Bay FC Falls 1-0 to San Diego in Finale
Bay FC closes its season with a 1-0 loss to San Diego Wave FC at PayPal Park, finishing 15th in the 16-team NWSL.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Soccer
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Bay FC lost 1-0 to San Diego Wave FC on Sunday at PayPal Park, with Mimi Van Zanten scoring in the ninth minute. The defeat closed a 7-16-7 season in which Bay FC earned 28 points and finished 20 points out of a playoff spot.
Why it matters
The result leaves Bay FC near the bottom of the league table and out of contention for the postseason. Gotham FC's 2-0 win over Utah secured the NWSL Shield, while San Diego finished atop the standings.
Bay FC finished 7-16-7 with 28 points and 30 goals scored, while San Diego finished 18-8-4 with 58 points. The match drew 15,927 fans to the Fan Appreciation Match.
The players
Bay FC
Bay FC is the San Jose-based National Women's Soccer League club that finished 15th in the 16-team league this season.
San Diego Wave FC
San Diego Wave FC is the NWSL club that finished the regular season atop the standings with 58 points.
Mimi Van Zanten
Mimi Van Zanten is the San Diego Wave FC forward who scored the match's only goal in the ninth minute.
The details
Mimi Van Zanten raced down the right side and finished in the ninth minute, and Bay FC did not score in response. The match was played at PayPal Park, and Bay FC's season ended with the loss.
Timeline
Nov. 1, 2026: Bay FC loses 1-0 to San Diego Wave FC in the season finale.
Early January 2027: Training camp is scheduled to begin.
Mid-February 2027: The 2027 season is scheduled to start, earlier than usual to allow a seven-week break for the 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup.
Season Trajectory
Bay FC's 15th-place finish in the 16-team NWSL, 20 points outside a playoff spot, leaves the club well behind the league leaders. Gotham FC's Shield-clinching win over Utah underscores how far the top of the standings has pulled away from the bottom.
Bay FC's place in the standings means it will not be in the 2026 playoff picture. The early 2027 start date shortens the offseason for fantasy and roster planning ahead of the season's opening weeks.
The takeaway
Bay FC's season ended with a close loss and a deep gap to the playoffs, making the early 2027 training camp the next real checkpoint for the club's rebuild.
What happens next
Training camp is scheduled to begin in early January 2027, with the 2027 season set to start in mid-February.
Further reading
For more on the club's season, see Soccer coverage in San Jose.
Source note: This article includes information reported by San Jose Mercury News.
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