Match Preview: Bay FC Returns Home to Welcome Gotham FC in Mid-Week Matchup

July 29: Bay FC vs Gotham FC on Hip Hop Night at PayPal Park

SAN JOSE, Calif. (July 28, 2026) – Bay FC continues a busy stretch of games with a mid-week tilt Wednesday vs. defending NWSL champion Gotham FC. The club’s second match in eight days brings the squad back home to PayPal Park, with kickoff set for 7 p.m. PT. Tickets remain available at BayFC.com/tickets, and the contest will broadcast live on Victory+ locally and CBS Sports Network nationally.

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Despite a positive performance, the club fell in Houston Friday after a late winner by the Dash at Shell Energy Stadium. A draw looked all but destined before a stoppage-time winner by the hosts found the back of the net following an unlucky deflection. The club did well to generate chances on a warm night in Texas, besting their foes in both total shots (18) and expected goals (1.16), but only came home with a heartbreaker after the hosts late score broke the deadlock.

Players to Watch

Bay FC midfielder Hannah Bebar: Bebar’s quality shined last week even if her contributions didn’t make the scoreline. She was a perfect seven for seven in one-on-one situations and completed 86% of her passes, helping Bay FC transition out of the back and build up the pitch all evening. Against a talented attacking side in Gotham FC, her ability to break up the opposing build up may be a deciding factor.

Gotham FC forward Sam Kerr: Kerr’s move to Gotham in June stood as perhaps one of the highest profile moves of the season, bringing the league’s all-time leading scorer back stateside. She found the net for the first time since returning last week against Portland, helping secure a 2-2 draw. With the surprising departure of forward Ester Gonzalez earlier this week, she could be thrust into a featured role.

Hannah Bebar, Bay FC
Sam Kerr, Gotaham FC

Know Your Opponent

Gotham FC has surged into second place in the NWSL standings since the league’s summer break. The club enters Wednesday on four straight unbeaten results, having scored nine goals in that span. The club has lost just once since April 25, but in recent weeks has also conceded a bit more frequently than earlier in the campaign. Friday night in Portland, the club claimed a point in a back-and-forth contest ending 2-2 after a second-minute goal by forward Midge Purce, and 62nd minute goal by Kerr equalized after Portland came back for the lead after the break.

This week will serve as a challenge for the defending NWSL champions as they navigate the availability report, roster moves and other personnel shuffling in addition to the congested schedule. Acting Head Coach Shaun Harris will lead the club on the sidelines, as manager Juan Carlos Amoros is away from the club for a five-week paternity leave. Saturday saw defender Emily Sonnet go down with an injury at Providence Park, and Monday, the club announced the departure of striker Esther Gonzalez, who had been its leading scorer to this point in the season. Another move sent forward Khyah Harper to Houston on a free transfer Tuesday morning.

B Hyphy: Bay FC Hip Hop Night

Wednesday, Bay FC hosts the club’s first ever Hip Hop Night at PayPal Park. Headlined by a special halftime performance by Oakland icon Mistah F.A.B., the evening will feature interactive moments and entertainment throughout the stadium, bringing together soccer, music, and the creativity that defines the region and its communities. Additional Bay Area hip hop legends will be in attendance and featured throughout the evening, joined by live DJs, local performers, and curated activations celebrating the region’s hip hop culture and individuality. Classic lowriders will be on site, complemented by local breakdancing performances that add to the night’s visual and cultural energy. The match and surrounding festivities reflect Bay FC’s ongoing commitment to the culture of the region it represents. The first 4,000 fans in attendance will receive a Bay FC x Mista F.A.B Hip Hop Night Poster.

Representing on the International Stage

Tuesday, July 28, Bay FC forward Racheal Kundananji and the Zambian national team open play at the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations. Hosted in Morocco, the tournament will crown the African continental champions and serve as qualifying for next summer’s 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil. Kundananji and Zambia will open their tournament run July 28 vs. Egypt from Rabat, Morocco, before taking on Nigeria Aug. 1 and Malawi Aug. 5. Zambia can qualify outright for next summer’s Women’s World Cup in Brazil with a run to the semifinals. Should the squad reach the quarterfinals, they’ll guarantee an opportunity to reach the inter-confederation play-offs in the fall, determining the final qualifying nations.

Roster Move: Bay ⏩ DAL

Tuesday, Bay FC announced that the club has agreed to loan midfielder Jamie Shepherd to Gainbridge Super League club Dallas Trinity FC. Shepherd will join Dallas for the remainder of the 2026 calendar year. The BYU product and Utah native joined Bay FC after being selected 30th overall by the club in the 2024 NWSL Draft. Shepherd has appeared in two matches across all competitions for Bay FC in this season, playing all 90 minutes in the club’s friendly vs. Canadian side Ottawa Rapid FC April 17 and coming off the bench in NWSL action May 15 vs. Boston Legacy FC. She’s tallied 13 appearances (five starts) and recorded 425 minutes across three seasons since joining the club as part of its inaugural season roster in 2024.

How to Tune in on Victory+

Friday’s match will be broadcast on Victory+, the club’s official streaming partner. Fans interested in tuning in can create a free account today to watch Bay FC and other nationally broadcast NWSL matches. Victory+ is available for free on most major connected TVs and mobile streaming devices, including Android, Apple TV, Chromecast, Hisense, iOS, LG, Roku, Samsung, Vidaa, and Amazon FireTV. Fans can learn more at victoryplus.com or visit the platform’s dedicated NWSL page at VictoryPlus.com/content/nwsl.