are behind our backs. They are fighting this with us.’ ”
The Bay FC takes on the Washington Spirit in the course of the first half of an NWSL recreation at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Saturday, Aug. 23, 2025. (Ray Chavez/Bay Space Information Group)
The attendance mark eclipsed the earlier NWSL document set at Wrigley Area final season, when Bay FC confronted Chicago in entrance of 35,038 introduced spectators.
However this event was particular for Bay FC past the numbers on the turnstiles. It was an instance of how the second-year membership is resonating within the Bay Space market and the probabilities that presents transferring ahead.
“Fifteen years ago, I coached in the (Women’s Professional Soccer) finals here, and there were less than 3,000 fans in the finals,” mentioned coach Albertin Montoya, who grew up within the Bay Space. “And now we have now a league recreation with over 40,000. It means a lot that the sport has grown to the place it’s at proper now.
“My daughter is a footballer right now, plays in college, because she grew up watching players in the WPS, and that inspired her. And now, can you imagine how many young players are going to just be inspired by what they saw?”
Bay FC followers have fun a aim by Bay FC's Racheal Kundananji (9) in opposition to the Washington Spirit in the course of the first half of an NWSL recreation at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Saturday, Aug. 23, 2025. (Ray Chavez/Bay Space Information Group)
Each Bay FC and the nascent Golden State Valkyries have demonstrated that the urge for food for girls’s sports activities within the Bay Space is powerful. Montoya floated the thought of pondering even larger transferring ahead.
Proof would counsel the assist will probably be there.
“You look all over the world now, when there’s major events or big games, they’re selling out stadiums,” Montoya mentioned. “Whether it’s Europe, whether it’s here. Let’s take a chance. Let’s do this more often, because every time it’s been done, 35,000 last year, 40,000 this year. Why not 60,000 next time around? So this is just going to continue growing the game.”
Bay FC is shortly gaining a status as a crew that draws audiences at marquee occasions. Along with the one-off video games at Wrigley and Oracle Park, the membership has hosted friendlies with common worldwide opponents FC Barcelona Femení and Urawa Pink Diamonds.
Followers have fun the second aim scored by Bay FC's Kelli Hubly (11) in opposition to the Washington Spirit in the course of the second half of an NWSL recreation at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Saturday, Aug. 23, 2025. (Ray Chavez/Bay Space Information Group)
PayPal Park will even host the NWSL championship this season, capping off a formidable two-year run of showcase video games related a technique or one other to Bay FC’s presence within the Bay Space.
Midfielder Caroline Conti, whose errant excessive shot disappeared over the Oracle Park outfield wall for a mock dwelling run, mentioned the general expertise matched the excessive hopes that Bay FC had hooked up to the sport it labeled “The Show.”
“It was just excitement,” Conti mentioned. “I mean, anytime you get a chance to play in front of 40,000 people, it’s incredible. We just wanted to put on a good show, show up for our fans and just do the best possible we can.”
Followers have fun the second aim scored by Bay FC's Kelli Hubly (11) in opposition to the Washington Spirit in the course of the second half of an NWSL recreation at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Saturday, Aug. 23, 2025. (Ray Chavez/Bay Space Information Group)
