(WCMH) — The first weekend of November offers up playoff soccer in the NWSL and the chase for playoffs concluding in MLS.

In addition to MLS’ Decision Day on Saturday, where the 18-team MLS Cup Playoffs bracket will be finalized, the NWSL postseason gets underway on Friday with the quarterfinals taking place across the whole weekend.

It’s part of a busy soccer week that began with UEFA Champions League action with the European club competition hitting the halfway point of its league stage.

Everyone spent Thursday reminiscing about the career of Cristiano Ronaldo, who announced his retirement from the Portugal national team. about Ronaldo’s international retirement.

What’s at stake for MLS Decision Day?

The last November Decision Day in MLS history will feature eight games kicking off simultaneously Saturday at 4 p.m. Eastern and the last seven regular season games all starting at 7 p.m. ET.

Three playoff spots are up for grabs on Saturday between six teams in the Western Conference. LA Galaxy, Portland Timbers, Colorado Rapids, Seattle Sounders, Real Salt Lake, and Minnesota United are separated by just three points with all to play for on Decision Day.

Of those six teams, the Galaxy, Timbers, and Rapids control their own destiny with each needing just a win to secure a postseason spot. The only seeds out West locked up are No. 1 (Vancouver Whitecaps) and No. 6 (Los Angeles FC).

All nine playoff teams in the Eastern Conference are clinched but seeding remains up for grabs for each seed bar No. 1, which Supporters’ Shield winners Nashville SC secured. NSC will conclude its historic regular season against FC Cincinnati and needs just one point to set the single-season points record.

The MLS Cup Playoffs will begin on Nov. 19 with the Wild Card matches before the first round series’ start the weekend before Thanksgiving.

NWSL playoffs begin with quarterfinals

The NWSL postseason will kickoff on Friday night as No. 2 seed San Diego Wave FC host the No. 7 seed Utah Royals at 10 p.m. ET. San Diego enters the playoffs with six wins in its last seven games behind a breakout season from American striker Trinity Byars. The Royals are playing in their first playoff game.

On Saturday afternoon will be the second quarterfinal between the Kansas City Current and Angel City FC at CPKC Stadium. The Current’s last playoffs were disappointing after losing as a No. 1 seed to eventual champions Gotham FC in the quarterfinals. Angel City has not lost a match since Aug. 26 and search for its inaugural playoff win.

The quarterfinals conclude on Sunday with a doubleheader that begins with NWSL Shield winners Gotham FC hosting the Seattle Reign at 12:30 p.m. ET. Gotham is aiming to win its third NWSL title in four seasons while the Reign look for its first playoff win since 2023.

Audi Field, the site of the Nov. 21 NWSL Championship game, hosts a quarterfinal between the Washington Spirit and Portland Thorns at 3 p.m. ET. USWNT teammates Trinity Rodman and Sophia Wilson will go toe-to-toe for a semifinal spot. The teams split the regular season series.

UEFA Champions League reaches halfway point

Europe’s biggest club competition reached the halfway point of the opening league phase round after match week four on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Two-time defending champions Paris Saint-Germain have asserted themselves as the favorites again, winning its first four matches, including securing a 6-0 win on Tuesday over Villarreal. Real Madrid is the only other club with a perfect record and maintained that mark with a late 3-2 win over AEK Athens on Wednesday. Federico Valverde scored a long-range goal in stoppage time to secure the three points.

While third-place Arsenal and 13th place Bayern Munich remain unbeaten, the team making headlines near the top is Italian club FC Como. The Lariani are in their first Champions League and got a historic 9-1 win over RC Lens, marking the second time a team scored nine times in a game in the Champions League era. Manager Cesc Fabregas’ side has three wins from four matches and sits in fourth place.

Among the teams with disappointing starts are Atletico Madrid, which sits barely in a knockout playoff position right now, and Napoli, who suffered a 4-1 defeat to FC Porto on Wednesday and are in line to be eliminated.

The Champions League resumes on Nov. 24.