One. Step. Closer. That is the narrative following Salmon Bay FC as they march forward to the National Semifinal this Saturday at Interbay Stadium where they will take on Minnesota Aurora FC at 7:30pm.
Just four teams remain in the USL W League National Playoffs and a spot in the National Final is on the line tomorrow night at Pagliacci Pitch. In their playoff debut, Salmon Bay FC have made it all the way to the final four by winning the Western Conference Championship, and now they will take on USL W League staples, Minnesota Aurora FC.
Let’s meet the Central Conference Champions.
Minnesota Aurora FC
Minnesota Aurora FC are the only perfect team left in the USL W League. Not only have they gone undefeated, but they are a perfect 14-0-0 (including playoffs) in 2026. Salmon Bay FC have quite the tall task ahead of them as they will need to hand Aurora their first loss to advance to the National Final. However the hosts can take solace in the fact that they are undefeated at Interbay Stadium with a 6-0-2 (W-L-D) record (one of the draws was the PK shootout victory over the Colorado Storm). One of these records will have to be broken on Saturday for a team to advance to the final next weekend to take on the winner of Vermont Green FC and Asheville City.
Minnesota Aurora FC have been road warriors in these playoffs, winning their first two rounds in Pittsburgh as they defeated Union Macomb FC 2-0 in the first round before winning 2-1 in the Central Conference Final against hosts Pittsburgh Riveters SC where they needed a stoppage time winner from Gracie Dunaway to seal the deal.
Now they will look to get their third straight road victory of these playoffs as they head to Seattle for the National Semifinals. Aurora are led by Ai Kitagawa who has 11 goals this season, seven more than any of her teammates. Aurora’s fourth leading goalscorer, Maia Tabion, is a Seattle native and played for Salmon Bay FC in their inaugural season last year. However Tabion will not play against here former side as she has left Aurora for a professional trial.
Pittsburgh’s goal in the Conference Final was only the second goal that Aurora have allowed all season, only conceding once in the regular season. Goalkeeper Taylor Fox and the Aurora backline have kept 12 clean sheets in 2026. The best defense in 2025 (Salmon Bay FC) is now up against the best defense in 2026 with a spot in the National Final on the line.
Get tickets to Saturday’s semifinal!
MATCH DETAILS
Fans should read this year’s “Know Before You Go” matchday guidelines and all of the below information to learn everything you need to know ahead of Saturday’s match.
Gates: Gates open at 6pm! We recommend arriving early to enjoy the food and beer offerings, watch the players warm up, beat the hassle of traffic and parking, and to enjoy all of the prematch festivities. There will be a “happy hour” with all drinks half off from 6-6:45pm!
Food Vendors: Beyond the thrilling soccer action, Wednesday’s match will feature an array of food vendors, including Apapacho Mexican Treats, Big Boys Filipino, and Mainstay Provisions. Also, before you head to Pagliacci Pitch, you can take advantage of the Pagliacci Pizza BOGO slice deal on game days. Just show your ticket at any Pagliacci location and get two slices for the price of one. Outside food is not allowed in the venue except for Pagliacci Pizza. Fans can also purchase snacks, non-alcoholic drinks, and hot dogs (including the famous “Ballard Dog”) from the concession stand.
Ballard Food Bank: We also encourage fans to support the community by bringing donations of any non-perishable item for the Ballard Food Bank.
Beer Garden: The Bridges United Foundation Beer Garden is back and better than ever this season. The Beer Garden proudly serves Stoup Brewing. In addition to beer from Stoup, fans can purchase tequila from Orgullo Ajeno Tequila, cider from Incline Cider, N/A beer from Athletic Brewing, and wine from Vino FC. The Beer Garden is all ages, however there is a 21+ zone in the southeast corner of the stadium, which includes the new bleachers that were installed during phase one of the Interbay Stadium Expansion, which was completed earlier this month. Although alcohol can only be purchase inside the Beer Garden, fans can now take beer, wine, and cider outside of the Beer Garden and back to their seats or standing room area. Check out the Beverage Map below.
Transportation: Parking is extremely limited and will not be available in the parking lot by the time gates open. Street parking can be found to the north, east, or west of the stadium. We highly recommend alternative forms of transportation, including biking as we will have the Wombi Bike Parking area available at every home match this year. Please also consider riding King County Metro on game day, where youth through age 18 always ride free! Check out transit mode in Google Maps, the TripPlanner.kingcounty.gov website, or an app like OneBusAway. For more information, check out our full matchday transportation guide.
Live Stream: Can’t make it to the match? All Salmon Bay FC home matches will be streamed live and can be found at salmonbayfc.com/stream.
Written by Max Dresbach
